As the holidays approach, many people look forward to enjoying a delicious holiday meal with family and friends. A centerpiece of many holiday meals is a perfectly cooked turkey. For those who want a turkey but don’t want to deal with the hassle of cooking and preparing it themselves, Honey Baked Ham’s turkey offers a convenient and delicious alternative.
About Honey Baked Ham
Honey Baked Ham is a popular food retailer that specializes in hams, turkeys, and other pre-cooked meals. Founded in 1957, they now have over 400 locations across the United States. They are especially popular around the holidays for their spiral-cut hams and ready-to-eat holiday meals.
In addition to their hams, Honey Baked Ham also offers whole turkeys and turkey breasts that are pre-cooked so they just need to be heated before serving. Their turkeys come fully cooked but not pre-sliced. This allows them to retain their moisture and flavor better than many grocery store turkey options.
Do You Need to Cook a Honey Baked Ham Turkey?
Because Honey Baked Ham turkeys are already fully cooked when you purchase them, there is no need to cook them in the traditional sense. However, they do need to be heated thoroughly before serving to reach a safe internal temperature.
The USDA recommends heating cooked turkey products to an internal temperature of 165°F as measured by a food thermometer. This helps kill any potential bacteria for food safety.
So while you don’t need to technically cook a Honey Baked Ham turkey from scratch, you do need to use a proper heating method to warm it up prior to consuming.
Heating Methods
There are several different methods you can use to heat up a Honey Baked Ham turkey:
- Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F. Place turkey on a baking sheet or pan and heat for 10-15 minutes per pound.
- Microwave: Follow microwave heating instructions on packaging, checking internal temp with a thermometer.
- Grill:Indirect heat on a gas or charcoal grill, with a foil tent. Takes about 15-20 min per pound.
Regardless of heating method, always check the internal temperature in multiple spots with a food thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches the safe 165°F. Be sure to follow any included heating instructions from Honey Baked Ham as well.
Serving a Honey Baked Ham Turkey
Once properly heated, Honey Baked Ham turkeys make for beautiful and delicious holiday centerpieces ready to serve. Here are some tips for serving your Honey Baked Ham turkey:
Carving
Use a sharp carving knife to carefully slice the turkey. Cut perpendicular to the grain of the meat for tender slices. Make sure to slice through both light and dark meat. Arrange slices neatly on a platter.
Gravy
Heat up prepared turkey gravy to serve alongside the turkey. You can also make gravy using the turkey juices from the pan.
Side Dishes
Turkey is the perfect canvas for traditional holiday sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and cranberry sauce. Round out your meal with roasted vegetables as well.
Leftovers
Carve the remaining turkey off the bone and refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use leftover turkey within 3-4 days for sandwiches, salads, soups, and casseroles.
Benefits of Honey Baked Ham’s Turkey
Cooking and preparing a whole turkey yourself can be time consuming and tricky to get just right. Honey Baked Ham takes care of the hard work for you. Here are some of the benefits of choosing their ready-to-heat turkey option:
- Convenience – No lengthy thawing, stuffing, or cooking required
- Quality – Expertly seasoned and smoked for delicious flavor
- Moisture – Slow cooked to retain moisture
- Portion Control – Available in whole or half turkey sizes
- Less Mess – No dealing with raw poultry and juices
- More Free Time – Easy heating gives you time to focus on other dishes
Downsides of Purchased Turkey
While Honey Baked Ham’s turkey offers undeniable convenience, there are a few potential downsides to consider:
- Can be more expensive than cooking your own
- Less control over ingredients, prep, etc.
- Need to plan ahead to thaw thoroughly
- May prefer homemade taste
Turkey Options at Honey Baked Ham
Honey Baked Ham offers a variety of turkey options for the holidays so you can pick the right size and recipe for your gathering. Here is an overview of their turkey choices:
| Turkey Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Whole Classic Turkey | 10-14 lbs, feeds 8-12 people |
| Whole Signature Cider Glazed Turkey | 10-14 lbs, feeds 8-12 people, with apple cider glaze |
| Boneless Turkey Breast | 5-7 lbs, feeds 6-8 people |
| Turkey Breast Roast | 2.5-5 lbs, feeds 4-6 people |
They also offer holiday dinner packages with turkey, side dishes, and desserts ready to heat and serve.
Ordering Your Honey Baked Ham Turkey
Due to their popularity for holiday meals, it is important to order your Honey Baked Ham turkey early. Here are some tips for ordering:
- Check online for turkey availability and order as early as possible.
- Select your preferred turkey type and size based on expected number of guests.
- Choose a pickup date 1-2 days before you need it to allow time to thaw.
- Pick an available time slot for quick pickup.
- Bring a cooler if picking up more than just the turkey.
You can order online, by phone, or by visiting your local Honey Baked Ham store. Be aware that availability around the holidays can be limited.
Cooking Time
Honey Baked Ham turkeys come fully cooked but frozen. The necessary defrosting and reheating time depends on the size of the turkey:
| Turkey Size | Thaw Time (Refrigerated) | Reheating Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10 – 12 lbs | 2 – 3 days | 2.5 – 3 hours |
| 12 – 14 lbs | 3 – 4 days | 3 – 3.5 hours |
| 14 – 16 lbs | 4 – 5 days | 3.5 – 4 hours |
Always check internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches 165°F at the thickest part. Let rest at least 15 minutes before carving.
Storage and Food Safety
To keep your Honey Baked Ham turkey safe until you are ready to heat and serve, proper storage is important:
- Store frozen until ready to thaw – Keep frozen at 0°F or below.
- Thaw in refrigerator – Slow thawing in the fridge 40°F or below is best.
- Cook within 2 days of thawing – Cook thawed turkey within 1-2 days for food safety.
- Discard if left thawed over 2 hours – Do not refreeze after thawing.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours – Store carved turkey and side dishes promptly.
Follow all heating and handling instructions provided by Honey Baked Ham to enjoy your purchased turkey safely.
Reheating Leftovers
Leftover Honey Baked Ham turkey will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Here are some tips for safely reheating and serving those delicious leftovers:
- Cut turkey off the bone and store in shallow containers to allow for quicker cooling.
- Use reheating methods like oven, stove, or microwave until heated through, at least 165°F.
- Add leftover turkey to soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, and casseroles.
- Slice or shred turkey for quick heating and serving.
- Bring gravy, stuffing, and other sides to a boil when reheating.
Conclusion
Honey Baked Ham’s convenient pre-cooked turkeys allow you to skip the work of traditional turkey prep and focus on spending time with loved ones. Their moist, flavorful turkeys just need to be thawed, heated, and sliced before serving for a holiday centerpiece with little fuss. As long as you follow safe storage, handling, and reheating guidelines, you can enjoy delicious Honey Baked Ham turkey this holiday season without the headache and uncertainty of roasting it yourself.