I have talked about pasture raised chicken in the past and how much better it is than what you can get at the grocery store but does the same hold true for turkey? Of course it does and I will tell you why. I will also give you some help on where to buy pasture raised turkey since you can’t just pick them up on your weekly shopping trip.
First things first:
What is Pasture Raised Turkey?
Pasture raised turkeys are pretty much what it says: turkeys that are raised on pastures. Most commercial turkeys are raised in overcrowded barns in conditions that kinda make you not want to ever eat a turkey again. Many of us are able to disconnect how our meat is raised and brought to market which is perfectly fine but when you have the opportunity to buy and eat meat that is well cared for you will understand why it is so much better (and more expensive).
Pasture raised turkeys are free to eat grass, bugs, seeds, worms, and all the other stuff turkeys are supposed to eat. These aren’t the same as wild turkeys and are still bred for size, juiciness, etc. Since they aren’t just stuck in a cage and fed turkey feed the meat develops a much richer flavor. The color of the meat will also be darker. Don’t get suckered into labels like “free range” or “organic”. Free range only means the turkeys have “access” to open air but that “access” is usually little more than a small door in the barn that leads to an overcrowded pen outside.
Why are pasture raised turkeys better?
Pasture raised turkeys eat what turkeys are supposed to eat. Bugs, grass, plants, seeds, nuts, berries, and stuff you find in a pasture make up most of a turkey’s normal diet.
Because of this diet and activity the pasture raised turkeys develop a much deeper, more complex flavor than the standard bird you can get at the grocery store. The color of the meat will be darker and generally speaking the breasts will be a bit smaller than what you are used to. These birds taste like what turkey is supposed to taste like!
If you are over 40 and remember what turkey tasted like when you were a kid that is similar to what these turkeys taste like. Once Butterball took over the turkey world most turkeys are grown faster, raised on feed, and bred for breast size and not flavor. A commercial turkey takes about 18 weeks to grow to harvest size where a pasture raised bird is closer to 30 weeks.
Where to buy pasture raised turkeys
Disclosure: This post is monetized with affiliate links. If you buy something through them I earn a commission which helps support this site and lets me buy more meat so I can write about it.
You can’t just go to your local grocery store and buy a pasture raised turkey. If you have a turkey farm nearby you might be able to get one from there but for the rest of us that leaves ordering one online as the best option.
orter Road Pasture Raised Turkeys
Now available for 2023 – Order now before they sell out
Porter Road is now accepting orders for their pasture raised turkeys. These turkeys come from a place called Jolly Barnyard. With a name like that you know they are great!
Porter Road has turkeys from 10 to 15.5 pounds that will serve anywhere from about 12 people up to 20. Prices start at $132 and go up from there depending on what size you need.
Order your pasture raise turkey from from Porter Road. And depending on where you are (most of the mid-west, south, mid-atlantic, and Great Lakes states) they will ship for free as well. Other parts of the country have flat rate shipping ranging from $15 to $35.
If turkey isn’t your thing you can also look at where to buy prime rib and rib roasts.
Crowd Cow Pasture Raised Turkey – Orders open for 2023
ORDER BY 11/13 for Guaranteed Thanksgiving Delivery
Crowd Cow has pasture raised turkeys from Blackwing Turkey which consistently puts out some of the best pasture raised turkeys you will find. There aren’t many retailers that sell pasture raised turkeys and Crowd Cow is the best I have found. Shipping is free on these turkeys as well and you get a free Crowd Cow oven mitt set while supplies last.
Blackwing turkeys aren’t brined or basted like most grocery store turkeys so you will want to be sure you brine yours before cooking. I prefer dry brining (yeah, I know it technically isn’t “brining” but that is a discussion for another day) where you sprinkle salt on the thawed bird a couple days before cooking and let it sit in the fridge.
These birds are raised entirely without hormones or antibiotics and the flavor these birds develop will put your grocery store turkey to shame. Pasture raised turkeys have an amazing flavor and richness that most commercial birds can’t develop in their cages.
Crowd Cow offers these birds in three different sides: 12 lbs, 15 lbs, and 18.5 lbs. The 12 pound bird will be $114.99 and the 15 pounder will run $129.99 and the 18 pounder is $139.99. Yeah, of course this is more than the turkeys at your grocery store. Our local store even gives turkeys away when you spend $100. But once you taste these turkeys you will understand why they cost more. You are paying for quality here. Order your pasture raised turkey from Crowd Cow.
How to cook turkeys
By far the best way to cook any turkey is spatchcocking it. That basically involves removing the backbone and flattening it out. Below is a video I made a couple years back showing the process. Yeah, it is one of those free grocery store turkeys and not a nice pasture raised one.
After spatchcocking your turkey I would recommend dry brining it. I am not a fan of wet brined turkeys. The meat on wet brined turkeys seems to have an almost ham-like texture to me. So go with a dry brine. Basically you sprinkle some kosher salt on the bird. 1/2 tsp per pound is a good starting place. Let the turkey sit uncovered in the fridge for a couple days. Dry brining allows the salt to penetrate all through the meat. It also helps dry the skin which will help it crisp up while cooking.
Once your bird is spatchcocked and dry brined, season it and put it in the oven or your smoker at 325-350. Pasture raised turkeys will cook a bit faster than conventional birds so be prepared for that. I am not a fan of telling people how long something will take to cook. Every bird is different and every smoker or oven is different. But as a rule of thumb plan for 8-10 minutes per pound.
Definitely use a good thermometer to measure the temperature. Your white meat should be ~160-165 and the dark meat ~175-180. A few degrees either way isn’t the end of the world but if your white meat starts getting over 170 your meat will dry out. The dark meat can go to 185 or even hotter without any issues. And if your bird is a bit dry? Douse that sucker in gravy!
And be sure to let your bird rest for AT LEAST 15-20 minutes after taking it off the heat. 30 minutes will be better.
For some more info on how to smoke a pasture raised turkey you can read this post.
Crowd Cow has a good article on how to cook pasture raised turkeys.
And if you want to roast a traditional turkey here is a good article with some pasture raised turkey cooking tips.
Do yourself a favor and treat the family to a great pasture raised turkey this year. Thanksgiving probably won’t be the traditional big family gathering it normally is so you won’t have to waste this good turkey on old uncle Earl. Pick up a pasture raised turkey from Crowd Cow and enjoy the best tasting turkey you will ever eat.
