Turkey Talk

Have you noticed that there are dozens of types of turkeys available in your local market? Are you a little confused? Here is some great information that will help you pick a great bird.

Fryer / Roaster- A small turkey of 4 to 8 pounds is classified as a fryer-roaster and is usually no older than 4 months.

Young- A 4 to 8 month old turkey is referred to as a young roaster, which has soft, smooth skin and tender meat.

Yearling- A 12 month old turkey is called a yearling and the meat and skin are still reasonably tender, but not as tender as a young turkey.

Mature or Old- A mature turkey is 15 months or older and is not well suited for roasting because the meat is much tougher.

*Note-Whole turkeys may be labeled hen or tom turkey, but this does not make a significant difference in the quality. The flavor and tenderness of the meat is determined by the age of the turkey at the time it is brought to market, rather than the gender. Most turkeys used for roasting are between 4 and 9 months old and range in weight from 8 to 24 pounds.

Smoked- Smoked turkeys are ready to eat because the smoking process cures and cooks the meat with indirect heat. They are available in a wide range of flavors depending on the type of fuel used for the smoking process.

Free-Range- A turkey known as "free-range" indicates that the bird was allowed to roam outdoors, which may have a positive affect on the flavor of the meat, especially if the roaming area was not too crowded. The amount of space that a turkey is given to roam, regardless if it is indoors or out, actually affects the quality to a greater degree than if the bird is simply allowed to be outdoors.

Organic- An organic turkey refers to a bird that is allowed to eat only organic feed and is allowed to roam outdoors (free-range). In order to be classified as organic, the turkey can never receive any antibiotics. Growth hormones are also prohibited, which is the case for all commercially raised poultry.

Natural- This refers to turkeys that have limited processing with no artificial ingredients or coloring added. The term "natural" does indicate that a turkey is free-range. The meat is also be a bit drier than other types of turkeys that have had additional processing.

Kosher- A kosher turkey must be raised and processed with strict guidelines under rabbinical supervision. The turkeys are free-range birds that are fed only grain, are never given any antibiotics, and are individually inspected. When they are processed, the turkeys are soaked in a salty brine solution to provide maximum tenderness and to give the meat a unique flavor.

Heritage Turkeys- Before turkeys were raised in large commercial sites and mass marketed, most people ate a variety of breeds raised on small farms. Today these various breeds are known collectively as "Heritage Turkeys", which are making a comeback. Heritage turkeys are free-range birds and include breeds such as Jersey Buff, Bourbon Red, Black Spanish, and Narragansett. The various breeds generally have a longer body, smaller breast muscles, and are bit leaner than commercially raised birds. Heritage turkeys require an additional 2 to 3 months to grow to the proper size for processing. This makes the turkeys more expensive than commercially raised birds, but most people feel the extra expense is justified because of the excellent flavor and the texture and tenderness of the meat. Most heritage turkeys are raised on small farms where they can be directly purchased or they can be conveniently purchased from a number of online sites and shipped directly to the consumer.