Turkey - where from this year?

Turkey - where from this year?

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hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Last year I bought a very nice free range turkey from the local farm shop. Can't remember the weight but it was raised by unicorns and fed on the tears of angels, and cost about £70. I don't want to pay £70 again. Plus we've moved areas so I'm not currently au fait with where best to get one.

Is there anywhere more mainstream to get a decent turkey? Waitrose, M&S, Sainsburys?

Any recommendations?

Rosscow

8,723 posts

162 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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We always go local.

Just go to your nearest butcher and ask where he gets them from.

Bill

52,485 posts

254 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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yes £70 seems a lot but it's probably £5 a kilo, give or take, so no more than decent chicken and a lot less than beef or lamb.

Granville

983 posts

170 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Local if possible. As it's only two of us again this year (well 2.5 if you count our toddler who wont eat much of it) I've ordered a medium size crown from Waitrose. Had one last year and it was very good, though I think you will find that you have missed their pre-order slot now for Turkeys.

Granville

983 posts

170 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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where about are you?

SwanJack

1,912 posts

271 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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hornetrider said:
Last year I bought a very nice free range turkey from the local farm shop. Can't remember the weight but it was raised by unicorns and fed on the tears of angels, and cost about £70. I don't want to pay £70 again. Plus we've moved areas so I'm not currently au fait with where best to get one.

Is there anywhere more mainstream to get a decent turkey? Waitrose, M&S, Sainsburys?

Any recommendations?
Just round the corner from you, Fletchers farm in Church Village. Whether he's got any left though.....ordered ours a few weeks back, cheaper than local butcher and supermarkets

Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 18th December 20:33


Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 18th December 20:36

hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Nice one chap, will give them a call. We also have a good local butcher and I'll drop in to them tomorrow,can't believe that didn't occur to me hehe

I realise we've left it late but it's been a bit bonkers at hornet towers having moved recently.

calibrax

4,788 posts

210 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Who was it said... "Turkey... it's Norfolk 'n' Good!" biggrin

SwanJack

1,912 posts

271 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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hornetrider said:
Nice one chap, will give them a call. We also have a good local butcher and I'll drop in to them tomorrow,can't believe that didn't occur to me hehe

I realise we've left it late but it's been a bit bonkers at hornet towers having moved recently.
Is that John Hughes? They queue round the block in the lead up to xmas to get in to his shop, nice fella too!

hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
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Yeah that's the chap, not been in yet but he's been highly recommended. You round here too then?

redtwin

7,518 posts

181 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Never had a complaint from ASDA sourced turkey. I do put the effort into cooking it though. 24 hour brine, well seasoned, slow roasted etc.

Granville

983 posts

170 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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According to the chefs on daytime TV this week (lots of Christmas cooking stuff on), the worst thing you can do for chicken or turkey is to slow roast it as it dries the meat out.

pikeyboy

2,349 posts

213 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Granville said:
According to the chefs on daytime TV this week (lots of Christmas cooking stuff on), the worst thing you can do for chicken or turkey is to slow roast it as it dries the meat out.
yep chap on radio two (chris evans) this am was saying to steam it for an hour first then roast it, this keeps it moist.

Granville

983 posts

170 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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sit on a bed of veg, celery, onion, carrots, fennel etc. and a pint of stock (will make the gravy) then seal very tightly with foil and roast. Evidently the liquid and keeping it sealed TIGHTLY is the key to keeping it moist.

BoRED S2upid

19,644 posts

239 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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£70? Seventy pounds! I'd want it to crawl into the oven and cook itself for £70! It's a big Chicken ffs and not even that nice. I will be getting a turkey crown from a random supermarket I bet nobody will be able to taste the difference.

ChrisnChris

1,423 posts

221 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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This is going to send a few screaming into a dark corner biggrin, & I know you didn't ask for a recipe, however....someone might find this useful...

Because of family circumstances we had Christmas lunch last weekend. Buying a fresh turkey wasn't an option but it was the majority choice, so I bought a frozen bird from.....Lidl cool

I was dubious, but I think most of the problems encountered are with the cooking, especially all the fuss.
We used to have a turkey every year but have had beef since 2008 (my sister died in 2008 & she wouldn't eat beef because of BSE)

I bought a 3.6kg bird, that's just under 8lb. We didn't really want any left and it was ample for 8 people.... There was enough left for a couple of sarnies.

My cooking method came from an article written by Glyn Christiansen (?), sometime in the 80's I think.

Turkey must be at room temp. Pre-heat oven to 220' place bird on one side for 10 mins, turn on other side for 10 mins, turn oven down to 145' (recipe said 180' but I found this too high the first time I did this recipe) and cook for 12 mins per lb. rest bird on it's breast for at least 30 mins, mine had more like 50 and was still piping hot.
Don't cover the bird with foil during resting (or cooking) this steams the meat & makes it tough.
The neck cavity had about 3-4 tbspn of herby sausage meat & the body cavity had apples & satsumas for moisture.
Don't bother with basting, this upsets the oven temperature.

The whole cooking time was under 2 hrs, not including resting and it was perfectly cooked, although not as flavoursome as fresh, probably because it hadn't been hung for long enough. I defrosted it 5 days beforehand.

It was thoroughly enjoyed & highly praised by everyone.

How much did this little beauty cost....£8.85 biggrincool

I've no idea of it's pedigree, it did grow-up in the UK though, but it probably wasn't slaughtered whilst lying on a bed of freshly mown meadow listening to "Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity" biggrin




SwanJack

1,912 posts

271 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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hornetrider said:
Yeah that's the chap, not been in yet but he's been highly recommended. You round here too then?
Miskin

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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BoRED S2upid said:
£70? Seventy pounds! I'd want it to crawl into the oven and cook itself for £70! It's a big Chicken ffs and not even that nice. I will be getting a turkey crown from a random supermarket I bet nobody will be able to taste the difference.
I'd rather have a Goose - traditional English alternative to turkey.

Sharted

2,615 posts

142 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Going for Capon this year from reputable local butcher.

I try and steer clear of supermarkets and town centre type butchers as the meat is usually average. Our local guy has his own farm and raises his own animals, when buying lamb he tells me which field the animal was from.

Silent1

19,761 posts

234 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Sharted said:
Going for Capon this year from reputable local butcher.

I try and steer clear of supermarkets and town centre type butchers as the meat is usually average. Our local guy has his own farm and raises his own animals, when buying lamb he tells me which field the animal was from.
your butcher is pulling your chain, they move fields quite often..