Best Places To Buy A Turkey In DFW

Thanksgiving may be about giving thanks, but it's the food that takes center stage during this holiday. Of course, you can't have Thanksgiving without a turkey, but if you really want your gobbler to take front and center, then start by picking out the best bird for the job. When it comes to buying a turkey, your choices range from the industrial variety to organic, natural and heritage birds. You know your standards, and if you want the best Thanksgiving meal around, then trot over to these Dallas-Fort Worth businesses for the best turkeys in town.

Kuby's Sausage House
6601 Snider Plaza
Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 363-2231
kubys.com

Price: $2.69 to $4.29 per pound/$70 pre-sliced smoked

Kuby's has been a Park Cities anchor since 1961, providing meals, products and prime meats using traditional family recipes that span 14 generations. Not only is Kuby's famous for its sausages and meats, it also has a reputation for smoking up some of the best holiday turkeys in the state. Instead of you doing the slicing, order one that's already been done and put back together; your guests will think you're a turkey carving pro. If you want to cook it your own way, try one of the fresh turkeys that have been locally sourced right here in the state.

Rudolph's Market
2924 Elm St.
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 741-1874
rudolphsmarket.com

Price: $4.50 to $5.50 per pound

In an age of commercial, factory meat production, it's refreshing to find traditional butchers processing high-quality meats the same way they have since 1895. Rudolph's is a carnivore's heaven, offering an array of meaty marvels, especially its famous smoked turkeys, seasoned with a special cure and smoked over hickory embers for 20 hours in the shop's shed. If smoked isn't your thing, then grab one of the natural or organic turkeys that come in fresh from North Carolina, and cook it up yourself.

Related: Thanksgiving Dinners In DFW

Mr. Billy's Cajun Market
5519 Arapaho Rd. Ste. 118
Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 866-9400
cajunturkeyco.com

Price: $39.95 to $59.95

Mr. Billy's turkeys are so tasty that they've been featured on the Food Network and ABC's "The Chew." You may also order his turkeys from the Neiman Marcus catalog. These precooked turkeys come in variety of ways — from herb roasted, Cajun fired or Cajun fried to hickory or jalapeno smoked. The most popular pick is the flavor-packed Cajun fried turkey with its golden crispy skin and juicy meat. These Cajun fried birds get their kick from being injected with a special secret sauce called Geaux juice and a rubbing of Cajun seasonings, before marinating overnight and flash frying in peanut oil. Mr. Billy's cooked turkeys are ready to go home from the store, or you can have them frozen and shipped anywhere in the country.

Central Market offers a wide selection of holiday turkeys both fresh and already cooked. It's one of the best places to find Greenburg's famous east Texas turkeys that Oprah raves about. These flavorful turkeys are rubbed in a special-recipe spice mixture, then smoked in an old fashioned brick shed — the same way the family's been doing it for more than 70 years. Central Market also offers Peterson's smoked natural turkeys and its HEB brand natural turkeys. However, if you haven't tried Mary's free-range organic and heritage turkeys from California, you should grab one of these special birds while you can because they fly off the shelf as soon as they come in.

Roy Pope Grocery
2300 Merrick
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 732-2863
roypopegrocery.com

Price: $3.59 to $4.99 per pound

Since 1943, this old-fashioned meat market and deli has been providing its customers with locally grown vegetables, gourmet products, prime meat and wild game. During the holidays, Pope's brings in special Amish turkeys that are known for being extra juicy and full of flavor. These chemical-free turkeys have less fat and more meat than your average variety bird because the Amish raise their turkeys the natural way — with an all-vegetarian diet and plenty of space to roam. Drop by the store for a fresh turkey to cook at home, or order them already roasted and smoked.

Related: Family Guide To Thanksgiving Volunteering

With a passion for adventure, Ilene Jacobs has spent 25 years traveling around the globe. A native of Dallas,Texas, she has also lived in Europe studying and working in marketing and tourism. Ilene is constantly researching interesting places to visit and enjoys sharing her findings with her readers. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.