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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To throw away the Christmas turkey leftovers

54 replies

ArcticGrass · 26/12/2025 19:27

It was a Tesco posh turkey crown. But it just wasn’t very nice, I feel bad throwing it away but it was tough and not great.

OP posts:
Chinsupmeloves · 26/12/2025 20:54

So many options to use...pie, curry, stir fry etc.

Pets and the birds would also be very grateful.

Eyeshadow · 26/12/2025 21:20

Why is it horrible?

Is it gone off or did you just cook it wrong and it’s dry?

I struggle to see how you couldn’t use it in a curry as you wouldn’t even taste it.

Original poster
ArcticGrass · 26/12/2025 21:34

Even the stock isn’t that nice….its weird, I make great stock usually.

OP posts:
Rainbow1901 · 26/12/2025 21:39

We had a lovely Turkey Crown from Sainsbury - followed the instructions and after cooking left it to stand (well wrapped up until we were ready to carve as the oven was in use for other things.) Deliciously moist and carved really well.
Had some today in sandwiches and even cold it was good. Sliced and diced some for the freezer and what's left will do a few more sandwiches tomorrow.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 26/12/2025 21:41

ArcticGrass · 26/12/2025 20:08

You see I make a great turkey leftover pie, and I would normally make a load of soup too. Just making stock out of the carcass now. But I don’t want to make a pie that just isn’t that nice. I think I’ll cut some up small tomorrow and try it in soup. But it was tough as old boots and just not that nice, there’s a lot left and it was only a small crown. People ate the chicken and ham instead.

I completely agree that f you didn’t like it there’s no point making the leftovers into something else, even if you disguise the flavour by making a curry, a pie of a soup. Because when you eat that you’ll remember that the turkey was horrible and you won’t like whatever you made even if, objectively, you’ve masked the taste. Tesco always get bad reviews for their turkeys - I think it really is a case of you get what you pay for, and a smaller fresh turkey from a known butcher with a decent reputation will top a supermarket one which will have been slaughtered in October and kept at minus one degree in a cold store for months.

Original poster
ArcticGrass · 26/12/2025 21:43

Rainbow1901 · 26/12/2025 21:39

We had a lovely Turkey Crown from Sainsbury - followed the instructions and after cooking left it to stand (well wrapped up until we were ready to carve as the oven was in use for other things.) Deliciously moist and carved really well.
Had some today in sandwiches and even cold it was good. Sliced and diced some for the freezer and what's left will do a few more sandwiches tomorrow.

I’m very pleased for you, genuinely. We usually have an M&S one…and usually nice. This tescos one just wasn’t, bronze, free range.

OP posts:
FairViewRosie25 · 26/12/2025 21:44

I overcooked my Sainsbury’s turkey crown should have taken it out half hour before I did. When it came out was reading over 100 on the thermometer. Did rest it for an hour but it wasn’t a great dinner. Overcooked the veg and boiled rainbow carrots together so they were this weird grey colour. Nobody died shoved plenty of wine down their throats lol

Countduckula52 · 26/12/2025 21:54

Our council does food waste recycling. I don’t feel as bad knowing it is going to be composted and used again in the cycle of life.

awrbc81 · 26/12/2025 21:54

I’d put it in a pie or curry rather than waste it

purplecorkheart · 26/12/2025 21:57

Could you blend it up. Maybe with cream cheese, onion and cheese with herbs for a toasted kind of sandwich

Tammygirl12 · 26/12/2025 22:03

Chinsupmeloves · 26/12/2025 20:54

So many options to use...pie, curry, stir fry etc.

Pets and the birds would also be very grateful.

The birds??? I don’t think we should be feeding birds other birds. Didn’t that happen with pigs and now it’s illegal. It’s not good for the food chain

Joeninety · 26/12/2025 22:14

Cats love it, poor little things. No bones though, they're dangerous to them.

AngelinaFibres · 26/12/2025 22:15

Tammygirl12 · 26/12/2025 20:53

Poor form to chuck it. Make a nice curry

But it won't be a nice curry if its made out of tough meat. It'll use up time and effort and more resources and everytime op opens the freezer for a meal.she'll look at it and think nah dont fancy that. It'll sit in there until next Christmas when the lack of space means It'll finally be binned

AngelinaFibres · 26/12/2025 22:16

purplecorkheart · 26/12/2025 21:57

Could you blend it up. Maybe with cream cheese, onion and cheese with herbs for a toasted kind of sandwich

Disgusting idea

CorvusPurpureus · 26/12/2025 22:31

Are there any cats or dogs in the family? If so, I'd be freezing in small portions & supplementing their dinners.

if not, I'd be dicing it really small, freezing it & stealthily hiding it in slow cooker chillis & curries etc for weeks to come. We don't often have meat & I wouldn't want to waste it - for financial reasons but also, poor turkey to die so unappreciated!

Ours was a turkey breast joint last week (overseas). It wasn't...great. Nice enough but meh I was all set to dice the leftovers & freeze, but the adult DC had a poker night which apparently involved ravenous drunken consumption of turkey & pickle toasted sandwiches at 3am, so that was that problem solved...

MightyDandelionEsq · 26/12/2025 22:40

WhineAndWine1 · 26/12/2025 20:54

If it wasn’t very nice as a meat on its own it won’t be nice in a curry or a pie. Just bin it

Exactly this. There’s a difference between waste for the sake of it and genuinely binning horrible food.

Lex345 · 26/12/2025 22:41

I am very anti food waste-but if food is not nice/not edible/unsalvageable then it has to go. It sounds like this is neither a cookery or general quality issue. Don't waste more food by trying to make it into something you know will be subpar.

Sub in a veggie meal day to compensate for the waste if it makes you feel better. I would rather have a delicious veg curry or pie than a rather depressing turkey one out of principle

Chinsupmeloves · 26/12/2025 23:15

Tammygirl12 · 26/12/2025 22:03

The birds??? I don’t think we should be feeding birds other birds. Didn’t that happen with pigs and now it’s illegal. It’s not good for the food chain

Show quote history

Oh didn't realise but certain birds do eat any birds, anything. Foxes then?

Sundriessundries · 26/12/2025 23:44

If it’s horrible you’ll just waste more food by trying to cook with it.. and then bin the result!
If you are confident you will force yourself to eat it (life’s too short?) a soup will at least take away the issue it’s tough…

caringcarer · 26/12/2025 23:59

I gave turkey leftovers to my cats and dogs today. They had some yesterday too for their Xmas dinner.

MySilentLions · 27/12/2025 00:25

Tesco food is really poor these days. Like really bad. Watery tasteless meat, horrible fruit and veg, bland everything else. I’ve given up on them (even though they are our most convenient suupermarket) and now get our regular shop from Aldi with some weekend treats from M&S if we drive to the larger town that has a small food hall one.

OMerryGrinchmas · 27/12/2025 00:35

purplecorkheart · 26/12/2025 21:57

Could you blend it up. Maybe with cream cheese, onion and cheese with herbs for a toasted kind of sandwich

That sounds so gross. Sorry. I’d rather just eat the not-so-nice tough turkey.

Sunshineandrainbow · 27/12/2025 00:37

Chinsupmeloves · 26/12/2025 23:15

Oh didn't realise but certain birds do eat any birds, anything. Foxes then?

Show quote history

I would definitely be feeding it to the foxes!

Bleachedjeans · 27/12/2025 05:59

If it ‘wasn’t very nice’ ‘tough’ and ‘not great’ just chuck it and put it down to experience and buy an M&S one next year

Izzywizzy85 · 27/12/2025 06:10

Bleachedjeans · 27/12/2025 05:59

If it ‘wasn’t very nice’ ‘tough’ and ‘not great’ just chuck it and put it down to experience and buy an M&S one next year

I got an M&S one last year, it was flavourless and tough. Tesco one this year was gorgeous. M&S is still the same mass produced shit as any other supermarket, you know.
OP bin it. Life’s too short!