What type of Thanksgiving turkey should I buy?

When it comes to hosting a Thanksgiving Day dinner for your loved ones you’ll want to make sure you have prepared the best turkey you can and the type of bird that appeals to the majority of your guests. But with so many turkey types on the market how do you know which is the right bird for your particular needs?

Following is a summary of the most popular types of turkey on the market – fresh, frozen, basted/self-basted, natural, organic, free-range and kosher:

Fresh Turkey

Turkeys labeled “fresh” have been stored at 26 degrees or above. They don’t require thawing and are ready to cook. To ensure food safety, it’s best pick them up only one or two days before cooking.

Frozen Turkey

Frozen turkeys are stored at 0 degrees or below. While you can buy them weeks in advance, they will need several days of thawing in the refrigerator before cooking. The general guideline is one day of thawing for every 4 pounds.

Basted/Self-basting Turkey

These kinds of turkeys have been injected with moistening or flavoring agents. The label will usually list all the ingredients that have been injected into the turkey.

Natural Turkey

Natural turkeys are free of artificial moistening or flavoring agents and as a result, may be drier and blander than other turkeys.

Organic Turkey

A turkey with an organic label ensures that it’s free of antibiotics and, when alive, was fed grain that didn’t contain chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Free-range Turkey

When alive, free-range turkeys were allowed to roam outside their coop.

Kosher Turkey

Kosher turkeys have been brined in water and salt and processed in accordance with kosher law.