Lower Fairfield county: where did you get your turkey & why?

[wookiedoodle]

i have to pick mine up today and I am debating the merits of fresh versus frozen, boutique brand vs. mass produced. What did you choose and why?

Regardless of the type of turkey, I'll be brining mine a la Cooks Illustrated. I did this last year and it was the best turkey I've made yet.

[steve h.]

whole foods in greenwich. it was a fresh bird. we'll be brining it.

[adamclyde]

stew's has a good selection of fresh turkeys. They have both free range and non free range turkeys there.

don't get fully frozen. As debmom suggests, it's going to be hard to thaw in time. But the "fresh" ones that feel frozen are OK, because they aren't taken below 28 degrees and will thaw easily in your fridge overnight.

[wookiedoodle]

OK, this is very good to know. I usually go to Fountainhead for my Thanksgiving wines, but this year we're scaling back so the higher end Oregon pinot noirs won't be on my table (*sob!*). I may end up at Stew's wines so it's just as easy to go across the street to get the bird.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I'm up in Dutchess County Ny. For the first time purchased a fresh, organic, locally raised turkey from McEnroe farm in Amenia NY. I'll have to report back how it turns out.

I'll be using the same approach I have in the past with frozen birds. I also do a 2 day brine. I then use an herb butter in between the skin and the meat. It's been fantastic in the past and I'm hoping for it to be even better with the fresh turkey.

My reasons for buying fresh as obviously for the hope of better taste. Some other reasons are the importance of buying local. Supporting local business, less gas/pollution from trucking, no hormones, ect. It wasn't cheap but I only buy a whole turkey once or twice a year. So to me it's worth it.

[debmom]

Fresh, always, in my house. I don't think you have enough time to defrost it.

[sibeats]

Fresh organic (Eberly's Farm) from Balducci's...and probably way overpriced, but I thought I'd give it a try!