FAMILY TABLE

The average adult eats between 1 and 1½ pounds of meat. Kids? Well, treat them like adults, too. If they don’t eat a full 1-1½ pounds, that’s more leftovers for you. Win-win.

If you need to cook your turkey in the next couple of days, we recommend softening the bird in your refrigerator. Below are the USDA’s recommended refrigerator thawing times:

Refrigerator Thawing Times
4 to 12 pounds – 1 to 2 days
12 to 16 pounds – 2 to 3 days
16 to 20 pounds – 3 to 4 days

If you need to cook your turkey in less than one day, we recommend softening your bird in a cold water bath. Allow about 30 minutes per pound.

Submerge the turkey (in the original bag) in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Below are the USDA’s recommended cold water thawing times:

Cold Water Thawing Times
4 to 12 pounds – 2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds – 6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds – 8 to 10 hours

*Please note thawing the turkey more slowly is preferred.*

You will receive Giblets in any raw, whole bird. Giblets are not included in our brined or cooked birds.

Be sure to reach inside the turkey (We’re talkin’ FULL pat-down here – neck and giblet packs are in different locations!) to locate the neck & giblet pack before you rinse and roast your bird.

Forgot & roasted the bird with the giblet pack? Yes, it’s safe to consume the giblets (packed in food-grade paper) and neck after cooking inside the bird.

Geez, comin’ at us with the TOUGH questions now. This one is complicated, because there are multiple factors to consider.

• If you purchased your turkey directly from Diestel via this website: The turkey was shipped deep chilled to arrive fresh (not frozen!) in a biodegradable liner. Enjoy raw, whole turkeys 3-5 days after delivery or freeze upon delivery to use within the year. If you bought your turkey early and have more than 5 days before preparing, we recommend holding the turkey in your freezer.
  
• If you purchased your turkey from a retail store: Most retailers receive deep chilled turkeys from us prior to the holiday, and may hold them fresh or frozen, depending on demand. We recommend asking your retailer how they handled the turkey and getting a recommendation from them on how soon to cook & enjoy.

Yes! Flavor needs space to develop. Our animals are raised with room to roam, whether indoors or outdoors. 

They’re raised on a proprietary, all-vegetarian diet that encourages slow,natural growth, and they’re never given hormones, antibiotics or growth stimulants. The only thing we inject them with is our passion for thoughtful, compassionate agriculture. 

Ultimately, we believe that doing things right results in a happier, healthier animal—and a heftier, more flavorful product.

If by “book” you mean “turkey” and “cover” you mean “feathers,” then yes, you can judge a book by its cover. 

Our brown-feathered birds are part of our American Heirloom collection, a rare collection of turkeys just like the ones our great-grandma grew. We raise them just like our Diestel and Diestel Organic turkeys, but they have a richer, more complex flavor unlike any turkey you’ve ever tasted.

Due to natural pigmentation of bronze feathers, you may notice some discoloration to the skin & perhaps some dark pinfeathers that stand out. Be assured that this is natural with bronze turkeys and part of the heirloom tradition.

The last day to order online is 11/20/2026.  

We recommend ordering for delivery prior to the week of 11/22.  

To avoid any shipping issues, orders placed for a delivery date of 11/25 will likely arrive on 11/24.