Turkey crown versus full turkey

[Inkpotlover]

I normally buy a turkey crown to serve seven, but the meat can end up being a bit dry no matter how carefully I cook it. So this year I'm thinking about getting a full turkey in the hope the meat might be juicier. Cost-wise it's also a bit cheaper.

What does everyone else prefer?

I always get a full turkey but this year have gone for a crown. I’ll let you know on the 26th 😆

Turkey crown every single time!

DH roasts it in foil and it's never dry. Also, he places plenty of sausagemeat stuffing underneath.

Out of a full turkey or a turkey crown, I'd choose a crown. In reality we have a 3 bird roast (usually from lidl) and it's not done us wrong for the last 4-5 Christmases

Hmm , crowns generally cook quicker there is no waste and are easy to carve

Whole birds take longer , are better value and have enough left for boxing day butties

Personally a full bird wins for me as I prefer the dark meat

Crown. Easier to cook and less waste

Try brining it fantastic results! Even with a Lidl frozen special 🤣

No one knew! Usually I but free range bronze turkey with bells on

I've always been a full Turkey kind of woman, until two years ago when I bought a crown rather than have all the waste. It was really just as easy to keep moist- stick butter under the skin and then cover in bacon and foil. I baste pretty regularly and as long as you slightly undercook it (rather than cooking it well done or raw!) and then let it rest, it continues to cook in the foil as it's resting. I also have a meat thermometer- that definitely helps!

And you must rest it after cooking it will continue to cook, so don't put it on for too long! And make sure it's been out the fridge for at least an hour before cooking

I second brining the turkey crown. I usually use Nigella’s brining recipe.

Ditto.

I cook it the day before and braise it on Xmas day. Goes down far better than a dry Turkey on the day.

We usually get a crown, as there are only five of us and nobody loves the leg meat

We usually get a small crown, can't be bothered with the 5 days of turkey from a whole bird.

We've had a crown for the past 5 years and can't imagine ever going back to buying a full turkey.

Always get a crown - far easier to cook and less waste. I buy a bigger one that we need and that does for leftovers, and if you cover it in foil with a bit of water in the roasting tray it shouldn't be dry.

Full turkey is better.

I actually take the wings off mine myself and stick them in with the gravy pot with the giblets.

Also, don't stuff a turkey. It makes it dry as it soaks all the juices up and leaves the turkey dry. I put some herbs and a lemon cut in half instead.

My family are all leg men even the women. A crown would be unforgivable.
Just the leg would probably look a bit mean though

Always get a whole Turkey of thirty years of doing Christmas . I always feel it does cook better more even and juicier than a crown . I feel with a crown the juices just run out .

No-one actually likes turkey otherwise we would eat it all year round.
I used to get a whole turkey and be sick of the sight of turkey after two days.
Now I get a crown and hope it all gets eaten on the day.

We have turkey crown every year and we do a citrus butter that we gently stuff under the skin. Then when that's done layered streaky bacon all over the top of it. 👌🏽 It's always lovely and tasty and never dry even after a couple of days. No waste and carcasses to get rid of either.

A crown as me and DP don't like the dark meat so it's not really cost effective to buy a whole bird. I've never had it go dry though.

I saw on Food Unwrapped that the remainder of the turkey that doesn't get used in the crown does actually get binned so for all those saying 'no waste' maybe not at your end.

How long do you cook a Turkey crown for if you want it to be moist. I'm doing dinner this year for the first time in about 20 years and have no idea on the Turkey front as it's not something I really eat any other time than Christmas. The crown we've ordered feeds 8-10 apparently and I've got the butter / fatty bacon etc to try and stop it being to dry.

BBC Good Food has a roast meat timer on their web site . I've found this to be good .

I would have assumed its down to basting regularly (and under foil) that determines if something is dry or not, rather than the "cut" of meat.

Once I tried the crown route I will never turn back. Simple, slice-able and quicker to cook. Cook on a layer of chopped veg and tin foil on top. So easy. After some years of stress am now a lazy fun Christmas cook. The only things done from scratch are the yorkshires (yes yes I know), gravy (slow reduced for hours), and roasted parsnips and potatoes. Everything else is bung in the oven. So easy and I can join in the fun.