Is a Kosher turkey worth twice the price?

Darnoc

I know that the Kosher birds start out the same as a commercial one but they are covered in kosher salt and rinsed many times.But can't you brine it as well yourself.What difference in taste or texture have you noticed between the two if any?

Sundown

I've had several Kosher birds and, quite frankly, I can't tell the difference from a regular killed bird.

mad max beyond eggdome

i know that kosher chickens (or halal chickens) have great taste cause they also aren't raised on a bunch of chemical feed. ..they are more like a free range bird or an organic bird. ..i would expect the same from a kosher turkey. .. i've never had one, but i've heard that the empire brand turkeys have great flavor for this reason (more than the salt brine - its the way they are raised) ...

http://www.empirekosher.com/zip.php?contentpage=pagesnew/chickens.htm

you can buy them in the dc area at the old katz market (i think its just called the kosher super market now) up in rockville in that strip center back behind white flint mall) . . .

one of the these days i'll make the trip up there an buy one give a real analysis ...

Unknown

Trader Joe's (i think there is one in baltimore area) is carrying fresh brined turkeys for a reasonable price. i am trying one next week.

Ken

Eggtucky

dunno what 'twice the price' means Darnoc..I've seen turkey birds for anywhere from .79 to 4.5/lb..I ordered a free range fresh 20 lb'er from my butcher to be delivered on 11/21 and I think it was like 3.74.lb...

DryFly

I've never done an Empire turkey, but cook their chickens exclusively. You can get them in just about every supermercado in NY/NJ/Conn area. They are very, very good, IMHO. Perdue and Tyson are tasteless.

Darnoc

The best price for Empire Kosher turkeys in the Baltimore area are going for $2.69 a pound.Jenni-O and Shady Brook birds are selling for 47 to 49 cents per pound.Cooks Illustrated had Jennie-O in the recommend list.So that would equate to more than four times the price.But cooking these birds on the Egg for the past five years I find it hard to imagine a better bird to be served.Gobble-Gobble.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

ONLY if you are Jewish
My two cents!

fishlessman

those are the ones i use for low and slows on camping trips, makes a big difference for a low and slow. for roasted mad max turkey i stick with fresh. i find the empire turkeys in the freezer section of the supermarkets here, not out with the other birds during turkey season

fishlessman

that just tells me there is a bigger market for kosher birds in the area, i get the empires usually under a dollar per pound frozen

HungryNephew

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead wrote:

ONLY if you are Jewish
My two cents!

Jewish AND Kosher!

Darnoc

Wow. That is a big difference in the price.Might have to move to Utah to get it for half price.