An organic chicken...

[berberana]

Thinking of getting a really good chicken and a joint of pork for this year's Xmas dinner and doing all the usual trimmings. Can anyone recommend a good online supplier of great chicken - must deliver! It's the one time I can justify spending a bit more so want to make sure it's worth it! (Hence not spending £60 on a turkey when no-ones that bothered about it). Thanks!

[QuintsBombWithAWiew]

But I can tell you the best way to do rack of pork rib with crackling for a 3kg slab of meat....
You can do an Arctic Christmas menu this year.

[ZeViteVitchofCwismas]

what about that chicken heston had for his, bresse or something - french

[berberana]

Quints, tell me more... Thinking a rolled leg at the moment but open to suggestion.

[bitterandtwisted349]

Sheepdrove farm
Stream Farm near Bath
Label Anglais (fantastic) I have bought 4 or 5 at a time
Bress red labels are extremely expensive

All excellent and you can def taste the difference. Better fat in chicken cooks faster too.

We love kelly bronze/norfolk black turkey here have reared them too worth ever penny and for us it works out good value as get many meals out of the tasty bird.

Quits - do you mean belly pork?

[QuintsBombWithAWiew]

No no no. Not rolled.
You defrost your slab of pork. - Remember to get a cut that includes rack of ribs, but dont cut it in pieces. You need your butcher to cut a checkerboard pattern in the skin, to make the perfect crackling. Your finished meal will look like this: www.nrk.no/mat/svineribbe-1.6914246

You mix salt, pepper, and allspice (2/3 salt, 2/3 pepper, 1/3 allspice, sort of) in a small bowl. Rub the meat with the seasoning, on all sides. Leave in the fridge for 1-2 days, wrapped in aluminum foil, crackling down.

To cook it you need a deep oven dish, and a plate that you can cook in the oven together with the meat.

Pour approx 5dl water from the kettle into the oven dish. Place the meat crackling down in your oven dish. Leave in the oven on gasmark 4 for 1 hour. The water should be 2 cm high. Cover with foil.

Take the rib out, turn it crackling up, and put a plate upside down under the lowest part of the meat, so it is even on top. You must make sure there is no dip, and that the juices can drain free. Cover in aluminum foil. Cook for another two hours on gasmark 3. No foil now.
At the end, you can place it under the grill, turn the temperature up, or if you have an electric oven use fan or grill function. Monitor closely, when you see the crackling is crisp, it is done.

Trimmings are stewed red cabbage, sauerkraut, new potatoes, cranberry sauce, and steamed apricots and prunes.

[ELR]

Last year I got an extra large chicken from able and cole it was around 3kg cost £16 and was delicious much nicer than turkey!

[QuintsBombWithAWiew]

I find belly pork too fatty, but I guess the principle is the same. The cut should include the ribs, as that section of meat is less fatty and more meaty.

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Two companies we use are donalld Russell but v pricey

And westin gourmet and they do a fab new customer hamper which is half price and you can order 2 and get another£5 off n free delivery over £75 - their corn fed chicken is lovely.

[ZingOfSeven]

marking place for when Quints pork is out of the oven

[berberana]

That pork sounds splendid Quint and right up my DH's street - prob not ind for Xmas dinner as I still want to be as trad as poss but it's on the list for another time - NYE maybe!

There will only be 4 adults and 3yo DS this year so even with the smallest turkey available there will he so much left! I like to do all the prepping, baking, cooking, entertaining etc in the run up to Xmas and just lose interest in the turkey so for this year it seems a waste! I just want enough meat left for a couple of butties and/or a pie come Boxing Day!

Thanks for all these suggestions, I look forward to investigating!

[Looseleaf]

Riverford's chickens are the best we've ever had. They are so very much better than supermarket chicken and DH always comments how different/ delicious it is.

[Felyne]

I'd also recommend Abel and Cole. I get regualr vege boxes from them, we've had turkeys the last three years which have gone down well with the people who eat them (not me so sorry I can't speak for myself!) and I've found their customer service excellent.

[BaldricksTurnip]

Riverford do fabulous organic chickens. They have just put their Christmas boxes on the website too, so all the veg plus mince pies, cheeses etc. They have a minimum order value but delivery is free once you're over the limit. We love them here!

[Cumberlover76]

The Well Hung Meat Company do fantastic meat and has a great name!