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Ordering a Whole Smoked Turkey: Where?

Ordering a Whole Smoked Turkey: Where?
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  • Ordering a Whole Smoked Turkey: Where?

    Post #1 - November 19th, 2005, 1:20 am
    Post #1 - November 19th, 2005, 1:20 am Post #1 - November 19th, 2005, 1:20 am
    I got suckered into cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year. Not a huge shindig, just me and the wife and two friends. But it was late enough notice that I'm starting to get nervous, and removing the bird from the cooking equation would be very helpful.

    My wife keeps talking about the whole smoked turkeys that her mom used to order in Maryland for Thanksgiving. Anyone happen to know where I could get a good whole smoked turkey (or just a couple of smoked turkey breasts) in time for T-day? Failing that, where's a good non-Jewel/non-Dominick's store to order a cooked bird from?

    Any recommendations would be appreciated. :)
  • Post #2 - November 19th, 2005, 11:44 am
    Post #2 - November 19th, 2005, 11:44 am Post #2 - November 19th, 2005, 11:44 am
    Hecky's in Evanston offers whole smoked turkeys. Many years ago I got one and it was quite good. Better phone in your order soon, if you're interested.
    ToniG
  • Post #3 - November 19th, 2005, 2:57 pm
    Post #3 - November 19th, 2005, 2:57 pm Post #3 - November 19th, 2005, 2:57 pm
    i think paulina market on lincoln is probably your best bet
  • Post #4 - November 19th, 2005, 3:57 pm
    Post #4 - November 19th, 2005, 3:57 pm Post #4 - November 19th, 2005, 3:57 pm
    Hi,

    The prior incarnation at the this location was O's BBQ. On the premises is an Oyler BBQ Pit, which they use for smoking items for their restaurant. They will smoke a turkey. If someone uses them, I do hope you will report back your experience.

    Paradise Grill
    209 West 120
    Lakemoor, IL 60051
    815/363-8067
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #5 - November 19th, 2005, 7:03 pm
    Post #5 - November 19th, 2005, 7:03 pm Post #5 - November 19th, 2005, 7:03 pm
    For fast and easy, check out your local Dominick's. They have both oven baked, and smoked turkeys for $15.00. They average 10 pounds each. I have had the oven baked in the past, and they are good. Not as great as home cooked, but good.
  • Post #6 - November 19th, 2005, 7:13 pm
    Post #6 - November 19th, 2005, 7:13 pm Post #6 - November 19th, 2005, 7:13 pm
    ToniG wrote:

    "Hecky's in Evanston offers whole smoked turkeys. Many years ago I got one and it was quite good. Better phone in your order soon, if you're interested."

    Just wanted to second Toni G's recommendation of Hecky's turkey. Last November I had one, along with two of their smoked ducks. Tender and moist. But it'd be a good idea to get your order in ASAP.
    Man : I can't understand how a poet like you can eat that stuff.
    T. S. Eliot: Ah, but you're not a poet.
  • Post #7 - November 19th, 2005, 7:31 pm
    Post #7 - November 19th, 2005, 7:31 pm Post #7 - November 19th, 2005, 7:31 pm
    I didn't point out in the OP that I live in Evanston: so, Hecky's was a short drive away. Order placed! I did so before i saw the post mentioning the cheaper smoked turkeys at Dominick's, but hey, we got a turkey drumstick to snack on when we placed the order, and it was pretty darn tasty!

    Will report on the turkey later.

    Edit: Thanks!
  • Post #8 - November 19th, 2005, 8:08 pm
    Post #8 - November 19th, 2005, 8:08 pm Post #8 - November 19th, 2005, 8:08 pm
    It's too late for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas or Hannukah try a Greenberg smoked turkey made by Sam Greenberg of Greenberg, TX at:

    www.gobblegobble.com

    :twisted:
  • Post #9 - November 19th, 2005, 8:30 pm
    Post #9 - November 19th, 2005, 8:30 pm Post #9 - November 19th, 2005, 8:30 pm
    Or, as an alternative, call on a LTH'r

    I have capacity for a minimum of 5 turkeys in my smokers.

    I would be more than happy to smoke turkeys for one and all, no charge.

    Location is key, and I am far West.

    I am smoking 2 turkey breasts, and frying a whole bird.

    But I would be more than willing to smoke birds the weekend before. Reheating a smoked bird is easy, and no loss in tenderness.

    Actually, I could arrange that the smoked bird is done early on Thursday, so reheating is minimal.

    I start cooking about 3pm on Wed. and the smokers are "hot" till around midnight on Sat.

    Glutony to the extreme.

    Never pay for shipping when you can get something local for free :) You supply the bird, I supply the smoke

    PS I just got 10# apple, and 10# pecan, just for TDay Smoking 8)
    Bill-Plainfield
  • Post #10 - November 20th, 2005, 3:36 pm
    Post #10 - November 20th, 2005, 3:36 pm Post #10 - November 20th, 2005, 3:36 pm
    S I just got 10# apple, and 10# pecan, just for TDay Smoking Cool


    Great choice of woods for smoking turkeys!

    I, too, tend to try to smoke my own, but in pinches, these have been damned fine mail-order choices (although it's probably too late to get a pre-holiday shipment this year):

    New Braunfels Smokehouse

    Burger's Smokehouse

    They both heat up nicely, and are smoky and moist.

    Cheers,
    Wade
    "Remember the Alamo? I do, with the very last swallow."
  • Post #11 - November 12th, 2022, 2:40 pm
    Post #11 - November 12th, 2022, 2:40 pm Post #11 - November 12th, 2022, 2:40 pm
    17-year bump here. Anyone have any good recs in the city? I live fairly close to Paulina, but theirs is a smaller bird (9-10 pounds) than I need but 2 of theirs is more than I need.
  • Post #12 - November 12th, 2022, 4:23 pm
    Post #12 - November 12th, 2022, 4:23 pm Post #12 - November 12th, 2022, 4:23 pm
    Matt wrote:17-year bump here. Anyone have any good recs in the city? I live fairly close to Paulina, but theirs is a smaller bird (9-10 pounds) than I need but 2 of theirs is more than I need.

    Guessing quality is average at best but I did see some whole, smoked turkeys at Costco recently. They're cryovacked and stocked near the pre-packaged sausages, etc. in the refrigerated section. I didn't examine them very closely, so I can't provide any more details. To get one for Thanksgiving without some sort of trial really seems like a gamble, though.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #13 - November 12th, 2022, 5:12 pm
    Post #13 - November 12th, 2022, 5:12 pm Post #13 - November 12th, 2022, 5:12 pm
    The trib had a pretty extensive list of restaurants offering Thanksgiving meals and carryout. I recall seeing bub city on there, which isnt my cup of tea, but I'm assuming they have some smoked turkey offerings.

    https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... -list.html
  • Post #14 - November 12th, 2022, 10:26 pm
    Post #14 - November 12th, 2022, 10:26 pm Post #14 - November 12th, 2022, 10:26 pm
    I really just want a smoked turkey for the leftovers so I can make gumbo on Saturday and watch LSU trounce Texas A&M (sorry Aggies, but your team kinda sucks and that buyout is insane — but happy to take any of those 5 stars off your hands in the transfer portal; thanks for Harold Perkins Jr.). [Throwin some SEC shade on LTH = 537 bonus points.]

    Maybe I’ll just do a “regular” turkey in the oven and buy some smoked parts (or even a whole smoked turkey from Paulina — although they are not cheap) for the gumbo. But like having the oven freed up on Thanksgiving for other stuff. Have smoked turkeys myself last 10+ years but we recently moved and had to leave the Big Green Egg behind as it was built in to an outdoor cook station, so I’m trying to improvise this year until we get a new kamado/smoker set-up in place by next summer, god willing. I do have a Weber kettle if anyone wants to convince me something smoked-adjacent is doable without a whole hell of a lot of tending to things.
  • Post #15 - November 13th, 2022, 5:51 am
    Post #15 - November 13th, 2022, 5:51 am Post #15 - November 13th, 2022, 5:51 am
    Here are some options for ordering specialty turkeys, including smoked and deep-fried:

    GOLD BELLY -- https://www.goldbelly.com/

    CAJUN TURKEY CO. -- https://cajunturkeyco.com/

    CAJUN GROCER -- https://www.cajungrocer.com/

    CAJUN.COM -- https://www.cajun.com/

    CAUTION: Sit up straight while perusing these options, as extensive drooling can short-circuit your keyboard!
  • Post #16 - November 13th, 2022, 8:52 am
    Post #16 - November 13th, 2022, 8:52 am Post #16 - November 13th, 2022, 8:52 am
    You might like to try my friend and fellow BBQ guy Hipolito Sanchez.
    SlowMotionForMeat
    @slowmotionformeat on Instagram.

    Reserve right away, he sells out fairly quick.
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #17 - November 14th, 2022, 12:33 pm
    Post #17 - November 14th, 2022, 12:33 pm Post #17 - November 14th, 2022, 12:33 pm
    I just left Costco and in the refrigerated section near the prepared soups, shrimps, et al were wrapped smoked turkeys at ~$4 a pound. They were in the range of 12-15 lbs.
  • Post #18 - November 14th, 2022, 1:36 pm
    Post #18 - November 14th, 2022, 1:36 pm Post #18 - November 14th, 2022, 1:36 pm
    dirtyappraiser wrote:I just left Costco and in the refrigerated section near the prepared soups, shrimps, et al were wrapped smoked turkeys at ~$4 a pound. They were in the range of 12-15 lbs.

    Did you happen to notice the price of their cook-it-yourself turkeys?
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #19 - November 16th, 2022, 9:19 am
    Post #19 - November 16th, 2022, 9:19 am Post #19 - November 16th, 2022, 9:19 am
    Cathy2 wrote:
    dirtyappraiser wrote:I just left Costco and in the refrigerated section near the prepared soups, shrimps, et al were wrapped smoked turkeys at ~$4 a pound. They were in the range of 12-15 lbs.

    Did you happen to notice the price of their cook-it-yourself turkeys?


    Sorry, I did not
  • Post #20 - November 16th, 2022, 9:35 am
    Post #20 - November 16th, 2022, 9:35 am Post #20 - November 16th, 2022, 9:35 am
    The HoKa website says they have a limited number of smoked turkeys available at the farm. It'd be a road trip but I imagine delicious.
  • Post #21 - November 18th, 2022, 10:36 am
    Post #21 - November 18th, 2022, 10:36 am Post #21 - November 18th, 2022, 10:36 am
    Cathy2 wrote:
    dirtyappraiser wrote:I just left Costco and in the refrigerated section near the prepared soups, shrimps, et al were wrapped smoked turkeys at ~$4 a pound. They were in the range of 12-15 lbs.

    Did you happen to notice the price of their cook-it-yourself turkeys?

    Butterball (Tom) and Jennie-O (Hen), $0.99/pound; Norbest Organic (Tom), $3.49/pound.
  • Post #22 - November 21st, 2022, 2:33 am
    Post #22 - November 21st, 2022, 2:33 am Post #22 - November 21st, 2022, 2:33 am
    Is there any store that has good smoked drumsticks? Whole Foods used to carry them, and they were wonderful, but they quit carrying them a few years ago. I know I could go to Paulina, but the crowds are probably crazy there this week. Jewel and Valli have smoked turkey drumsticks, but they are not that great.
  • Post #23 - November 21st, 2022, 6:34 am
    Post #23 - November 21st, 2022, 6:34 am Post #23 - November 21st, 2022, 6:34 am
    NFriday wrote:Is there any store that has good smoked drumsticks? Whole Foods used to carry them, and they were wonderful, but they quit carrying them a few years ago. I know I could go to Paulina, but the crowds are probably crazy there this week. Jewel and Valli have smoked turkey drumsticks, but they are not that great.

    Fresh Farms might carry them.
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #24 - November 21st, 2022, 9:39 am
    Post #24 - November 21st, 2022, 9:39 am Post #24 - November 21st, 2022, 9:39 am
    First thoughts were genes and Valli in Evanston. I feel like I've seen em at both but can't confirm for sure that they have them.

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