Where to Buy Smoked Turkey Tails: The Best Places to Find This Unique Cured Meat

Smoked turkey tails are an underrated cured meat that deserves more attention. Packed with flavor and nutrients, these smokily seasoned poultry parts can add richness and depth to soups, stews, beans, greens, and more. But where can you find smoked turkey tails to buy? Here are some of the best options to get your hands on this tasty ingredient.

Online Mail Order and Delivery

One convenient way to source smoked turkey tails is to order them online Several companies specialize in cured and smoked meats that ship nationwide

Wild Fork Foods This Florida-based purveyor offers high-quality smoked turkey tails vacuum-packed and delivered chilled, Their minimally processed tails are smoked over real wood chips
Porter Road: Based in Nashville, Porter Road smokes whole pasture-raised turkeys then chops them into parts like tails. Their shipping is free for orders over $100.
US Wellness Meats: This company sells pastured turkey tails with an old-fashioned wood smoke flavor. Their vacuum-sealed packs keep the tails fresh during shipping.
Carnivore Club: A subscription box service, Carnivore Club sends monthly shipments of artisanal cured meats including smoked turkey tails. It’s a fun way to try new smoked meat producers.
Rastelli’s: Along with their better-known beef and chicken, Rastelli’s also offers smoked turkey tails in bulk cases shipped frozen. They use minimal ingredients and real hardwood smoke.

Online Grocery Delivery

Major grocery delivery services allow you to add smoked turkey tails to your regular shop. Next time you need to restock the pantry, check the selection and reviews before adding them to your digital cart:

Instacart: Search Instacart for “smoked turkey tails” to see if any stores in your area carry them. Quality can vary by retailer but reviews will tell you about the specific product.
Amazon Fresh: Like Instacart, Amazon Fresh partners with supermarkets to deliver groceries. Browse their smoked meats section for turkey tail options.
Walmart: Surprisingly, Walmart offers mail order smoked turkey tails in packs of two from Oakridge Bbq, earning positive reviews. They ship frozen.
Thriftway: This Pacific Northwest chain ships smoked turkey tails nationwide from partner supermarket locations, flash frozen and vacuum sealed.

Butcher Shops and Specialty Grocers

Don’t forget to check your local independent butcher shops and specialty grocers. These smaller retailers often carry higher quality cured and smoked meats than big chains:

Butcher shops: Skilled butchers may smoke their own turkey tails or source them from reputable smokehouses. Chat with your butcher for recommendations.
Farmers markets: Look for smoked meat vendors at outdoor markets, usually on weekends. Ask questions about their smoking process.
Latin grocery stores: Smoked turkey tails are popular in many Latin American cuisines. Check Latin markets for in-house smoked options.
African and soul food markets: These stores catering to African American customers frequently sell smoked turkey parts. Look in the refrigerated and freezer cases.
Asian grocers: Some Asian markets carry smoked poultry like turkey tails, sometimes imported brands. It never hurts to ask and inspect labels.

Direct from the Source

If you live near a smokehouse, buying direct will provide you with the freshest smoked turkey tails:

Visit smokehouses and stock up: The gift shop will often have vacuum-packed smoked meats for sale. You can check sell-by dates and smell the fresh smoke.
Look for warehouse sales: Many smokehouses hold periodic warehouse sales where you can buy large quantities of smoked meats at discounted prices, sometimes direct from the freezer.
Join a CSA: Some artisanal smokehouses operate like community supported agriculture farms, selling smoked meat “shares” to members who pick up weekly.
Attend BBQ competitions: At these contests, teams may sell their smoked meats to the public. Turkey tails likely won’t be competition entries but may be menu items.
Check farmers markets: Local producers may sell smoked meats alongside other farm products. Ask how recently the tails were smoked.

Should You Make Your Own?

With so many retail options for purchasing smoked turkey tails, you may wonder if it’s worth the effort to smoke them yourself. There are pros and cons:

Pros:

Control ingredients, wood choice, and smoking process
Tweak recipes to personal tastes
Make smaller batches
Experience the fun of smoking meats

Cons:

Time consuming (up to 5 hours of hands-on time)
Requires equipment like a smoker or grill
Learning curve to master technique and wood pairing
Must start with raw turkey tails

For most home cooks, buying pre-smoked turkey tails is the easiest and most convenient choice. But an avid griller or barbecue enthusiast may relish the process of smoking their own. When purchased, look for responsibly raised turkeys minimally processed with real hardwood smoke. With so many sources available, you’re sure to find irresistibly flavorful smoked turkey tails.

where can i buy smoked turkey tails

The Instacart guide to turkey tail products

Rinsing the tails and patting them dry.
Adding your choice of seasonings such as salt, pepper, and a variety of herbs and spices.
Smothering them with your choice of dressing or your favorite barbecue sauce.

While turkey tails are a great source of protein, they have a high saturated fat level. If you consume food with large amounts of saturated fat, this could raise the “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood. A diet high in saturated fat also increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. When you want to try a new recipe using turkey tails, let an Instacart shopper purchase them for you. In as little as 2 hours, you can have turkey tails waiting for you at your front door! Simply open your Instacart app, add them to your cart, complete your purchase, and choose your delivery time. It really is that easy! Instacart helps you save both time and money by having your groceries delivered right to your home.

Smoked Turkey Tails Haul / Soulfoodqueen.net

FAQ

Where can I find turkey tails?

FAQs about turkey tails You can now find them at butcher markets, grocery stores, and specialty stores. Typically, they’re available smoked, but if you don’t want to purchase smoked turkey tails, you can ask your local butcher if they have non-smoked ones available.

Is smoked turkey tails healthy?

4 oz of turkey tails, smoked (Villari Brothers) contains 370 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 3% carbs, 42% fat, and 56% protein. This is a good source of protein (38% of your Daily Value).

What part of the turkey is turkey tails?

The tail is actually a gland that attaches the turkey’s feathers to its body. It is filled with oil that the bird uses to preen itself, so about 75 percent of its calories come from fat. It’s not clear why turkeys arrive at U.S. stores tailless.

Are turkey tails good eating?

Though turkey tail is edible, the texture can be described as tough and leathery. For this reason, wild-harvested turkey tail is usually dried, ground into a powder, and consumed as tea. It can also be added to soups or blended into smoothies.