The centerpiece of many holiday meals is a beautifully roasted turkey. But with so many options at the grocery store, it can be tricky to know which brand of turkey is the best to serve your family and guests. After researching turkey brands, evaluating reviews, and comparing prices, I’ve determined the best turkey brands for common buying needs.
How I Evaluated Turkey Brands
To create this guide on the best turkey brands, I looked at factors including:
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Price – Turkeys can range from $1 per pound to over $10 per pound. I included options at different price points.
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Availability – Some niche turkey brands can be hard to find, so I focused on widely available national brands.
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Quality – Higher quality turkeys tend to be juicier and more flavorful. I looked at expert taste tests and consumer reviews
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Special Diets – I included turkey brands that offer kosher, organic, free-range, and heritage options.
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Fresh vs Frozen – Most turkeys are frozen, but some brands offer fresh never-frozen turkeys.
With these factors in mind, here are my top picks for the best brand of turkey this holiday season.
Best Overall: Porter Road Whole Turkey
For superb taste and quality, Porter Road Whole Turkey is my top choice. This direct-to-consumer brand sells fresh, pasture-raised turkeys online.
The turkeys are free-range, antibiotic-free, and fed an all-vegetarian diet. The price is premium at $160 for a 10-14 lb turkey, but you’re paying for top-notch quality. Expert tasters say these turkeys are exceptionally juicy and flavorful. The turkeys ship fresh, not frozen. Porter Road sells out early, so order yours as soon as possible.
Best Value: Farm Foods Market Grand Champion Turkey
For an affordable turkey under $1 per pound, Farm Foods Market Grand Champion turkey is your best bet. This store-brand turkey consistently earns positive reviews for its moist, tender meat at a wallet-friendly price.
The frozen turkeys are minimally processed with no artificial ingredients. Pick one up at your local Walmart for a tasty turkey that won’t break the bank.
Best Organic: Organic Prairie Organic Whole Turkey
My top pick for an certified organic turkey is from Organic Prairie. Their turkeys are raised on organic family farms with access to the outdoors. They are fed an all-vegetarian organic diet with no antibiotics ever.
At $120 for a 12-14 lb turkey, they are pricier than conventional turkeys but more affordable than many organic options. These frozen turkeys earn praise for their juicy meat and pure taste. Purchase directly from Organic Prairie’s website.
Best Free-Range: D’Artagnan Green Circle Turkey
For a free-range turkey packed with old-fashioned flavor, go with D’Artagnan Green Circle Turkey. These certified free-range turkeys have access to the outdoors and are fed an all-vegetarian diet with no antibiotics ever.
They are air-chilled rather than water-chilled to enhance flavor. At $160 for a 12-14 lb turkey, they are expensive but worth it for superior taste and ethical raising practices. Order directly from D’Artagnan’s website.
Best Fresh: Fresh Direct All Natural Turkey
Most turkeys are frozen, but Fresh Direct sells fresh, never-frozen broad breasted white turkeys year-round. Their All Natural Turkey is minimally processed with no antibiotics or artificial ingredients.
These premium fresh turkeys range from $2.99-$3.99 per pound for a total cost of $60-$100 for a 15-24 lb turkey. Get your fresh turkey delivered straight from FreshDirect’s website.
Best Kosher: Empire Kosher Whole Turkey
For a quality kosher turkey, Empire Kosher is my top choice. Their turkeys are certified kosher, free of antibiotics and hormones, and fed a vegetarian diet. At $3 per pound, they are more expensive than conventional turkeys.
These frozen turkeys get excellent reviews for being tender and juicy. Find them at kosher grocery stores or order online directly from Empire Kosher.
Best Heritage: Mary’s Free Range Turkey
If you want an authentic heritage breed turkey, Mary’s Free Range Turks are considered the gold standard. They are bred from heirloom turkey varieties like Bourbon Red and Standard Bronze.
Priced at $160 and up for a 10-15 lb turkey, they are the most expensive option but offer an exceptionally rich, savory flavor. Order directly from Mary’s website to get one of these special turkeys on your holiday table.
Tips for Picking the Best Turkey
Keep these tips in mind when selecting the best turkey for your holiday meal:
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Buy 1 pound per person. An 8-12 lb turkey will feed 8-12 people.
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** factor in leftovers.** If you want plenty of leftovers, buy a slightly bigger turkey.
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Know your oven size. Make sure your turkey will fit!
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Buy early. Popular turkeys sell out, so shop early.
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Thaw properly. Thaw frozen turkeys in the fridge for 2-3 days.
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Cook thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches 165°F.
With so many excellent turkey brands to choose from, you can serve a spectacular centerpiece turkey this holiday season. From budget-friendly store brands to premium heritage turkeys, there’s a best turkey out there for every celebrating style and budget.
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This holiday season, you can buy a simple frozen turkey at the store, but it’s no secret that you have a lot more options online. Tradition birds that are nothing like the ones you see in the store are one option. Another is cooked birds that you just need to heat up, slice, and serve. You can order Thanksgiving meal catering online and make the dinner exactly what you want, whether you want something different or just want a free-range and organic bird.
We bought turkeys online and sent them to the homes of our experienced editors and testers so they could rate how well it tasted and looked. Each turkey (or turducken) was rated on the delivery process, freshness, ease of preparation, taste, and value. Our list of mail-order turkeys has something for everyone, whether you want a turkey for a big family gathering, something that will save you time in the kitchen, or something just a little different. Our Top Picks Best Overall:
FAQs
The general rule when buying a whole turkey is 1 pound of turkey per person. That looks like a lot of meat for one person to eat, but a whole turkey has a lot of bones that you can’t eat. Of course, you can buy a bigger bird and eat turkey sandwiches for days if you want to make a big pot of soup or have a lot of other people over for dinner.
The Best Store Bought Turkeys
FAQ
Is a butterball turkey good?
What kind of turkeys are best to eat?
What is the highest selling brand of turkey?
Where can I buy a fresh turkey?
You can buy a fresh turkey at some large grocery chains, like Whole Foods, some local grocery stores, local co-ops or farms and even some online retailers, like D’Artagnan and Williams-Sonoma. Fresh turkeys tend to be a bit more expensive than frozen, and can range anywhere from $3-$10+ per pound. Whichever purchase option you go with, plan ahead!
Should you buy the right Turkey?
Buying the right turkey can mean the difference between a good Thanksgiving and a legendary Thanksgiving. And while you can’t go wrong with any of our birds, shopping for a specific size or certification can be tricky. Rest assured, we’re here to help simplify the process. Below, learn more about our birds, plus get expert buying and storing tips.
Is Aldi Turkey a good choice?
Several evaluators described the Aldi bird as gamey (one guessed it was a heritage bird), so this is a good choice for those who like their turkey on the gamey side and a bad choice for those who don’t. Althea Chang-Cook, an associate director of content, said it was “definitely more flavorful . . . and more tender, too.” It was her favorite.
Can you buy a Turkey online this year?
If you usually brave the grocery store to buy your holiday bird, consider ordering your turkey online this year. Thanksgiving dinner features a lot of food items you can buy pretty far in advance. Raw frozen turkeys stay good in the freezer for up to two years and cooked turkeys for about three months.
Should I buy a bigger Turkey?
Of course, if you’re looking forward to lots of leftovers and a big pot of soup, or if you like to give leftovers to guests, it’s fine to buy a larger bird and enjoy turkey sandwiches for days. What is a heritage turkey?
When is the best time to buy a fresh turkey?
If you’re going to wing it, the best day to buy a fresh turkey will be the Tuesday before Thanksgiving for peak freshness. After you get your fresh turkey home, it should be stored in the refrigerator until about an hour before you plan on preparing and cooking it, so make sure you have plenty of shelf space.