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? This guide will walk you through the best places to buy a smoked turkey, either fully cooked or uncooked to smoke yourself
Online Mail Order Companies
One of the easiest ways to get your hands on a smoked turkey is to order one online and have it shipped directly to your doorstep Many specialty meat purveyors sell smoked turkeys that are fully cooked and ready to heat and serve
Hey Grill Hey
The website Hey Grill Hey is run by barbecue expert Susie Bulloch. She offers a recipe for a smoked turkey along with her signature rubs and barbecue sauces to complement the bird. While you can’t order a pre-smoked turkey directly from Hey Grill Hey you can use Susie’s tutorial to smoke your own turkey at home.
Burgers’ Smokehouse
Burgers’ Smokehouse is a family-owned smokehouse in California, Missouri with over 100 years of experience. They have an extensive selection of smoked turkey options including whole bone-in birds, boneless breasts, turkey legs, seasoned turkeys, and holiday combos. Their turkeys are smoked with natural hardwoods like hickory, apple, cherry, and pecan.
D’Artagnan
D’Artagnan sells artisanal meats and game online. Their smoked turkey breast comes fully cooked so all you need to do is gently reheat and serve. The breast is smoked with a blend of fruitwood and hickory.
Grocery Stores
Many local grocery store chains will stock smoked turkey options during the holiday season from November through December.
Costco
Club stores like Costco have large smoked turkeys available to feed a crowd. Costco’s private label Kirkland Signature Smoked Turkey is a precooked 13 pound turkey smoked with hardwood chips.
Kroger
Kroger supermarket company owns chains like Ralph’s, King Soopers, and Fred Meyer. Check your local Kroger banner store around Thanksgiving to find house smoked turkeys and national brands like Butterball ready for your holiday table.
Safeway
Safeway is another grocery store chain likely to have smoked turkeys during holiday season. Look for their Signature Select house brand smoked turkey as well as options from brands like Jennie-O.
Local Butcher Shops or Meat Markets
Seek out a local butcher shop or specialty meat market in your area. Many will smoke turkeys fresh in-house and take custom orders for the holidays. You can often choose your own size bird and select different wood smoking flavors.
Double R Meats
Double R Meats is a butcher shop located in Skiatook, Oklahoma specializing in smoked meats. Around Thanksgiving they smoke fresh turkeys with pecan and hickory wood. You can order online for store pickup or local delivery.
Honey Baked Ham
While known for ham, Honey Baked Ham also offers smoked turkeys at their retail locations. Visit a Honey Baked store to pick up a “Honey Roasted Turkey Breast” smoked in-house with their sweet glaze.
Yorkshire Meats
Yorkshire Meats is a British butcher shop located in Los Angeles. For Thanksgiving they smoke whole turkeys as well as turkey crowns (a boneless breast with wing). The turkeys are smoked for 8-10 hours over a blend of oak and hickory wood.
DIY Smoked Turkey
If you have a backyard smoker or charcoal grill, you can smoke your own turkey at home. Hey Grill Hey has an excellent step-by-step tutorial for smoking a turkey on a pellet grill, offset smoker, or gas or charcoal grill. Follow their method for a restaurant-quality smoked turkey cooked right in your own backyard.
Smoking your own turkey takes some time and effort, but the homemade flavor and aroma is worth it. Brine the turkey first for extra moisture and seasoning. For the smoke, use mild fruitwoods like apple, cherry, pecan, or maple paired with a complementary wood like hickory or oak. Maintain an even temperature of 225-250°F and allow 30 minutes per pound for ideal doneness.
Know Where to Find Smoked Turkey
A gourmet smoked turkey takes a holiday meal from ordinary to extraordinary. Now that you know where to source smoked turkey – from mail order companies to local butchers to DIY backyard smoking – you can wow your guests with wood-smoked flavor. Order your smoked turkey early so you have it in time to thaw for a perfect turkey day!
AWESOME Smoked Turkey Recipe For Beginners!
FAQ
Is smoked turkey any good?
Is smoked turkey better than fried turkey?