Smoked turkey is a delicious and memorable centerpiece for special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. But where can you find a high-quality pre-smoked turkey or uncooked turkey to smoke yourself? This comprehensive guide will walk you through all the best places to source a juicy flavorful smoked turkey.
Online Mail Order Companies
One of the easiest ways to purchase a smoked turkey is to order one online and have it conveniently shipped to your home. Many specialty meat companies sell smoked turkeys that are fully cooked or ready for you to finish smoking at home.
Hey Grill Hey
This website run by BBQ pro Susie Bulloch offers tutorials on smoking your own turkey along with signature rubs and sauces to complement the bird. You can’t buy a pre-smoked turkey from Hey Grill Hey, but you can use their guides to DIY your own wood-smoked turkey.
Burgers’ Smokehouse
With over 100 years of smoking expertise, Burgers’ Smokehouse in California, Missouri has a huge selection of smoked turkey options Choose from whole bone-in birds, boneless breasts, seasoned turkeys, holiday combos and more, all smoked over natural hardwoods
D’Artagnan
For artisanal gourmet meats, D’Artagnan sells fully cooked smoked turkey breast online. Their turkey is hickory-smoked so all you need to do is gently reheat and serve for an elegant entrée.
Grocery Stores
Around November and December, many grocery store chains stock smoked turkey selections for the holidays.
Costco
Club stores like Costco offer large smoked turkeys to feed a whole gathering. Their Kirkland Signature Smoked Turkey is a 13 lb fully cooked bird smoked with hardwood chips.
Kroger
Kroger-owned chains like Ralph’s and Fred Meyer carry house smoked turkeys and national brands like Butterball in-store for Thanksgiving.
Safeway
Another grocery retailer likely to sell smoked turkeys for the holidays. Look for their Signature Select in-house brand or options from Jennie-O.
Local Butcher Shops and Meat Markets
For freshly smoked turkeys, visit a local butcher or specialty meat shop. Many will custom smoke turkey on-site and take preorders for the holidays so you can select the ideal size bird and wood smoke flavors.
Double R Meats
This butcher shop in Skiatook, Oklahoma smokes fresh turkeys with pecan and hickory wood. Order online for local pickup or delivery.
Honey Baked Ham
Although known for ham, Honey Baked Ham also sells smoked turkey at their retail locations. Pick up a “Honey Roasted Turkey Breast” smoked in-house.
Yorkshire Meats
Los Angeles shop Yorkshire Meats smoke turkeys and turkey crowns over oak and hickory for 8-10 hours.
DIY Backyard Smoked Turkey
If you have a smoker or charcoal grill, smoking your own turkey at home is deeply rewarding. It takes time and effort, but the incredible flavor and aroma are worth it.
- Start by brining the turkey overnight for moisture and seasoning.
- Use mild fruitwoods like apple or cherry along with a wood like hickory or oak.
- Maintain a temperature between 225-250°F.
- Allow 30 minutes per pound for the ideal doneness.
Follow step-by-step smoked turkey tutorials from BBQ experts to achieve the delicious results of an hours-long, low and slow smoke.
How to Choose the Best Smoked Turkey
Now that you know the many options for finding a smoked turkey, keep these tips in mind when selecting your holiday bird:
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Allow 1-1.5 pounds per person when calculating how big a turkey you need to feed your guests.
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Seek out artisanal smoked turkey from local butchers or specialty shops for premium quality. Or order from a trusted mail order purveyor.
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For deeply smoked flavor, choose a turkey smoked over stronger hardwoods like hickory and mesquite.
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Opt for a bone-in turkey breast if you don’t need a whole bird. The bones help keep the breast meat juicy.
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Fully cooked smoked turkeys make holiday dinners easy. Just reheat gently and carve.
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Buy an uncooked turkey 1-2 days ahead to allow plenty of time to brine and smoke yourself for the best homemade taste.
Plan Ahead for Your Perfect Smoked Turkey
A whole smoked turkey takes your holiday spread from basic to beautiful. With so many choices on where to buy smoked turkey, you can source just the right bird to wow your guests with amazing flavor. Order your free-range, dry-rubbed, hickory-smoked treasure early to ensure smoked turkey perfection this season!
Whole Smoked Turkey (10-12 lbs.) (SHELBY TWP ONLY)
Seasoned, trussed and smoked whole turkey, locally raised without hormones or antibiotics. Served oven ready, fully cooked, or cooked & chilled. Includes 1 Quart of Gravy. Serves 8-10.
Have it carved for an additional fee.
Available at our Shelby Twp. Location Only
The Secret to Juicy Smoked Turkey—Don’t Skip This Step!
FAQ
Can I buy a ready cooked turkey?
You can buy a whole, fully cooked smoked turkey frozen from butterball. Just heat it up, or thaw and carve if you want to eat it cold.
Does Butterball make a smoked turkey?
Butterball Smoked Whole Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. They can be used in recipes calling for cooked turkey without prior heating. The pink color of the meat comes from smoking and curing and is not a sign of undercooked meat.
Do walmart sell smoked turkey?
They sell a two-pack of smoked turkey legs at Walmart and they are amazing. Smokey, tender, and hit the spot for a meat and potato kind of meal. Today I have the bones, which had tons of meat still on them, simmering in a pot of lentils. I love anything that will stretch for two meals.