Are you looking for a turkey that is not self-basting or pre-brined? Let me give you some options so you can track one down for your Thanksgiving dinner.
📋 What's New In This Post (11/10/25) - Re-organized the post to make the information easier to read.
✍🏻 Featured Comment - Mary says "Thank you so much for your article. I cannot eat self basted turkey because "natural flavor" often means from corn, which I am allergic too. I did not know Kroger had the natural turkeys. You saved my Thanksgiving or at least, I can eat the turkey and not have to remember not to."
How to Track Down a Turkey That Isn't Self-Basting
I love having the answers to someone's most troubling Thanksgiving questions. Every year my post Should a Pumpkin Pie Be Jiggly in the Middle is one of my most popular posts. But even weeks before Thanksgiving, I have people coming to this post in search of a turkey that is not a self-basting turkey.
Whether it is because of an allergy issue or they simply do not want a turkey that has been injected with anything, there are a lot of people looking for these birds. And they can be a challenge to find as the most common turkeys all have been pre-brined.
I am here to help you track down the type of turkey you need to buy in order to avoid this. What is available can change from year to year so I do my best to update this post on a yearly basis so you can find the turkey that you need for your Thanksgiving table.
I will share with you some things to look for on the packaging of turkeys that should help stir you in the right direction.
Jump to:
What is a Self Basted Turkey?
A self-basted turkey or a self-basting turkey is one that has an added solution to it. That can be water mixed with chicken or turkey broth, salt, sugar, or any kind of seasoning. It's sort of like brining, just done really bad. This adds weight to the turkey so more money into the company that sells that turkey's pockets. I don't want to pay extra for water.
The idea here is that the turkey is going to be more juicy so it bastes itself and no basting is needed.
However is this really the best turkey you can do? When I buy a turkey, I want to buy just a turkey. You know a turkey, turkey. Nothing else added - in essence a non self basted turkey.
RELATED - Learn more about What is a Self Basted Turkey?
What to Look For
How do I know a turkey is not self basted? Simple. Look for the ingredients. Maybe on a tag, maybe on the turkey packaging itself. You should see nothing but turkey.
Here is an example of a frozen turkey that is not self basted.
That is the simple, straight forward way to find a turkey that is not self basted. What type of turkeys to check? For the best chance to spot on, start by looking for:
- Organic turkeys
- Fresh or non-frozen turkeys are more likely to be not self basted, but not a guarantee.
- Turkeys labelled as being "natural"
Avoid the cheapest turkeys in the store. The ones that the store is offering for free if you buy so much other food are always going to be the self basted birds.
Where to Buy a Turkey That is Not Self Basted?
First thing to know is that a lot of turkeys are self basted turkeys. In fact the majority of them are. If you buy the cheapest frozen turkey your grocery store offers, it is going to be a self basted turkey. It's the way of the world. If you want to find one that isn't self basted, here are some options that I have found for you.
Here is one I found at Kroger.
Whole Foods Market is another great place to go for a non self basted turkey. I don't want to say all for sure, but most likely if you are buying an organic turkey you are good to go.
If you see the words "up to % of retained water" that doesn't mean it's self basted or pre-brined. Often in order to chill a turkey down when it's processed, they will be dunked in cold water. When that happens some of the water can be absorbed. I talk more about this process in my post on Air Chilled Chicken.
Do you have a good source for these types of turkeys? Let me know in the comment section below. I will keep adding any more that I find during the season.
What If I Can't Find One?
Am I a horrible person if I buy a self basted turkey? Well you might be a horrible person but not for that reason 🙂
If the self basted turkey is all you can afford, then buy all means buy it. Or if you don't want to spend more per pound. Just so you know, you can still brine a self basted turkey. How do I know? I have done it. Again the fact that I bought a self basted turkey does NOT make me a horrible person.
Butterball Turkeys are self basted or pre-brined. The packaging says they contain solution of water, salt, and spices. Even they say you can brine their turkeys, as they have instructions to do so on their website.
Why Brine a Self Basted Turkey
The reason you might still want to brine one is that the seasoning they add to the turkeys really isn't enough to really flavor the bird. I do think the texture of a turkey you brined that wasn't a self basted turkey will be better, and might be worth the extra look to hunt one down.
Mary Molter
Which Kroger did you buy it? I am in Michigan but not Ann Arbor and so far the ones closest to me do not have it?
Eric Samuelson
It was technically in Ypsilanti on Whitaker Road. It is possible that it is too early still for those ones to be in stock. They could have them next week. I can send you an email if I find anything out.
Mary Molter
That would be great! I have called 5 so far!