Where to Purchase Smoked Turkey

Smoked turkey can be a delicious alternative to traditional roasted turkey, with its tender meat infused with smoky flavor. If you’re looking to purchase a smoked turkey, either to serve for a special occasion or to enjoy on a weeknight, you have several excellent options to choose from. In this article, I’ll go over the best places to buy smoked turkey, what to look for when selecting one, and how to prepare it for your meal.

Online Mail Order Companies

One of the most convenient ways to buy smoked turkey is through online mail order companies that ship the fully cooked product right to your door Two of the most popular and highest quality choices are Burgers’ Smokehouse and Maple Leaf Farms

Burgers’ Smokehouse, located in California, MO, offers premium smoked turkeys in a variety of sizes, smoked with natural hardwoods like hickory, cherry, and pecan Their hickory smoked whole turkey ranges from 10 to 16 pounds and costs $95 to $100 You can also choose a smoked turkey breast at 5 pounds for $79. Burgers’ Smokehouse turkeys are minimally processed with no artificial ingredients.

Maple Leaf Farms, located in Leesburg, IN, produces smoked turkeys and other poultry products. Their premium smoked whole turkey is available in 10 to 16 pound sizes, fully cooked and flash frozen to seal in flavor. Prices range from $60 to $90. Maple Leaf Farms turkeys are smoked over hardwood fires and delicately seasoned.

The benefit of mail order smoked turkeys is you get a high quality product from an established smokehouse shipped frozen right to your home This takes the guesswork out of finding an authentic smoked turkey at your local grocery store,

Specialty Meat Markets

Your local specialty butcher shop or meat market may carry smoked turkeys seasonally around the holidays. These are a good option if you want to shop local and pick out your turkey in person. However, selection can be limited compared to mail order companies.

Call your local shops ahead to see if they carry smoked turkeys and if you’ll need to preorder for holiday meals. Expect to pay comparable prices to mail order companies, likely $80 to $100 for a 10 to 16 pound smoked turkey. Quality can vary greatly, so read reviews and ask for recommendations if it’s your first time purchasing from that shop.

Grocery Store Deli Counter

Many grocery store deli counters, especially large supermarkets, now carry fully cooked smoked turkey breasts and turkey legs you can purchase by the pound.

The smoked turkey breast or turkey legs are handy for picking up smaller quantities of ready-to-eat smoked turkey meat. You don’t have to wait for shipping. However, the quality is not likely to match that of specialized smokehouses.

Expect to pay around $7 to $12 per pound for pre-sliced smoked turkey breast. Smoked turkey legs typically cost $5 to $9 per pound. Verify the turkey does not contain any artificial preservatives or flavorings if you want authentic smoked flavor.

What to Look For When Buying Smoked Turkey

When purchasing a smoked turkey, either whole or just part of the bird, here are some tips on what to look for:

• Minimally processed – The fewer ingredients, the better. Look for smoked turkey without artificial preservatives, flavors, colors or other additives.

• Hardwood smoked – Opt for turkey smoked over hardwoods like hickory, apple, cherry or pecan rather than “smoke flavoring”. This imparts more authentic, robust smoky flavor.

• Good marbling – Some fat marbling within the meat keeps it tender and moist during smoking. Lean turkey can dry out.

• Reputable source – Purchase smoked turkey from a trusted smokehouse, local butcher, or deli counter with good reviews rather than a generic brand.

• Frozen at peak freshness – For mail order or deli turkey, choose one frozen at its freshest point to lock in moisture and flavor.

• Proper packaging – Turkey that is vacuum sealed or flash frozen indicates care was taken to maintain quality.

• Easy to prepare – Fully cooked, ready to eat smoked turkey reheats easily and saves time.

How to Prepare Smoked Turkey

One of the biggest benefits of choosing a fully cooked smoked turkey is it requires very little preparation before serving. Here are some tips:

• If frozen, thaw turkey in the refrigerator 1-2 days before needed. Do not thaw at room temperature.

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place turkey in a roasting pan.

• Bake for 1-2 hours until heated through to an internal temperature of 140°F.

• If reheating a turkey breast or legs, bake at 350°F for 30-60 minutes.

• Slice turkey and serve! Smoked turkey also makes excellent sandwiches and salads.

• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3-4 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving again.

Smoked turkey is delicious served on its own, but also pairs well with cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, and fall vegetable sides.