Personally I’d cook it now and get another one

OP here. Thanks for the input and suggestions. You have all done a great service in easing my anxiety!

I don’t know if I’m right or not, but I would go by the sell by date. That is what I do for all my meats. I think you are fine!

Anonymous wrote:Look at it this way, OP. If you went in the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and bought a turkey with a sell-by date of that Saturday (2 days after Thanksgiving)…. It would probably be the same turkey as the one you just bought. The only difference is that you are storing it instead of the store.

This.

I'd clear out my freezer and put it in there for 24 hours. Then move to the fridge and it will take several days to defrost so you're good.

I'll be the lone dissenter. The refrigerators at the grocery are much colder than your home refrigerator, so keeping it chilled at home (and keep it good until the sell by date) is more difficult. I had a turkey go bad one year when I bought it too early (the grocery gave me another but it was a major pain and stressor). You can brine it or lower the temp in your fridge to keep it good.

*Next year just order it at the grocery and pick up the weekend before.

But the sell by date is after Thanksgiving?
Were you hoping to save it til Christmas?

You're fine. Use as-is. The sell-by date is your guide, so you're fine!

Roast it now and then carve and save the meat. You'll have a huge amount of yummy leftovers.

Use the turkey for practice.

You're fine. Don't freeze. Just store in the back of the fridge.

Look at it this way, OP. If you went in the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and bought a turkey with a sell-by date of that Saturday (2 days after Thanksgiving)…. It would probably be the same turkey as the one you just bought. The only difference is that you are storing it instead of the store.

You should go by the sell date.

Is it in brine? It’s fine.

I feel so dumb... I typically wait until the last minute to shop for Thanksgiving and I wanted to be more prepared this year. So I was at the grocery store today and I impulsively bought a raw turkey. Only after I got home did it occur to me that a raw turkey isnt going to stay fresh for nine days until Thanksgiving. The sell by date is after Thanksgiving but does that matter? Should I freeze it now and start thawing in a couple days? Arghhhh....