This might be more appropriate in a separate thread (administrators, let me know), but I am wondering about a Jennie-O frozen turkey - the kind that you can cook straight from the freezer to the oven without defrosting - in my freezer. Is there anything about this, other than the inner cooking bag, that's different from any other frozen turkey?

The reason that I ask is that I would rather not cook it all at once. I'm wondering if I can defrost it in the fridge, cut it in half spatchcock style, and cook the two halves separately. I wouldn't refreeze the second half, I'd just cook it on a second or third day, and, I hope, cook both halves more quickly and conveniently. Any thoughts?

p.s., just to keep this thread on topic, I think that next Thanksgiving I will buy a fresh, not frozen, turkey, cut it in half (a whole turkey is really too much for just the two of us), cook one half, and freeze the other half for later. Open to thoughts on that strategy too.

Katie wrote:The reason that I ask is that I would rather not cook it all at once. I'm wondering if I can defrost it in the fridge, cut it in half spatchcock style, and cook the two halves separately. I wouldn't refreeze the second half, I'd just cook it on a second or third day, and, I hope, cook both halves more quickly and conveniently. Any thoughts?

My guess is that this would be fine, as long as you thawed it safely in the fridge, as you suggest.

Katie wrote:p.s., just to keep this thread on topic, I think that next Thanksgiving I will buy a fresh, not frozen, turkey, cut it in half (a whole turkey is really too much for just the two of us), cook one half, and freeze the other half for later. Open to thoughts on that strategy too.

You could just get a breast. I know that even Ho-Ka now sells breasts (my brother saw that at Grand Foods in Winnetka). But this thread has reminded me of just how much I hate turkey. Why not serve duck? It's so much better and for 2 people, it would provide a nice feast, with probably a bit leftover. Hell, next year, I'm serving pork butt for Thanksgiving!

=R=

Tim wrote:Dick,

budrichard wrote: A wild turkey does have a nice large breast and actually tastes a little like acrons of which they feed on.

Actually Dick, a lot of wild turkeys and free range heritage turkeys eat much less palatable fare and taste pretty awful.

budrichard wrote: For many years one could still get a fresh unadulterated bird in the supermarket but comsumer tastes got used the added fat and chemicals and now most of the brids are leabeled 'fresh all natural' but still have fats and oils added.

Dick, How do you add fat and chemicals to a bird that is labeled "all natural"? I have never seen an injected bird that had a solution or fat added.

budrichard wrote:Supermarket turkeys wether fresh or frozen are in the pipeline for at least 30 days. .... It is very hard to find a supermarket bird that is fresh and not adulterated and that would be my second pick behind a truly fresh bird.

Dick

Dick,

You are going to the wrong supermarket. My market receives free range air chilled birds with a KOD that is on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. These birds are local, never below 32 degrees, not injected and reasonably priced at under $1.80 per pound. My market is super, not a chain and yes, it is on the wrong side of town. You just have to know your local sources.

I had hoped you would have restated your allegation to apply to major chain grocery stores which utilize major market suppliers. I agree that your generalizations do apply to these sources. There are local options.

Tim

Tim, tell me the name of your local store so I can call and order a free range chilled bird. I will try one.

Turkey are like all wild game and like all wild game somewhat take a taste from what they have been eating, the ones we hunt in Northern Wisconsin feed primarily on acorns and no one has a problem with the taste.

If you look at some of the fresh commercial turkeys labeled 'All Natural', you will see that they are basted with a broth containing hydrolized protein, salt among other things and since these additives qualify as 'natural', they are allowed to get away with it. I first notice this on 'fresh' supermarket turkey a few years ago. Fresh turkeys without additives are marked 'minimaly processed' but still have a long time in the pipeline.

As I said please tell me the store name so I can order a fresh free range chilled bird with a KOD, I'd like to try one, as we like turkey!-Dick

budrichard wrote: If you look at some of the fresh commercial turkeys labeled 'All Natural', you will see that they are basted with a broth containing hydrolized protein, salt among other things and since these additives qualify as 'natural', they are allowed to get away with it. I first notice this on 'fresh' supermarket turkey a few years ago. Fresh turkeys without additives are marked 'minimaly processed' but still have a long time in the pipeline.

This is a personal pet peeve of mine: I've been trying to record the percentages of "stuff" in the various brands, I'm really irritated by how much water we're purchasing with our poultry. In researching, somewhere I read that the USDA allows salt and water and some other items to retain the label "all natural" because it's something you could do to the turkey in your own home by brining. IMO, rather than labeling, they would do better to require that we pay for the turkey by its weight before the additives.

Dick,

I live in central Illinois. We have two locally owned stores who offer minimally processed, free range birds from a small central Illinois growers. There are a number of growers in Amish country and they all use the same processor. Most have a KOD the week before t-giving.

Suburban Chicago should have similar opportunities. Local grocers who purchase birds from the small growers or the coops. How about the Elburn Market?

You just have to explore the small local stores.

http://envs.colorado.edu/uploads/underg ... _Meats.pdf

The term "all natural" refers to growing conditions. feed and health care of poultry. It has nothing to do with processing.

The term "minimally processed" limits only the processing.

Tim

Tim