Whole Turkey

A whole turkey is a large, plucked bird sold skin-on and bone-in, often with giblets packaged separately. The meat is mild and lean, while the skin can render and crisp, yielding juicy slices when properly cooked; common methods include brining, roasting whole, spatchcocking to speed cooking, smoking, or deep frying, with birds sold fresh or frozen across a wide weight range.

Domesticated from wild turkeys native to Mesoamerica, it spread to Europe in the 16th century and became central to North American holiday cooking. Modern production across the United States and Canada supports steady supply, with frozen distribution enabling year-round availability.