Best Age for a Thanksgiving Turkey to be Slaughtered

[Farkha Laziza]

If one wants to roast a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, what's the best age for it to be? The turkey would be slaughtered on Thanksgiving and cooked immediately.

 

[R2elk]

If one wants to roast a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, what's the best age for it to be? The turkey would be slaughtered on Thanksgiving and cooked immediately.

Not a good idea unless you want a very tough turkey. The recommendation is to butcher the turkey 3 days ahead of time and allow the carcass to rest in a cooler (refrigerator) in order for the muscles to pass through rigor mortis. Some people that they can get by butchering one day before and soaking the carcass in a brine overnight before cooking the next day.

 

[Farkha Laziza]

Who said I would wait long enough for rigor mortis to set in? The bird would be in the oven before that happened. I said it would be cooked the same day to distinguish it from a turkey that might be frozen a month in advance or something. I want to know how far in advance we need to get the turkey chick to be ready by Thanksgiving.

 

[WalnutHill]

Depends on the variety.

Heritage turkeys are mature with a nice fat layer from 27 weeks and up.

Broad breasted turkeys are mature with a nice fat layer from 20 weeks and up.

Hybrids are mature with a nice fat layer from 24 weeks and up.

All turkeys are more tender after a few days of dry aging in the fridge. The enzyme action tenderizes the meat.