To buy a supermarket christmas turkey?

[Littleunicorndreams]

It’s my first time hosting christmas for a crowd. I have cooked plenty of xmas dinners but at other houses and I’ve never had to provide the turkey. Everyone else has always had turkeys sourced from good butchers or their local farm shop.

We don’t have a butcher or farm shop that we trust and use regularly? But AIBU to just add one to my Xmas delivery from Sainsbury's
Asking now as I believe I need to order it soon?

Have bought a posh turkey from the butchers before, it didn't matter, we still didn't like it. Turkey is turkey.

Have cooked Lidl's frozen duck and you could tell the difference between that and our usual butchers one - but only because we had something to compare it to. It was still nice just not quite as nice

You are going to cover the turkey in gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing etc etc anyway. So it doesn't matter as long as you don't overcook it.

I've had Aldi and Sainsbury's frozen turkey, and also from a local butcher. No discernible difference, as PPs said, it's about how it's cooked.

Just something to keep in mind though, if you're ordering online, give yourself time to source a replacement if it doesn't arrive. As soon as Sainsbury's delivery slots for Xmas came up I booked mine for the 23rd, added a turkey to my basket and checked out. Then added to the basket in the lead up to Xmas. I mistakenly thought turkeys would be allotted in the order they were ordered (stupid now I realise!). So of course I received no notification it wasn't in stock, and no turkey arrived. They did offer £50 gift voucher to compensate. But I could've done without going shopping on Xmas eve with a newborn baby and 2 year old on my own, looking for turkeys!

Wherever you get the turkey from, it's how it is cooked that will make the difference. Put orange and onion wedges in the cavity, butter generously and wrap with a double layer of good quality foil and it should stay moist. This year I'm going to try butter muslin to get a really crisp skin.

Disclaimer: as a vegetarian I've never actually tasted this method, but thirty odd years of cooking it seems to work, and the family always rave about it.

I wouldn't ever give this headspace. Most of us buy supermarket turkeys. Most of us.

You can get turkey sized roasting bags. Bringing them helps.

Considering how many freezers/fridges in supermarkets that have turkeys in them people buy and eat Turkeys from the supermarket you r guests will not tell the difference because there will be no difference.

Over the years, I've had expensive free range bronze turkeys from reputable butchers, and much cheaper free range bronze turkeys from Tesco.
I insert duck fat and crushed garlic under the breast skin, put plum and ginger stuffing in half the cavity and apricot and chestnut stuffing in the other half. I wrap the whole turkey in streaky bacon rashers that have been soaked in whisky for 48 hours.
The turkey then gets wrapped up in tin foil and cooked very slowly on a very low oven, so that it keeps moist and steams rather than roasts.
For the last 40 mins I turn the heat up, open the foil to crisp and brown the skin, and add the roast potatoes.
Using this method, the turkey is absolutely scrumptious, and it makes not one whit of difference where it came from - the Tesco bronze is just as yummy as the (double the price) butcher one!

We usually get one from the butchers because he's a great butcher and I like to support him.
Last year we weren't at home for Christmas dinner so I just got a crown from Aldi as we wanted turkey sandwiches and it was lovely.
The worst turkey I've had was M&S.

I always get a Kelly Bronze turkey from Ocado and they've been excellent. Not cheap at £85 or so for one big enough to feed 10+ but they're really, really good for a bird that arrives with the rest of the food shop and is totally hassle free!

We used to get one from a nearby farm but I got fed up of the collection arrangement. We now get a free range one from M&S. it’s around £75, the same price as the farm one and possibly a bit nicer.

As near as I can see you can get a fresh free range turkey for 6 people for £20, then as size increases it costs more. Organic seems to add £10. Heritage adds another £5.

Frozen seems to be £10 less.

Supermarket is Ok but make sure it's free range as a minimum, and preferably organic.

Hi, I think there is a lot of difference in Turkeys, including which farm.

I have had Waitrose and M&S turkeys, bronze free range. Always disappointed, dry and nit very flavoursome.

Copas turkeys as mentioned by another poster are the best I’ve had but very pricey £110 ish for that number. I’ve tried two other farms, one good and a cheaper one nit so good.

I fluctuate between thinking I’m fed up the meal being spoilt by nit a great turkey and bpnot wanting to pay over £100.

I’ve been thinking of Aldi and also read that Sainsbury’s rate very highly.

I worked at Asda as a student and we were all given a frozen turkey as a Xmas bonus. My mum cooked it New Year and it was surprisingly good. I starting to think that unless you go all out for a top of the range highly rated farm (they do deliver) then there’s not much difference between supermarkets.

I’ve also tried brining, loads of faff, no difference at all.

YABU for using the word sourced to mean bought.

If money no object then but copas.

www.copasturkeys.co.uk/

One year (as I refused to pay stupid Belgium supermarket prices for a turkey), I got a frozen Waitrose Essentials one from the British Store. I followed Nigella's instructions for brining it, and it was excellent. Have brined my bird ever since. It cooks faster as well.

About twenty years ago DH ordered a turkey from the local farm shop. Didn’t ask how much it was going to be and when he picked it up it was £90. I’ve never recovered from the shock. Best turkey we ever had was from Aldi. Think it was about £15. We’re at home again this year so Aldi it will be.

If money no object then but copas.

Money being an object is pretty much the point of this thread. 🤨

Yes YABU. Having a lovely veggie feast would be cheaper and better for your family and the turkey.

Imagine the hideous lives and deaths those bloody £15 turkeys have had FFS. Heartbreaking.

Money being an object is pretty much the point of this thread.

No, it’s not. The OP just doesn’t have access to a local farm or good butchers. It’s not financial constraint.

i doubt the free range farm turkeys had a better life tbh

@Dahlietta. Actually cost is not the main point of this thread? not sure where you got that from? I am more thinking of the inconvenience of trying to source a fancy one from a random farm shop and then be disappointed that it isn’t nice.

It would have to be free range at the very least...