So if you bought a Kelly Bronze Turkey or other highly branded Christmas meat...

[JontyDoggle37]

Did it taste amazingly different and better?
I have no free range/organox/cage-raised etc agenda here, purely a question of taste. What was your non-supermarket choice and was it worth the money?
Personally, although I buy free-range meat etc, we’re so hung up on the roasties, parsnips, pigs in blankets etc, I’m. It sure we notice if/when the meat tastes better/different. Which I accept may require a change in attitude towards food. So welcoming any and all responses.

I didn't have a turkey, this year, but i find with chicken and turkey that, where you notice the difference, is in the leg meat. In free range and slow grown birds, it's a lot darker and less greasy than in more intensively reared birds.

I also find that, as they are leaner and not as bulky around the breast, they are much easier to overcook so they're tough, as the higher ratio of bone to meat means that the there is less meat than a similar weight more intensively reared bird.

We went the other way this year - we’ve gone for the bronze ones previously but due to a cock up we ended up with a standard Sainsbury’s crown ..... and everyone commented how lovely it was, better than in previous years lol

We had a free range one from farmer friend, huge one think it was 9kg for £45 so not sure how that compares with supermarkets one but it's been delicious. Lots of particularly moist brown meat for cold and the breast wasn't at all dry. Seeing the fuss about Aldi turkeys on here think I'll be sticking with farm one in future.

Had a Kelly Bronze for two years in a row now and they've both been absolutely excellent - totally changed my view of turkey! Quick to cook and unbelievably juicy

I went for the Tesco finest free range one and it was lovely. I don’t know if the difference was that it was fresh and in the past I’ve bought frozen though.

We had a piece of longhorn forerib beef and the taste was amazing