# Frozen Turkey now $0.37 per pound



## Bud9051

Just as I was making room in my freezer the Thanksgiving sale will be a challenge. I can cook it and feed it to my puppy dogs at that price, minus some choice pieces for myself.

The bad news is probably a supply and demand issue where they need to move it or lose it. I can't imagine what the farmers are getting paid.

The projected empty shelves are not up here yet and I suspect many homes are like mine, still well stocked.

Hope all is well with everyone here. I'll be cooking a turkey for a small family celebration at my daughters, wish me luck.

Bud


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## BigJim

I don't see how in the world someone can raise and market anything at that price. Sorta like bologna, how can anyone raise feed and market any meat for $1 a pound, it can't be high quality. Be a good time to stock up if you like turkey a lot. I just don't care much for turkey.


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## Bud9051

With the COVID problems and advice now saying to avoid turkey dinners (family gatherings) I suspect farmers will be eating their own turkey for generations. Must be millions of birds out there with no buyers. This will be followed by a shrinkage in future supplies and farms, all part of the pandemic effect. So much more to come.

Bud


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## rjniles

BigJim said:


> I don't see how in the world someone can raise and market anything at that price. Sorta like bologna, how can anyone raise feed and market any meat for $1 a pound, it can't be high quality. Be a good time to stock up if you like turkey a lot. I just don't care much for turkey.


At holiday times, supermarkets sell turkeys as a loss leader to get you into the store. There is usually a minimum amount you must spend on other groceries to get the low price. And there is usually a limit how many you can buy.


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## BigJim

Bud9051 said:


> With the COVID problems and advice now saying to avoid turkey dinners (family gatherings) I suspect farmers will be eating their own turkey for generations. Must be millions of birds out there with no buyers. This will be followed by a shrinkage in future supplies and farms, all part of the pandemic effect. So much more to come.
> 
> Bud


Hadn't thought about that but you are right, this will surly drum up prices later when there are shortages. I wonder how long a turkey will keep in a freezer.


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## BigJim

rjniles said:


> At holiday times, supermarkets sell turkeys as a loss leader to get you into the store. There is usually a minimum amount you must spend on other groceries to get the low price. And there is usually a limit how many you can buy.


I didn't know that, thanks for the information.


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## Startingover

We’re stocked up, freezer an pantries. No turkeys yet but we bought non-perishables for side dishes.


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## wooleybooger

Startingover said:


> We’re stocked up, freezer an pantries. No turkeys yet but we bought non-perishables for side dishes.


Same here. No turkey and won't be, we don't care for it.


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## rjniles

I do a deep fried turkey for Thanksgiving. I like it when it first comes out of the fryer but don't care for the leftovers. My wife makes soup out of the rest.


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## Startingover

An old aunt said if her mother froze turkey meat she covered it in broth first and it taste better when thawed. I tried it and agree


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## PPBART

We tend to alternate between fried and baked turkey -- I like both. Sometimes we do both, depending on how many we expect for the meal.

And I like turkey sandwiches, so the leftovers can feed me for days.


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## Mike Milam

Funny this topic came up. The wife ordered some things from the local Kroger a couple nights ago because she was tired and for the time being they offered free delivery. One thing she ordered was a turkey breast. On sale at .33 a pound. When the order came the turkey (instead of breast) was 22 pounds. We as a rule only eat the white meat but like has been said the fur baby will enjoy the part we don't eat. Luckily we bought a small chest freezer a few weeks back.


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## Old Thomas

As mentioned, turkeys are a “loss leader”. In our NY area milk is a loss leader. It seldom hits $2 per gallon. In FL we pay a lot more.


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## Bud9051

Limit is usually 2 and I'll grab the smallest couple I can find. At this store I never see a minimum but the other big store uses minimums for all kinds of specials. I didn't see the sign once and they said I needed to get the sale up to $50 to get the special price. I walked out leaving those items in the counter. I only went there for the special.

Wife likes sliced turkey breast and I like thighs and turkey soup, still hard to eat up a 20+ pounder so I go for the smallest.

As for freezing they are wrapped in a thick plastic and I recently finished the last one from 2018. I still have 5 or 6 from 2019. IMO even after a year plus in the freezer they have been perfect.

Bud


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## huesmann

Bud9051 said:


> With the COVID problems and advice now saying to avoid turkey dinners (family gatherings) I suspect farmers will be eating their own turkey for generations. Must be millions of birds out there with no buyers. This will be followed by a shrinkage in future supplies and farms, all part of the pandemic effect. So much more to come.
> 
> Bud


Here's an article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/road-to-recovery/2020/10/19/thanksgiving-turkey-shortage


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## Mike Milam

Bud9051 said:


> As for freezing they are wrapped in a thick plastic and I recently finished the last one from 2018. I still have 5 or 6 from 2019. IMO even after a year plus in the freezer they have been perfect.
> 
> Bud


We have one of those machine that uses a heavy plastic and you vacuum the air out and it seals. Never had a failure. We have had steaks in the freezer for a year or so and they were just fine.


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## Colbyt

There were .37 here last year and the year before. This year .39 with no additional purchase. They are definitely a loss leader item.




BigJim said:


> Hadn't thought about that but you are right, this will surly drum up prices later when there are shortages. I wonder how long a turkey will keep in a freezer.


An easy 6 months and with the vac pac and thick plastic I suspect somewhat longer.


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## Bud9051

I hate Washington Post and all others that require me to sign in. But I googled it and it sounded like my small turkey thinking may create a shortage. I will see what they have later today.

Cooking tip while I'm here.
For the oven the chest cavity usually accumulaces a pool of liquid reducing the internal temp. SOO I cut both sides of the tail down a couple of inches and bend it backwards to break the bone and then cut the skin. I trim some of the excess skin/fat to allow the heat easy access to the chest and it really helps to even out the cooking temperatures.

Bud


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## rusty baker

My daughter worked for Butterball for 4 years. We don't eat turkey.

I did go turkey hunting once.Scared the crap out of the Walmart shoppers.


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## CaptTom

All the supermarkets around here run the 39-cent or so pre-Thanksgiving turkey sales. I've never noticed a limit, and certainly no minimum purchase requirement. Most years I'll buy two, one for Thanksgiving and one for later.

Had plans to have some family over and cook the second one back in mid-March. Covid killed that idea. It's still in the freezer.

I love a good turkey dinner, so I may end up cooking it soon, even if we can't entertain a crowd.


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## J. V.

I paid 98¢ cent a pound last week. Frozen Butterball 24 lbs.


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## Bud9051

Butterballs are nice but I reserve that option for really special occasions.
Just picked up two 12 pounders, actually no large ones available at that time. I doubt many people here in my area will be limiting their turkey day.

Bud


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## LS-6

Many stores offer turkeys etc. for low prices with an additional $25 purchase or so. I don't go for that because that's how they make up for the discount. Just like buy one get one free offers. They double the price or close to it to make the average shopper think they're saving $$$.
With that said a local aldis has butterball turkeys for .87/lb. Normal price was $1.29. I bought a honey suckel white turkey they also had for .59/lb and no additional purchase for either turkey.
That's what I go for. Your preferences may vary.


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## Bud9051

Anyone ever bone one out and wrap the skin around it? I did one long ago and it was nice, but different. Since the wife *only* likes white and the boned roast is a mix we haven't tried it since.

Bud


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## BigJim

rusty baker said:


> My daughter worked for Butterball for 4 years. We don't eat turkey.
> 
> I did go turkey hunting once. Scared the crap out of the Walmart shoppers.











I like smoked turkey legs pretty well when they are just out of the smoker, they aren't good warmed back up though, IMHO.


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## huesmann

Bud9051 said:


> Cooking tip while I'm here.
> For the oven the chest cavity usually accumulaces a pool of liquid reducing the internal temp. SOO I cut both sides of the tail down a couple of inches and bend it backwards to break the bone and then cut the skin. I trim some of the excess skin/fat to allow the heat easy access to the chest and it really helps to even out the cooking temperatures.


Spatchcock your bird and no worries about accumulating liquid. Cooks faster too.


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## Bud9051

I do that with chicken and then dry them in my large skillet. Breast side first then over and cover is necessary.

I could for the turkey but it doesn't look the same, tradition.

Bud


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## mark sr

My wife was happy that she got our Turkey for 99¢ a pound, if we see prices as low as y'all we will probably buy a second one.


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## Colbyt

Went to the grocery to buy some 39 cent bird and they had reduced the price to 31 cents a pound. People must not be buying them fast enough.


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## Bud9051

Although I'm happy to absorb some of the excess the implications scare me. If I were a turkey farmer my choices for next year would be troubling. Maybe they need to create more special days for turkey dinners besides just Thanksgiving and Xmas. 

Bud


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## Colbyt

Bud9051 said:


> Although I'm happy to absorb some of the excess the implications scare me. If I were a turkey farmer my choices for next year would be troubling. Maybe they need to create more special days for turkey dinners besides just Thanksgiving and Xmas.
> 
> Bud



If it is like the beef industry they are used to getting beans and probably got paid the low fee the processor always paid. Farmers no where in America are doing anything other than enjoying a lifestyle they prefer. They don't do it for the money.


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## huesmann

A lot of the problem is the distribution networks. Turkeys could be shifted to other end products, e.g. ground turkey instead of whole birds, but the distro networks and timing are designed for X turkeys per year for whole birds and Y turkeys per year for ground meat, and shifting those around isn't easy.


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