Talk to me about turkeys

[TwinsAndTiramisu]

We've decided on traditional turkey this year, for young DC. We don't mind it, but it's one of those things we'd never cook any other time of year as there's always a better alternative.

We've done various brines, resting etc and it's always the same, the best version of something we aren't particularly fussed with. But, it is to be turkey this year, so it's the very traditional Christmas Dinner.

Historically, we have done farm shop, posh food hall, local estate reared, and have spent, frankly too much on something none of us love. However, one year during COVID, we ended up ordering the M&S pre-done bacon wrapped crown, and actually, apart from the ceremony of a whole turkey, it tasted no worse than the whole birds we'd bought previously, except at a quarter of the price.

So, here's my question, for those who have tried and know...

Just how bad is a frozen turkey from the supermarket? If we have the same nice sides, will we even notice? For example, there's a Waitrose "Essential Frozen Butter Basted Turkey Crown Large" at around £30 that seems to get decent reviews. Cooks in under 2 hours. Just how bad can it be? Much less faff too.

Anyone have any tips or recommendations on doing turkey the easier and cheaper way? Or anyone tried it, and thought it was a bit grim?

Thank you!

We did exactly the same a few years ago and have never looked back so it's now always stuffed and bacon-wrapped turkey crowns for us. The nicest one we've had is from COOK but Waitrose and M&S do good ones too. I just personally make sure it's British.....all COOK meat is British and higher welfare if that helps.

I agree that you don't get the "wow" centrepiece with them but they're so much easier and for us produce less waste as none of us like dark meat anyway. Great for easy carving and slicing up for sandwiches with the leftovers.

I buy a 3 bird roast instead.

I've done everything from fresh Kelly Bronze from Norfolk delivered to the door to Tesco frozen. Turkey crowns are off limits as DH loves the dark meat of turkey.
I too have cooked it in bacon, butter, muslin, upside down etc...
I don't like turkey much and would prefer a good chicken.
I resent how much a posh, fresh turkey costs.
I now only buy frozen tesco turkey but brine it for 3 days. Its quite astonishing how this mode of cooking can tenderise and enhance flavour.
I'm never going back to spending pounds and pounds on a "farmers market or niche" expensive turkey. Try it!

3 years ago we decided to try a frozen Tesco turkey crown, never looked back!

They're not bad. I always brine mine, no matter how much it costs. Look up the Nigella Christmas Turkey brine.

I've not done it but imagine as long as your OK about lower animal welfare standards it would be fine. Its covered in bread sauce cranberry and put and gravy anyway.

Last year I bought a frozen free range turkey, as bird flu was rife and I didn’t want to struggle to find one closer to the occasion. By the time it was dry brined (which I highly recommend and there’s a great article on Serious Eats) and cooked all the meat eaters were very happy with it.

I’ve got mine in the freezer now following an article about bird flu and now a farmer had to cull his flock of turkeys. I’d rather get it now than pay inflated prices if there’s a shortage.

We are playing "chicken" this year - pardon the pun - with the supermarkets and are going to do a trawl just before they close to try and get a heavily reduced one.

If it all pans out great, if not, no biggie, we love fish finger butties!

We've ordered a Costco Jimmy's Farm free range fresh turkey again this year. We tend to Go Big as left-over recipes are very popular, so a crown isn't really suitable. It isn't 'frozen cheap', but it is cheaper than the fresh Waitrose or local butcher's etc equivalent and just as good IMO. We have had frozen free range turkeys in the past from various supermarkets and always found them to be perfectly fine. We moved away from buying them as trying to work out defrosting times was a nightmare (and always seems to need loads more time that the packet suggests) and I just don't need that added layer of stress! Presumably this would be less of an unknown quantity with a crown though?

The key to tastiness IMO is free range, covered in foil pretty much throughout, dressed with plenty of butter, seasoning and bacon, stuffing added, halved lemon inside, and very regular basting. Basically you need to start with and keep as much liquid in as possible.

Ours is also in the freezer ready due to encroachment of bird flu into free range herds. We also have a couple of turkey thighs in there too as we really enjoy the dark meat.
Cooked with plenty of butter, tasty stuffing in the neck cavity and quarter lemon and orange in the body cavity it’ll taste great.

We’ve had the Waitrose one for the past 2 years and they are fine. Previously had similar from Booths and Waitrose actually slightly better than theirs.

Had a look at the COOK ones - £50 for the crown is heading towards, well I may as well pay £90 for a centrepiece looking one. It says it feeds 8. However there is a stuffed turkey thigh that supposedly feeds 6, for £16? Anyone tried this?

You can buy just Turkey breast also. One is huge and usually enough for dh, myself and toddler for meal and then sandwiches the next day. About £10 from butcher

obviously a cheap bird will have much lower welfare standards and is likely to have been raised overseas. I understand that not everyone can afford the extra costs but those that can should consider supporting British farmers, local businesses, and proper animal welfare.

Sainsbury frozen Turkey crown for us every year. We can't taste any difference between it and a costly one. We're heathens!

Ok so this is probably not any cheaper but we don't buy a whole turkey we get a turkey breast rolled joint, takes far less room up in the fridge/oven and not faffing carving a big bird it just slices. I normally smother with butter cover in foil and it's cooked in less than 3 hours.

We always had a frozen crown from Tesco. One year we tried a fresh and very much more expensive one from M@S. Nothing wrong with the latter at all but I really do prefer the tesco frozen