Where to Order Cooked Turkey for Your Next Gathering

Cooking an entire turkey is a time-consuming and messy process. If you want to skip the hassle of roasting a bird but still want turkey on your table, ordering a pre-cooked turkey is the perfect solution. In this guide, I’ll share the best places to order cooked turkey online or for pickup, along with tips for preparing, storing, and serving pre-cooked turkey.

Why Order a Pre-Cooked Turkey?

Here are some of the biggest benefits of ordering a cooked turkey rather than roasting your own:

• It saves time. Roasting a turkey takes hours of prep cooking and monitoring the oven temperature. With a pre-cooked turkey, just warm it up right before serving.

• No thawing required. Store-bought cooked turkey can go straight from freezer to oven, eliminating the days of thawing needed for a raw bird.

• Minimal mess. You avoid having to clean up the roasting pan covered in drippings. Pre-cooked turkeys come neatly packaged.

• Consistent results. With a pre-cooked turkey, you know exactly what you’re getting. There’s less risk of undercooking or drying out the meat.

• More options. Many stores sell seasoned, smoked, or stuffed turkeys you can’t easily make at home.

• Feed a crowd. It’s easy to order largecooked turkeys to feed gatherings of any size.

Best Places to Order Cooked Turkey Online

Several online retailers sell fully cooked whole turkeys as well as turkey breasts and other cuts. Here are some of the top online sources for cooked turkey:

HoneyBaked Ham

Known for spiral sliced hams, HoneyBaked Ham also offers whole cooked turkeys and turkey breasts. Their hickory smoked turkey has incredible reviews.

Harry & David

For premium quality meats, Harry & David is my go-to. Their Diestel turkeys are free-range, hormone free, and smoked to perfection.

Omaha Steaks

At Omaha Steaks, you can find seasoned, basted, and smoked whole turkeys as well as turkey breasts and other cuts.

Williams Sonoma

The Williams Sonoma website has an amazing selection of smoked, roasted, and specialty turkeys from top brands like Diestel and Mary’s Free Range.

Goldbelly

On Goldbelly, you can order cooked turkeys shipped from famous restaurants and turkey specialists around the country.

Nueske’s

For 100% natural smoked turkey, Nueske’s applewood smoked turkey breast is incredibly moist and flavorful.

Best Places to Order Local Pickup

If you want to skip delivery fees and ensure freshness, opt for local pickup of cooked turkey from a market or restaurant near you. Here are some top options:

Whole Foods

The prepared foods section at Whole Foods has whole roasted Diestel turkeys as well as turkey breasts, legs, wings and more. Order ahead for pickup.

Boston Market

Boston Market is famous for rotisserie chicken, but they also sell roasted whole turkeys, turkey breasts, and heat-and-serve turkey meals.

Grocery store deli

Many large grocery store chains like Safeway, Kroger, Publix, and Albertsons sell cooked turkeys in their deli sections. Check ahead for availability.

Local butcher shop or meat market

Owner-operated local butcher shops often cook small batches of fresh turkeys. Ask them about pre-orders for holiday meals.

Cracker Barrel

Stop at a Cracker Barrel location near you to pick up a Heat n’ Serve Turkey Family Dinner to-go. Call ahead to pre-order.

Gourmet restaurants

Many upscale restaurants like Ruth’s Chris Steak House sell packaged turkey dinners around the holidays.

How to Prepare and Serve Pre-Cooked Turkey

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your store-bought cooked turkey:

• If the turkey is frozen, thaw it in the fridge for 24-48 hours before reheating. Never thaw at room temperature.

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the turkey in a baking pan and cover with foil.

• Warm the turkey for 10-15 minutes per pound. Take the temperature in the thickest part of the breast to ensure it reaches 165°F.

• Let the turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to allow juices to be reabsorbed.

• Carve the turkey and serve it warm. Add gravy, if desired.

• Refrigerate all leftover turkey within 2 hours. Use within 3-4 days.

• Get creative with leftovers! Make turkey sandwiches, salads, casseroles, soups, chilis, and more.

With a pre-cooked turkey from a trusted retailer, you can skip the marathon cooking and messy oven while still enjoying delicious and moist turkey. Take the stress out of your next holiday meal or gathering with a ready-to-serve turkey.