by Robin Fiedler
In your Holy-Grail search for the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, you will find that locating the best one is not a twist of fate.
Since turkey is the essential centerpiece of a Thanksgiving meal, millions of these birds are raised every year for Americans giving thanks. There are 3 types available: commercially-raised, free-range, and Heritage. The differences are price, how they are bred and raised, and the amount of white versus dark meat. 
According to the US Census Bureau, the “number of households across the nation — all potential gathering places for people to celebrate the holiday” is 117 million! It also notes that “the preliminary estimate of turkeys raised in the United States in 2009” is 250 million, while 99% of our turkey imports come from Canada.
The whole turkey that typically ends up on our Thanksgiving dinner table is Broad-breasted white hen, bred to be top heavy with white meet. The National Turkey Federation explains, “The hen usually takes 14 weeks and weighs 15.3 pounds when processed. This compares to the tom, which takes 18 weeks to reach a market weight of 33 pounds.”
Heritage turkeys are bred naturally and are grown for a longer period, according to Leslie Brenner of the LA Times. Free-range turkeys are allowed to roam in the open, unlike commercial birds which are raised in barns although not caged. NTF producers do not use hormones or steroids, but do use antibiotics to reduce and control disease.
Brenner reports on an experiment of cooking all three types for a taste test. “Although the dark meat of the heritage bird is what’s often touted, we were amazed at its white meat, which was finely grained, extremely succulent and the most flavorful of the three birds. The white meat of the free-range turkey was delicious, but didn’t measure up to that of the heritage bird. Its texture was coarser, though it was very moist. The white meat of the supermarket turkey was stringy, dried out and fairly flavorless.”
In December 2008, the US Census Bureau reported that the price per pound of a whole frozen turkey was $1.33. In 2003, free-range turkeys cost about $2 a pound, while the Heritage has to be special-ordered at about $4 a pound. The Heritage also takes longer to cook than commercially bred turkey, says Brenner. The USDA points to no difference in cooking time between buying a frozen or fresh turkey.
The typical American consumes 13.8 pounds of turkey every year, according to the US Census Bureau, of course much of it during the Thanksgiving meal. The USDA recommends buying 1 pound of turkey for every person invited to dinner, but for a turkey that gives after Thanksgiving, buy extra for leftovers, or buy two; a frozen turkey can keep for 12 months in the freezer.
Some of the best recipes for turkey and turkey leftovers from top chefs can be found at NTF’s website http://www.eatturkey.com. They even have videos. Let’s put the bird in the oven, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
References
Brenner, Leslie. “Pound per Pound: Which Turkey Tastes Best?” LA Times. 19 Nov. 2003. http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-heritagestory,1,6365330.story?page=1
“Countdown to Thanksgiving Holiday” USDA: United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. Nov. 2006. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Countdown_to_Thanksgiving_Holiday.pdf
“Raising Turkeys.” Turkey: The Perfect Protein. 2009. National Turkey Federation. http://www.eatturkey.com/consumer/raising/raise.html
US Census Bureau. “Thanksgiving day: Facts for Features.” US Census Bureau. 30 Sept. 2009.
COUPON TIME
Turkey time? Check out our Thanksgiving Deals page for the best shopping opportunities for this unique American holiday.