Trader Joe's Has the Best Turkey I've Ever Had—It's Seasoned and Ready To Roast
It's a half turkey!
Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock
This may not be a shocker, but people have some very strong opinions about turkey. My brother, for instance, grew up dreading any mention of the extra lean and often dried-out bird and would instead plead for even the tiniest morsel of supple red meat, whether it was roast beef, meatloaf, steak, or a burger.
I, on the other hand, am a turkey-loving fanatic and have spent more time than I’d like to admit obsessing over achieving a perfectly juicy, golden-hued centerpiece that my brother couldn’t say no to. Sadly, I’ve yet to create a turkey-shaped meatloaf, so the quest to satiate my brother’s turkey-averted palate continues.
Despite the fact that there are some turkey haters out there, that doesn’t stop most of us from taking the time to painstakingly baptize a whole bird in brine, butter, and spices before sending it off to become the most glorious shade of ochre in the oven. The only downside is the time it takes to prepare (sometimes days), and after all the pomp and circumstance, there’s still no guarantee that people will actually appreciate all our hard work.
Unless, of course, there was some magical pre-brined and expertly seasoned alternative that would not only make our job on the big day easier, but might even convert the turkey-haters, too.
Simply Recipes / Trader Joes
Trader Joe's Herb Seasoned Brined Bone In Half Turkey
Price: $4.99 per pound
Why I Love It: If you don't want to fuss with brining, seasoning, or the guesswork of cooking a turkey to perfection, this half turkey is ready to pop in the oven. And it's one of the best turkeys I've ever had.
Why I Love Trader Joe's Half Brined Turkey
Enter Trader Joe’s Half Bone-In Herb Brined Turkey. I was a tad bit skeptical that this seemingly mass-produced, vacuum-sealed half of the iconic Thanksgiving centerpiece would be nothing more than a sad, bone-dry mess that would reaffirm my turkey-averted brother’s lifelong suspicions.
I’m happy to admit when I’m wrong (sometimes); in this case, I was gloriously mistaken. At first glance, this ingenious Thanksgiving shortcut might seem like it’s not substantial enough for the over-the-top feast that Thanksgiving normally is, but if you’re hosting a smaller gathering or favor ham, lamb, or beef for your turkey day centerpiece, this is the perfect set-it-and-forget-it option.
After carefully selecting my just-over-five-pound bird, which totaled $28.02 at $4.99 per pound, I raced home to prepare my turkey. Once I made it home and began to run through my usual mental checklist of everything I needed to complete, after reading the package instructions, I realized there was next to zero prep work involved, leaving me with so much extra time to make sides and dessert!
How I Prepared Trader Joe's Half Brined Turkey
All you have to do is preheat your oven to 400°F, remove the bird from its outer packaging, discard the sprig of rosemary (or drop it into your roasting pan, like I did), rub the included pat of butter under the skin, and pop into the oven in a roasting pan until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F.
Of course, being me, I made a hot honey harissa compound butter for additional flavor, and I let my turkey dry out in the fridge overnight to achieve that glorious crispy skin we’re all after. I also added liquid, aromatics, and spices to the bottom of my roasting dish to keep the turkey moist.
During the roasting process—which took the entire recommended 85 minutes—I basted the turkey every 30 minutes or so, alternating between the pan juices and melted garlic butter to layer on the flavor. To serve, I roasted up some teeny tiny potatoes and broccoli florets, and used the pan drippings to create a luscious, flavorful gravy.
This was one of the best turkeys I’ve ever had, and being able to just toss it into the oven makes it all the more appealing for me to grab this over my usual 20-pound Butterball. The meat was juicy and flavorful, with a hint of rosemary and a sweet finish that paired perfectly with the spiced butter I added. Bottom line, this turkey makes the cut for this year’s Thanksgiving menu, and something tells me that even my turkey-hating brother will enjoy this one.
