If you still haven't bought your Thanksgiving turkey, you may be asking yourself, "Should I buy a fresh or frozen turkey"? Well, in the McShea household, we always go with frozen, but some people prefer fresh. Here's more on the subject.

"Frozen vs. Fresh Turkey - What type should you buy:

Frozen Turkey: Do you know that a "frozen" turkey is fresher than a so called "fresh" turkey? Turkeys chilled below 0°F must be labeled "frozen." Or, if they're sold already defrosted, you may see "previously frozen" on the label. You can purchase frozen turkeys months in advance. Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely, but for best quality should be used within 1 year of purchase. Keep frozen until you are ready to thaw it.

Hard-chilled or not previously frozen - Turkeys that have been chilled below 26°F, but not below 0°F can't be labeled fresh, but they don't have to be labeled frozen either. If a turkey isn't labeled as either fresh or frozen, it's most likely in this category. This type of bird may also be identified as "hard-chilled" or "not previously frozen."

Fresh Turkey: A turkey may be labeled "fresh" only if it has never been chilled below 26°F. (Turkey meat, according to the National Turkey Federation, doesn't freeze at 32°F, but at a temperature closer to 26°F.)

If you order a fresh turkey, pick it up from the store only a day or two ahead of time. Handle raw turkeys safely. Take the turkey home directly from the grocery store. At home, place the turkey immediately in the refrigerator or freezer.

Store turkeys in the coldest part of your refrigerator at 40 degrees F. or below. A locally raised fresh turkey will last only 1 to 2 days refrigerated. Commercially raised fresh turkey in their unopened packaging may last longer and should be marked with a Use By date.

Methods To Defrost or Thaw Turkey:

Preferred Method - Refrigerator Method:

Turkey should be thawed it its original plastic wrapper. Place the frozen turkey on a rimmed cookie sheet or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.

Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back. - NEVER DEFROST TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, since bacteria multiplies and breeds at room temperature. Every five (5) pounds of turkey will require 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator (i.e., a 15-pound turkey will take three (3) full days). For most of you, this means buying a frozen turkey on a Saturday or Sunday and letting it rest on the very bottom shelf of your refrigerator until Thursday morning."

In my opinion, if you don't want to spend a couple of days ahead of time thawing a frozen turkey, a fresh turkey is the answer. Some people claim that fresh turkeys taste better, but I can't tell the difference.

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