Do I really need to order a turkey in advance?

[User16529834]

This year we are hosting and there will be 12 of us in total. 3 kids 9 adults. I really want it to be fun for everyone including myself (I'll be cooking) so I actually want it all to be fairly low key. I want to avoid over buying and getting things for the sake of it - eg we won't have sprouts cos nobody ever eats them. We usually buy them 'just because' but not this year!

9 of us will be eating turkey. 7 adults and 2 kids. The kids are 7 so eat a decent portion but not a whole adult sized one.

What kind of turkey do I buy, and do I really need one in advance? My only non negotiable is fresh not frozen. I have hear crowns are easier to cook? Ideally I want something really easy but also tasty. I've seen a few that come ready to roast in a bag.

Apparently I need a 3kg one but I'm assuming that's a turkey not a crown. It all feels unnecessarily complicated 😱 please tell me I can just go get on on the 22nd?

I like the look of this but will it really serve 8? Will that be enough?

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/butter-basted-turkey-breast-in-a-smoked-bacon-lattice/561154-79472-79473

I'm not fussed about leftovers. I'm happy to have a bit but won't be doing more than a few sandwiches so would rather not have loads.

Any advice from seasoned mnetters who have hosted larger groups before. We've never managed to get both sides of the family together before!

I don't have space in the freezer. Can't make soace either. It's tiny!

We’ve ordered a 4.5 kg whole turkey from butcher, they aren’t taking any more orders now. There is 5 of us plus dog, will have leftovers the next day. I’ve had the fresh finest crowns from Tesco, they come in small, medium and large, so I would buy a large one for all of you.

Thank you @DogInATent

Apparently the rules were changed this year due to bird flu. Farmers have killed their stock earlier in the year and frozen it will be allowed to sell it as fresh at the time.

I don't think a crown will feed you all. But agree you need to order asap. I take those 'feeds X people' as the barest guide - my teen son can eat three adult 'portions' no problem! It will just be the three of us and I'm getting a crown that will serve 8 and I don't anticipate more just enough leftovers for a few sandwiches.

OP that's generally what we have. We get it as a single large turkey breast from a local farm shop, they call it a turkey butterfly. We've never ordered and always just gone early on 23/24 and bought one, cost £20-25.

I'd say a larger one would feed 9, we only ever have 2-6 but there's loads of leftovers because that's what we want, we eat it for 2-3 days and slice some up for the freezer.

I'm not bothered about turkey, and if we can't get one this year, DP is going to have a nice steak and I've got a Lidl 3 fish roast in the freezer, which I've designated as my back up 'can't get a turkey' option.

As for cooking, couldn't be easier, just put it in the oven at 190 C for a couple of hours, baste a few times. Take out, cover in foil and a tea towel while you do the spuds, pigs in blankets etc.

Just get a big chicken if they’ve sold out.

You’ll save £50 and nobody except FIL will care and he can just marvel at how moist the “turkey” is once you’ve hidden the wrapper.

🤣🤣 it's tempting to just lie to him! He's a good guy though so I couldn't.

I will see if we can get a turkey butterfly I think. If not, chicken and gammon it is!

Thanks everyone though!

If you definitely want to eat turkey then yes.

We are having this. There are 8 of us.

www.farmison.com/products/winter-spice-brined-turkey-breast?v=ITM1S0164

DH is the cook in this house and usually buys a whole Turkey with Giblets to make his own gravy, but we are really paring down food/stress wise this year.

No one will starve!

purely curiosity, but what’s your problem with frozen? We have frozen turkey crowns and a gammon every year. I defrost, put slices of butter and fresh herbs underneath the skin and baste regularly and they’re always delicious, lovely and moist and really tasty cold for several days afterwards?

(none of my business, obviously, just wondering 😁)

@MrsSkylerWhite The OP doesn't have a problem with frozen turkey, she says she can't buy a frozen one because she only has a tiny freezer.

pinneddownbytabbies · Today 00:43
@MrsSkylerWhite The OP doesn't have a problem with frozen turkey, she says she can't buy a frozen one because she only has a tiny freezer.“

ah, ok. Teach me for speed reading 🥴

You should order asap

I buy a boned and rolled turkey, the largest I have bought is for 8 but they do sell larger ones. That said it is sitting in my freezer already. I love it because it only takes an hour, it’s stuffed with delicious stuffing and very easy to carve.

In my experience nut roast with cranberries and a rich gravy is actually nicer than Turkey. When our meal was half people having turkey and half nut roast, the turkey eaters agreed the nut roast was actually more delicious!

Not to be doomy, but how are people who have ordered a fresh turkey so confident it will materialise, given the numbers of birds that are having to be culled? I've ordered a fresh one every year for as long as I can remember, but if avian flu continues to spread, I don't see that butchers and supermarkets will necessarily be able to honour all the orders that have been placed. I've bought a high welfare frozen one this year. I appreciate that doesn't help the OP, unless she buys one almost at the last minute and defrosts it immediately.

@AllNightDiner I’m hoping that, if push comes to shove, the butcher will rather piss off people who only appear and Christmas vs people who order meat from them all year round and we will be fine. If not, a chicken and a joint of pork it is!

OP I’m with you, I don’t buy frozen Turkey because I’m terrified it won’t defrost properly and I don’t want to give everyone food poisoning!

I guess the question really is whether it’s the only meat you’re cooking and if you want leftovers.
I'm hosting 9 this year (5 adults, 4 kids) and I do a Turkey crown and a gammon joint. I buy the M&S one that says it serves 12-14. I find that on Christmas Day, people tend to have a couple of slices of Turkey plus a couple of slices of gammon and there’s always plenty leftover for Boxing Day which I then serve with mashed potatoes and pickles.

Avian flu issues aside... (And there have been similar stories in recent years about turkey shortages)

We never order in advance. Tend to go shopping late on the 22nd or crack of dawn on the 23rd and always get a large turkey crown no bother.

And we just do supermarket and genuinely can't tell the difference once we're eating between our bog standard supermarket one and the fancy bronze this/award winning that ones that family members have bought from local butcher.

We have it sitting in my parents freezer, far safer option this year

I had ordered a turkey crown. Yesterday I roasted a turkey leg to make some gravy. The meat from the leg was so unappetising I've cancelled the crown and I'm going to get a big chicken (2kg+) from my butcher for a tenner.

Take a look at a supermarket facebook page (any of them) on Christmas Day (I’d do this after you’ve eaten) and you’ll see the reason why people don’t buy frozen turkeys.
Every year you get posts on there of ‘green’ turkeys - rancid and disgusting. I’d always buy from a butcher - I ordered mine in November and collecting on 23rd December. I would be quick though to order as butchery/meat establishments will be ordering these over the next coming days if they haven’t already. Trust me, it is worth paying that little bit extra for a fresh turkey!

Just get a chicken