There’s a lot more than defrosting time to consider.
One of your biggest decisions is fresh versus frozen.
It also involves how the turkey was raised, flavor, cost, time, and preparation.
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Read below to learn more about everything you’re gonna wanna know before youbuy your bird.
How Fresh Vs.
Some of these birds were also raised antibiotic-free.
Frozen Turkeys
Frozen birds are generally raised in close-spaced tweaks.
Instead of grass, these birds dine oncorn and other grains.
For some, bigger is better, and they prefer a fattened turkey for the table centerpiece.
Once killed, these birds are frozen to a temperature of 0F to -30F.
However, fresh turkeys also retain more moisture, which means more flavor.
Frozen turkeys, fed on corn and grains, tend to be sweeter and more tender.
You may see these turkeys labeled as “self-basting.”
How Much They Cost
There is a cost difference between fresh and frozen birds.
Because fresh birds tend to be free-range and organic, there are more costs involved in raising them.
These costs are passed on to the shopper, which means fresh birds can be more expensive.
Frozen turkeys are often less expensive and can be purchased throughout the year.
you’ve got the option to also find frozen turkeys on sale when it’s not the holidays.
Fresh turkeys should only bekept in your fridgefor a maximum of two days before roasting.
You will also want to ensure topre-order your fresh turkeywell in advance, to ensure there is one available.
Fresh turkeys tend to be in more limited supply than frozen.
Fresh turkeys tend to cook more quickly than frozen birds (even after they are defrosted).
You will need to factor in time toslowly defrost them, though.
That means a 16-pound turkey could take four days to defrost.
Once defrosted, cook your bird within two days.
