The 7 Best Mail-Order Turkeys You Can Order Ahead of the Holidays

Thanksgiving is the cook’s holiday. It’s a chance to get together with loved ones, whip up a feast, and eat the day away. And in the center of it all: the majestic turkey.

Most of us only cook turkey once a year, and it’s no small challenge to get it right. Even if you can master the tricky balance between a juicy breast, tender dark meat, and burnished, crisped skin, a turkey is only as good as the bird you start with. That’s why our team of intrepid editors has devoted weeks to defrosting and cooking more than a dozen mail-order turkeys to find the best ones you can buy online. Our favorites include heritage, free-range, and pre-seasoned options, all worthy of a Rockwell painting.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Mail-Order Turkey

ButcherBox Thanksgiving Turkey Box Thanksgiving Turkey Box

View on Butcherbox.com

The ButcherBox turkey arrived frozen solid in a recyclable paper-insulated box. It roasted to a picture-perfect golden hue, had flavorful meat, and boasted some of the sourcing practices we love to see (it was humanely raised on a fifth-generation family farm). Plus, it was one of the most affordable turkeys we tried.

The Best Pasture-Raised Turkey

US Wellness Meats Pasture-Raised Whole Turkey

View on Grasslandbeef.com

This thoughtfully raised turkey arrived fully frozen and in recyclable packaging. When roasted, the skin turned golden and crispy while the meat remained tender, juicy, and flavorful. It was more than worthy of being the centerpiece for any holiday feast.

The Best Free-Range Turkey

D’Artagnan Green Circle Turkey

View on Dartagnan.com

This free-range turkey is Certified Humane by Humane Farm Animal Care. When roasted, it was tasty, easy to carve, and well-proportioned. Roast chicken fans will appreciate its mild flavor, and it was nearly as affordable as the ButcherBox bird.

Another Great Free-Range Turkey

Williams Sonoma Willie Bird Fresh Free-Range Turkey

View on Williams Sonoma

We like that this free-range option comes in a variety of sizes, which reduces waste (in fact, we’d recommend buying two smaller turkeys as opposed to one big one, since it’s easier to cook a more petite bird). The turkey we tried arrived nicely insulated in a branded box, accompanied by giblets and a neck for making gravy. It emerged from the oven with a gorgeous maple-brown shellac, even after minimal prep. This option is sold out for the year, so bookmark it now if you want it next holiday season.

The Best Heritage Turkey

Kelly Turkeys KellyBronze Whole Thanksgiving Turkey

View on Kellybronze.com

These free-range birds are descendants of the historic Bronze turkey, a slow-growing breed that gets more flavorful as it matures. They’re plucked by hand and dry-aged for at least seven days. The turkeys are shipped fresh during the Thanksgiving season and frozen for Christmas, though both are currently sold out.

The Best Splurge-Worthy Heritage Turkey

D’Artagnan Heritage Turkey

View on Dartagnan.com

A flavor-packed heritage turkey from a legacy brand. Turkey enthusiasts will appreciate the slightly more gamey profile of this hand-processed bird, which comes from Narragansett or Bourbon Red breeds. It sold out before Thanksgiving, but it's back in (limited) stock for the winter holidays.

The Best Ready-to-Cook Turkey

Omaha Steaks Whole Basted Turkey

$100 at Amazon View on Omahasteaks.com

Omaha Steaks does way more than just steak (although they do that very well). We were astounded at how easy this pre-seasoned turkey was to prepare; it took less than five minutes to go from the fridge into the oven, and tasted great, to boot. It's currently unavailable, likely until Thanksgiving 2026.

The Tests

• Packaging Test: Upon delivery, we inspected each bird to make sure that it arrived fully intact and at a food-safe temperature. We disposed of the packaging according to its instructions, evaluating the associated waste. 
• Preparation Test: When possible, we thawed and roasted each turkey using the same method. We dry-brined each unseasoned bird by rubbing it with salt, allowed it to sit uncovered overnight in a refrigerator, and then had it come up to temperature for one hour before roasting. Each bird got an olive oil rubdown and then went into a 425°F oven for one hour. Then, we reduced the temperature to 375ºF and continued roasting until the deepest part of the thigh reached 165ºF using an instant-read thermometer. If a bird came with cooking instructions, we still dry-brined it but followed the prescribed recipe instead. 
• Taste Test: After roasting, we carved and sampled each turkey, evaluating the taste, juiciness, and texture. 

What We Learned

The Turkey Terms You Should Know

Whether you’re shopping in a grocery store or online, trying to decide between turkeys to buy can be confusing, to say the least. Is natural the same as organic? What’s the difference between free-range and pasture-raised, and what does heritage even mean? To help decipher all the turkey gobbledegook (ha!), we’ve put together a few of the key words and phrases that are helpful to understand. For more details, see our poultry labeling guide. 

• Natural: This refers to how the meat was processed rather than making any commentary on how it was raised. "Natural" turkeys have been minimally processed and don't contain additives like artificial colors or preservatives.
• Organic: The USDA lays out legal standards for organic poultry in the United States that encompass specific living conditions, including access to the outdoors, shade, and exercise, and the prohibition of physical alterations like beak clipping.
• Free-range: Pretty much all turkeys are raised uncaged in barns where they’re allowed to walk around freely, though conditions may be crowded. To be called free-range, turkeys must have continuous, free access to the outdoors during their normal growing cycle, according to the USDA. This designation may not speak to how the turkey actually lived. In some cases, a door may be kept open for turkeys to allow them to go outside, even if they never do; on other farms, it could be that turkeys spend much of their time strutting in the sun. It’s best to look for a producer that is transparent about their birds’ care rather than to rely on the “free-range” term alone.
• Pasture-raised: As of 2025, the USDA requirements for a “pasture-raised” label dictate that turkeys must actually spend a majority of their lives on vegetative pasture, rather than simply having optional access to the outdoors. This allows them to walk and forage through grasses as they would if they were wild.
• Humanely raised: Humane practices can include minimal transportation, enrichment activities for the turkeys (like toys to peck or ramps for them to walk on), and rich outdoor spaces for foraging. For the best accountability, look for farms that use third-party certification programs, like the Global Animal Partnership or Humane Farm Animal Care, to verify and regularly audit their practices.
• Heritage breed: According to the Livestock Conservancy, heritage turkeys come from historic breeds that can mate naturally, live longer, and grow at a slower, more sustainable rate than birds that have been specially hybridized for modern industrial farming practices. They tend to be smaller and leaner, with more flavorful meat that can verge on gamey compared to standard commercial birds.
• Antibiotic-free: Antibiotics can be administered to turkeys to treat or prevent disease or to increase their feed efficiency (how much weight they gain from what they eat). If a turkey is given antibiotics, it has to go through a withdrawal period before harvest to ensure none are left in its system. This label means they were never given antibiotics throughout their lives for any reason.
• Hormone- and steroid-free: Turkeys, like every animal, are born with naturally occurring hormones that help them function normally, and giving any farmed poultry supplementary hormones or steroids has been prohibited in the United States for decades. It’s like labeling a cucumber as gluten-free—while technically true, it’s not a particularly helpful distinction. 
• Vegetarian-fed: Some conventional poultry feed can contain animal byproducts like bone meal. Vegetarian-fed turkeys usually eat grain mixtures made of soy, corn, and other grains without any animal-derived additives. 
• Air-chilled: Conventional poultry is generally dunked into cold water to chill it after processing, but air-chilled turkeys are hung to dry and cool after plucking. This leads to drier skin (which helps it get crisper while roasting), and may help keep it fresh for longer by discouraging microbial growth.

How to Get the Most Flavorful Turkey

Free-range and heritage turkeys tend to be more flavorful than conventionally raised ones because of their genetics, activity levels, and age when they’re harvested. (Some might have darker skin or black pin feathers that were missed during plucking, though they weren't super noticeable after roasting) These same factors also make them leaner and less tender on average, meaning their meat is more susceptible to drying out if overcooked. While we’d recommend this for any turkey, it’s especially smart to keep a probe thermometer inserted in a non-conventional bird throughout the roasting time so you don’t miss the narrow window where the juicy turkey can escape and leave you with a sawdusty one. As Kenji explains in his Best Simple Roast Turkey recipe, a good practice is to stick the probe of your thermometer into the deepest part of the breast and set the temperature alert to 150°F. After that, carryover cooking will do the rest (trust us). 

Another general turkey tip we’d emphasize is brining. You can brine either by covering your patted-dry, raw turkey in a generous dusting of salt all over and letting it sit uncovered in your refrigerator for 12 hours or more (up to a few days) or by submerging it in a salt-and-water mixture—about two-and-a-half cups per two gallons of water—for the same time period. The salt causes some of the proteins in the meat to dissolve, preventing it from tightening up as much while cooking. (This protein clenching is what causes chewiness.) The salt also helps bind free water molecules inside the meat, securing both the seasoned flavor and the moisture inside when the heat is on. Now that’s what we call good chemistry. 

What Size Turkey Should You Buy?

We recommend buying one pound of turkey per person you’ll be feeding. That’ll translate to about half a pound of meat each once cooked, a generous portion that’s bound to yield some leftovers. The same rule goes for turkey breasts, which are great for smaller crowds and white meat devotees. If you’re like us and love repurposing your Thanksgiving leftovers in the week after the holiday, bump that up to a pound-and-a-half. If you’re expecting a big crowd, we’d recommend buying several smaller turkeys, which are much easier to cook than 25-plus-pound behemoths. 

How Long Does It Take to Thaw a Turkey?

Some turkeys, like those from D’Artagnan and Kelly, came fresh and ready to season and cook. Others came partially or fully frozen, including our winning option from ButcherBox. If you’re buying a frozen bird, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to thaw it before turkey day. Though it may be tempting, avoid defrosting at room temperature or in a hot water bath, as this can make the turkey a breeding ground for bacteria. You don’t want to send your holiday guests home with food poisoning! 

Instead, we recommend following the USDA recommendations for thawing your bird in the refrigerator or in a cold water bath. For fridge defrosting, set the bird on a sheet tray to catch any liquid and plan for one full day per four to five pounds of turkey (the bigger the turkey, the slower it will thaw). To thaw in cold water, you’ll need about 30 minutes per pound of turkey and to swap the water out every half-hour or so. If you can, put the turkey in a large plastic bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep it from contaminating your sink and getting waterlogged. 

Recyclable Packaging Was a Plus

Shipping raw poultry is a delicate affair. The packaging needs to prevent its cargo from getting bumped or bruised while also keeping it sufficiently cool. The majority of the turkeys we tested arrived in good condition and at a food-safe temperature. The primary difference was the packing material itself—the products all took different approaches to packing and cooling. 

We appreciated when turkeys were shipped in recyclable or compostable insulation—like the ButcherBox turkey, which came with dry ice in a special paper lining that could be recycled like cardboard. The D’Aartagnan and Omaha Steaks turkeys, on the other hand, came in styrofoam inserts. They required more effort to break down (leaving those annoying styrofoam bits everywhere) and shove into our trash bins, plus they had to be taken to a special recycling center.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Mail-Order Turkey

Choose a turkey that aligns with your desired eating practices, whether that means organic, heritage, free-range, or conventional. Regardless of its labels, it should arrive in pristine condition (intact packaging and no broken bones or torn skin) and nicely chilled. Make sure to count up how many people you’ll be feeding and how many leftover portions you’d like, as well as whether you’ll have the time (and fridge space) to devote to thawing a frozen bird. Don't wait to order your turkey for the holidays—many online options can sell out weeks beforehand.

Our Favorite Mail-Order Turkeys

The Best Mail-Order Turkey

ButcherBox Thanksgiving Turkey Box Thanksgiving Turkey Box

View on Butcherbox.com

What we liked: ButcherBox is known for its thoughtfully sourced meat subscription box (which is one of our favorites, by the way), but you don’t have to be a subscriber to order a turkey from its shop for the holidays. This gorgeous bird checked all of our boxes. It was the most affordable turkey we tested, came packed in easy-to-recycle insulation materials, and had savory meat. It was raised humanely on a fifth-generation family farm in Pennsylvania according to Global Animal Partnership Step 2 standards, meaning it had barn space to roam, constant access to food and water, and enrichments to keep it occupied. 

What we didn’t like: ButcherBox offers both medium and large turkey options that range from 10 to 14 pounds or 14 to 18 pounds, respectively. It would be nice if these sizes were broken down to two-pound ranges instead, so you could be sure you’re getting just the weight you need (rather than a bird that’s potentially three or four pounds bigger or smaller than you hope). It was a tad leaner than a conventional turkey, making the meat a little denser and less moist, but we still thoroughly enjoyed it. The GAP Step 2 certification doesn't require farmers to provide outdoor access; if you're looking for a free-range bird, check out our other winners.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 10–14 pounds; 14–18 pounds
• Notable characteristics: Third-party certified humanely raised by Global Animal Partnership, arrives frozen
• Ordering information: Order by December 16, 2025, to get it in time for Christmas.

The Best Pasture-Raised Turkey

US Wellness Meats Pasture-Raised Whole Turkey

View on Grasslandbeef.com

What we liked: This was our top favorite turkey in previous years. When we tried it before, the sizable bird was delicious and easy to handle. It arrived pre-trussed with the giblets packed up in a neat little bag. It thawed quickly and dried easily in the refrigerator. Once prepared, the skin was crispy while both the white and dark meat remained juicy. The meat was fork-tender, but firm enough that it was easy to carve without shredding.

What we didn't like: This was one of the more expensive birds that we tested and only comes in one, 18- to 20-pound size.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: None other than the default 18- to 20-pound size.
• Notable characteristics: Pasture-raised, free-range, farmed with an emphasis on regenerative and humane practices (no third-party certifications provided), ships frozen
• Ordering information: All orders ship via FedEx one- or two-day shipping.

A Fantastic Humanely Raised Turkey

D’Artagnan Green Circle Turkey

View on Dartagnan.com

What we liked: This was a juicy turkey with a good balance of light and dark meat. It was easy to carve with a pleasantly mild, chicken-like flavor. D’Artagnan offers a range of sizes from eight to 22 pounds, so you can adjust your order for your group size. Green Circle turkeys are Humane Farm Animal Care certified, raised free-range, and are fed a mixture of vegetable scraps and grains like soy and corn.

What we didn’t like: This turkey shipped in a styrofoam container. Although it provided adequate protection and insulation, the non-recyclable material must be disposed of in the trash.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 8-10 pounds; 10-12 pounds; 12-14 pounds; 14-16 pounds; 16-18 pounds; 18-20 pounds; 20-22 pounds; 22-24 pounds
• Notable characteristics: Free-range, third-party certified-humanely raised by Humane Farm Animal Care, arrives fresh
• Ordering information: This turkey ships fresh, and you have the option to select your preferred delivery date upon checkout. Order as soon as possible to choose an available slot between December 18 and December 23.

Another Great Free-Range Turkey

Williams Sonoma Willie Bird Fresh Free-Range Turkey

View on Williams Sonoma

What we liked: The 10-pound one we received was beautiful, with tight joints and seamless skin—a far cry from supermarket birds that often arrive with broken bones and skin tears. It was a sizeable bird for the price and arrived in a Willie Bird-branded box with plenty of ice packs. It had mostly thawed on its journey, but was still very cold. We followed the cooking instructions on the bird’s wrapping, roasting it for about three hours at 325°F. After simple prep, we were delighted when the turkey emerged with glistening, maple-brown skin that crunched and crackled, with tender meat beneath.

What we didn’t like: The turkey’s legs are trussed together with a plastic ring, which was convenient for looks and roasting, but we weren’t thrilled to cook a piece of plastic. The serving size says it feeds seven to nine people, but we think the 10-pound turkey we received would feed closer to five or six. While this was a delicious turkey, it wasn’t all that much more flavorful than supermarket birds we’ve had. It sold out well before Thanksgiving this year and didn't come back in stock for Christmas, so make a note of it now if you want it next year.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 10-12 pounds; 12-14 pounds; 14-16 pounds; 16-18 pounds; 18-20 pounds; 20-22 pounds; 22-24 pounds
• Notable characteristics: Free-range, arrives partially frozen
• Ordering information: When it was in stock, you could select "first available" or the following delivery slots when adding to cart: November 20-21, November 25-26, or December 19-20, 2025.

The Best Heritage Turkey

Kelly Turkeys KellyBronze Whole Thanksgiving Turkey

View on Kellybronze.com

What we liked: This turkey was browned beautifully and was super flavorful. And if you want quality, this bird has it in spades. The KellyBronze free-range birds come from the Bronze heritage breed and live to twice the typical age of conventional turkeys, yielding a deeper, more mature taste. After harvest, the turkeys are plucked by hand and dry-aged for about a week, further concentrating the meat’s richness and tenderizing it through natural enzymatic processes. The turkey is shipped fresh during the Thanksgiving season, though you’ll get it frozen if you order it for Christmas or Easter.

What we didn’t like: KellyBronze turkeys have dark feathers, so the noticeable black pin feathers left after hand-plucking might be off-putting if you’re used to conventional birds. They burn off as the turkey cooks, though, and didn’t bother us much. They're already sold out for Christmas as of early December.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 9 to 32 pounds
• Notable characteristics: Heritage breed (Bronze turkeys), free-range, air-chilled, dry-aged, arrives fresh for Thanksgiving and frozen for other holidays
• Ordering information: These turkeys are sold out for the year, but they are typically shipped fresh the week before Thanksgiving or frozen around December 15 for Christmas.

The Best Splurge-Worthy Heritage Turkey

D’Artagnan Heritage Turkey

View on Dartagnan.com

What we liked: This heritage turkey is raised free-range on a small farm where it grows slowly and can forage and stretch its wings outdoors. It was more flavorful than its industrially-farmed counterparts, but not so gamey as to alienate your more choosy relatives. It was air-chilled, which helped ensure a golden, crisp layer of skin after roasting.

What we didn’t like: This was the most expensive turkey we tested. This turkey was shipped in a styrofoam container that arrived slightly damaged.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 8-pound minimum; 12-pound minimum; 16-pound minimum
• Notable characteristics: Heritage breed (Narragansett or Bourbon Red turkeys), free-range, air-chilled, vegetarian-fed, arrives fresh
• Ordering information: Order as soon as possible to choose your preferred bird size and delivery slot, as they sold out for Thanksgiving and are on track to sell out for Christmas.

The Best Ready-to-Cook Turkey

Omaha Steaks Whole Basted Turkey

$100 at Amazon View on Omahasteaks.com

What we liked: This turkey arrived already basted with brown sugar, honey, and spices. The result was a flavorful bird that pleased editor Rochelle Bilow, an adventurous eater, and her in-laws, who prefer more traditional flavors. “It’s not the most ground-breaking turkey I’ve ever eaten, but it was flavorful and so easy to prepare,” Rochelle says. This turkey is meant to be baked inside an oven-proof plastic bag (provided by Omaha Steaks), which some cooks believe traps in moisture and flavor. In the last half-hour of roasting, slice open the bag and allow the bird to brown. “My turkeys always get too dark, and keeping this trapped in the bag for the majority of its cook time helped me avoid that,” she says. The smaller size of this bird made it a good fit for a small gathering: It was enough to feed four adults and two children, with leftovers. Rochelle also got a litany of traditional sides with her turkey, including green bean casserole, garlic baguettes, and especially tasty creamed corn.

What we didn’t like: “I’m not convinced the plastic bag kept the turkey any more moist,” Rochelle says.

Key Specs

• Available sizes: 10 pounds
• Notable characteristics: Conventionally raised; pre-basted with brown sugar and honey; cooking bag and pop-up timer included; arrives frozen
• Ordering information: It's sold out for the year, but orders typically ship within a few days of purchase. You can also set a custom delivery date upon checkout or choose to pick up your order in a nearby Omaha Steaks store if you order via the website.

The Competition

• Fossil Farms Turkey: This bird arrived partially frozen and roasted up nicely. It was packaged well, but produced a bit more waste than our top picks.
• Porter Road Whole Turkey: This turkey arrived slightly too thawed for our liking. Although it roasted up well, it failed to justify the price. 
• D'Artagnan Organic Turkey: This turkey was less flavorful than the other D’Artagnan birds we tested. It also arrived slightly beat up in a cracked styrofoam case.

FAQs

How far in advance should you buy a turkey for Thanksgiving?

A frozen turkey can be stored in the freezer for weeks or months; just be sure to take it out a few days in advance to thaw in the refrigerator. A fresh or thawed turkey should be purchased within a few days of when you plan to cook it, or it can be stored in the freezer until the week of the meal.

How long can a fresh turkey stay in the fridge?

The USDA recommends keeping a fresh turkey in the refrigerator for only one or two days before cooking, or until the “best by” or “use by” date on the label (whichever is sooner).

Is it safe to leave a frozen turkey on the counter overnight?

No, we wouldn’t recommend it. Even if the center of the turkey is still frozen after a few hours, the outer edges can creep up past 40°F and into the “temperature danger zone”, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. The safest thawing methods require planning ahead. Allow up to four days in the refrigerator to thaw a turkey that’s 12 to 16 pounds; for a quicker method, submerge it (in its packaging) in cold water for up to eight hours, changing the water every 30 minutes.

Why We're the Experts

• Over the last two years, we have tested more than a dozen turkeys to find the best ones you can buy online during the holiday season. Some have been discontinued or come from independent producers who are no longer selling online, so we’ve taken them out of our write-up. 
• Grace Kelly and Rochelle Bilow are both editors for Serious Eats. They helped staff writer Ashlee test a few of our previous favorites alongside a new contender from ButcherBox for the 2025 update of this review.
• All the testers considered how the turkeys were shipped as well as their taste, farming practices, and price, to determine our current winners.