Has anyone bought their 2025 Thanksgiving turkey yet?

[medtran49]

Was that HEB. I saw a few people with both a ham and a turkey in their carts today.


I bought a Turkey Breast today, and plan on smoking it. What wood does Craig use? I have Post Oak and Apple pellets on hand, but can always get something else in plenty of time.

CD

Cherry. There's a place that carries all kinds of wood. We've ordered a couple of times. They have some interesting woods.

Home | Fruita Wood Chunks

Fruita Wood Chunks specializes in premium, naturally cured BBQ wood chunks, designed to elevate your grilling and smoking experience

www.fruitawoodchunks.com

 

[grumpyoldman]

years ago i experimented with different flavors of wood, but i always went back to hickory , i haven't used anything else in years and everyone seems to like it

 

[Andy M.]

Just came back from shopping for Thanksgiving. Asked at the supermarket for a Fresh Butterball. They didn't have them. "They'll be in later today." SO asks how much are they? $1.99/Lb. In past years it's been around $1.69/Lb.

Then we went to Costco for some stuff and saw the Fresh Butterballs for $0.99/LB!!! This is an especially low price around here. Not able to pass up a half price opportunity like that so we grabbed one.

 

[Linda0818]

Just came back from shopping for Thanksgiving. Asked at the supermarket for a Fresh Butterball. They didn't have them. "They'll be in later today." SO asks how much are they? $1.99/Lb. In past years it's been around $1.69/Lb.

Then we went to Costco for some stuff and saw the Fresh Butterballs for $0.99/LB!!! This is an especially low price around here. Not able to pass up a half price opportunity like that so we grabbed one.

See, then it's a good thing your first supermarket was out of them

Nice score, especially for Butterball.

 

[caseydog]

years ago i experimented with different flavors of wood, but i always went back to hickory , i haven't used anything else in years and everyone seems to like it

My goto is Post Oak, which is the Central Texas standard for BBQ. I also keep Apple around for pork ribs. I should be able to get some cherry pellets in time for my TG turkey. It's worth a try.

CD

 

[Kathleen]

I love turkey smoked with apple wood.

 

[caseydog]

I love turkey smoked with apple wood.

That's an option, too, since I already have it on hand. I'm definitely leaning hard toward a fruitwood.

CD

 

[Yankee00]

Thank you for starting this thread, as I already had a question lined up. In some years past, I have purchased a "fresh, never frozen" turkey from Fresh Market. Granted, it cost more. Last year, I bought a frozen Butterball and IMHO, I really did not taste any noticeable difference. I oven bake my turkey with aromatics stuffed inside. Do any of you all have an opinion on whether one is better than the other? Thank you in advance.

 

[caseydog]

I can't find any cherry pellets locally. Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot have turned their patio and garden sections into massive displays of Christmas decorations.

No big deal, I have plenty of Apple pellets.

I have my 5.66 pound turkey breast thawing in the fridge. I'll wet brine it overnight Wed/Thurs.

I bought a big sweet potato. I'm going to make this...

Sweet and Spicy Twice Baked Sweet Potato

Sweet and Spicy Twice Baked Sweet Potato Easy recipe, but takes some time to bake. Ingredients (for one serving -- multiply as needed) 1 Large Sweet Potato 1 TBSP Butter 1TBSP Dark Brown Sugar 1 TBSP Maple Syrup 1 Cayenne (or similar) Chili Pepper 1 Finely Diced Jalapeño Pepper (garnish) How...

www.discusscooking.com

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

Last year, I bought a frozen Butterball and IMHO, I really did not taste any noticeable difference.

I've never bought a fresh turkey - but have had Butterball. I think the main differences is the juiciness that Butterball seems to have been able to consistently supply.
So if your fresh turkey was also just as juicy then you've done well!
Guess at that point it is a matter of price.
Butterball, if I remember correctly, also infuses aromatics as do you.

 

[Andy M.]

I've been buying Fresh Butterballs for about ten years. Like them a lot. Strangely enough, this year's Butterball was the cheapest yet $0.99/Lb!

 

[pacanis]

Honeysuckle seems to be the turkey brand around my AO.
I haven't seen a Butterball in a long long time.

 

[Linda0818]

Honeysuckle seems to be the turkey brand around my AO.
I haven't seen a Butterball in a long long time.

We have both brands here. Honeysuckles are usually cheaper than Butterballs. But I haven't priced turkeys because I don't need to buy one. The host of Thanksgiving always does the turkey and the main sides and other family members bring dishes. I'm in charge of the green bean casserole every year. Don't know why I bother. Nobody eats it. Well, except me and maybe one other person. The boys (my son and his cousins) won't touch it. In fact, the men in general don't eat it either.

I happen to love green bean casserole, so at least I enjoy it

 

[pacanis]

I'm in charge of the green bean casserole every year.

I've been meaning to try that.
Maybe I'll make some Thurs.

 

[Linda0818]

I've been meaning to try that.
Maybe I'll make some Thurs.

I like it. But I guess it's one of those 'controversial' dishes

 

[pacanis]

I like it. But I guess it's one of those 'controversial' dishes

I was pretty sure it had C of M soup in it... and sure enough.
Throw in the canned green beans and crispy onion things and I can see a certain sector of people avoiding it, lol.

I'll have to make a crispy onion thing run. And get a little creative on how I am going to cook both the turkey and the casserole in a toaster oven... but I've already worked that out in my head.

I remember using those onions long ago, along with mayonnaise, as a breading on walleye. It was pretty good.

 

[Linda0818]

I was pretty sure it had C of M soup in it... and sure enough.
Throw in the canned green beans and crispy onion things and I can see a certain sector of people avoiding it, lol.

I'll have to make a crispy onion thing run. And get a little creative on how I am going to cook both the turkey and the casserole in a toaster oven... but I've already worked that out in my head.

I remember using those onions long ago, along with mayonnaise, as a breading on walleye. It was pretty good.

Yeah, LOL. Putting it like that, it does sound kinda gross. But once it's all baked up, it's actually very good. Well, in my opinion, anyway. I've heard people say they wouldn't touch that dish with a 10-foot pole and I've heard others say it's their favorite side.

Love walleye. Grew up eating that stuff at Lake Erie.

 

[pacanis]

Houston, we may have a problem.
I just did a trial run to see if my turkey will fit in the toaster oven. And it does not. And that's even without a rack under it.

I might have to take all my CI out of the gas oven and see if I can dial in my cooking temp with its wonky thermostat. Or see if it even turns on

 

[dragnlaw]

I see a spatchcocked or quartered in your future.

 

[Linda0818]

I see a spatchcocked or quartered in your future.

Yep. Excellent ideas. It'll cook faster, too.