Costco Turkey Prices 2018

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It's time for this season's "IT" post.

True story, my annual Costco Turkey Price guide is the most viewed post on my blog each and every Thanksgiving. And it brings in lots of new people who I hope will stick around and see all we have to offer here at Eat Like No One Else - stay tuned for how to keep up with all of our Costco posts.

On Saturday, November 10, I headed to my Costco to see what they had in their turkey offerings this year. My local Costco is in Ann Arbor, Michigan, so the prices in the guide reflect what I am seeing here. If anything is different, give me a heads up, we would love to hear what's going on in your store.

Without further ado, the Turkeys of 2018 at Costco!

These prices were recorded on Saturday, November 10th, 2018 from the Ann Arbor, Michigan location.

Butterball Fresh Turkey	$.99/lb
Butterball Fresh Organic Turkey	$2.99/lb
Plainville Farms Antibiotic Free Fresh Turkey	$1.79/lb
Stevison Whole Smoked Turkey	$2.99/lb

This is the first year I have seen Plainville Farms turkeys at my Costco for Thanksgiving. The last few years they have had just Butterball Fresh Turkeys.

Every Costco I have been to has had Fresh Butterball turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Frequently Asked Costco Turkey Questions

Each year we get in tons of questions about turkeys at Costco, so let me answer some of the most frequently asked questions from last year.

Does Costco Sell Organic Turkeys?

Yes, they do. In years past my store has carried Butterball or Foster Farms Organic Turkey and they have gone for $2.99 per pound. On the west coast you can get Diestel Organic Turkeys.

In comparison most of Whole Foods Market organic turkeys are going for $3.49 per pound this year.

Does Costco Sell Smoked Turkeys?

Yes. You can get a whole smoked turkey from Stevison. This turkey has been hickory smoked at costs $2.99 a pound. The sizes I saw ranged from 10-11 pounds a piece, so your looking at about $22.99 to $32.89 for a smoked turkey.

[irp posts="25107" name="How to Reheat a Smoked Turkey"]

Does Costco Sell Cooked Turkeys for Thanksgiving?

No I have never seen already cooked turkeys for sale at Costco unless you count the smoked turkey I just mentioned.

Does Costco Sell Frozen Turkeys?

Not whole turkeys. The only turkey I am seeing at Costco that are frozen are Butterball Boneless Turkey Breast Roast, which I don't really recommend as they are a turkey that has been formed into a log. They are always more expensive per pound than a whole turkey ($3.32 vs .99).

Does Costco Sell Butterball Bone in Frozen Turkey Breast?

I have not seen Costco bone-in turkey breast at Costco before.

How Much Does a 17 Pound Turkey Cost at Costco?

A lot of people seem to want a 17 pound turkey. I myself try to stick between a 12-14 pound turkey as they are easier to handle, especially since I butterfly my turkey.

The turkeys I found at Costco ranged between around 12 pounds up to 22 pounds. The Butterball hen turkeys were around 13-14 pounds and the tom turkeys were around 18-21 pounds, those sizes may vary per store. The Plainville turkeys were 12-14 lbs or 16-17 pounds. For the table below, I used the price of the Butterball turkeys at 99 cents a pound and Plainville at $1.79 a pound to show you how much it would cost for each size turkey.

Weight, Price (Butterball/Plainville)
12 lbs, $11.88/$21.48
13 lbs, $12.87/$23.27
14 lbs, $13.86/$25.06
15 lbs, $14.85/$26.85
16 lbs, $15.84/$28.64
17 lbs, $16.83/$30.43
18 lbs, $17.82/$32.22
19 lbs, $18.81/$34.01
20 lbs, $19.80/$35.08
21 lbs, $20.79/$37.59
22 lbs, $21.78/$39.38

Does Costco Sell Free Range Turkeys?

I haven't seen a turkey at Costco labelled as free range before. Costco seems to stick to only a couple turkey options, ones that aren't too expensive.

Does Costco Run Specials on Turkey?

Before Thanksgiving, I would say no. In the past, I have heard people saying they have seen reduced prices on turkeys right after Thanksgiving as they are trying to get rid of the last turkeys before their expiration dates. You could always grab one after Thanksgiving to freeze it for Christmas.

Does Costco Sell Deep Fried Turkeys?

A couple years ago, my Costco had Butterball Deep Fried turkey breasts. But last year and this year I have not seen any. If you have seen them in your store, let us know in the comments below.

How Long Can I keep a Costco Fresh Turkey in the Refrigerator?

To give you an example, when I visited the store on November 10th they had fresh turkeys that had a use by date of 11/26/18, which is 16 days later. Thanksgiving is on November 22nd this year, so this turkey would be within the use by date if you cook it on Thanksgiving Day.

As a Thanksgiving bonus, I wanted to share with you my favorite tools that will make your Thanksgiving easier. 

1. Probe thermometer - Stick the probe in your turkey and take the guess work out of when it's done
2. Roasting Pan with Rack - For cooking the turkey in and finishing the gravy in
3. Electric Knife - For carving the turkey, also good to slice bread
4. Ricer - The secret to fluffy mashed potatoes
5. Heating Pad - Can be used to keep food warm, especially good to wrap rolls or bread in

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