Talking turkey - choosing a great bird

Are you dreaming of a “White” Christmas?  Or a “Bronze” one?  When it comes to turkeys, you may not have weighed up the merits of one type over another, but most of us who invest hard-earned cash in our most popular Christmas bird care about whether the end result is tasty and tender or a big disappointment.

For we foodies at Local Food Britain, the choice of turkey doesn’t centre so much on breed. We’re more concerned about provenance. 

There’s no question that excellent quality and flavour come at a cost; it takes a good deal of time and resources to rear and prepare a turkey in the traditional way, so the end price is higher.   But it’s worth it.

We would rather spend a few extra pounds (or choose an alternative) than buy a cheap bird that has led a miserable life in overcrowded conditions, been fed growth hormones and slaughtered young (some as early as 8 weeks – most traditionally reared birds are killed at around 24 - 27 weeks), machine plucked in water and perhaps deep frozen for months. Is it any wonder that we hear comments about such turkey being dry and tasteless? 

So, how do you decide on a turkey?

Ideally, find out that it’s had proper access to the outdoors, the chance to roam and forage and enjoy being a turkey (developing a nice layer of fat along the way, to add flavour and keep it moist during cooking).  

If you’re forced to rely on labels, “Free Range” means the bird has had access to the outdoors; the extra word “Traditional” bolsters confidence. “Organic” is even better, and gives assurance about diet as well as welfare.  But, in our view, organic is not essential if you can trust the source.

Having reached natural maturity, our chosen bird will have been slaughtered at the farm in a stress-free manner and hung for at least a week, ideally two, to allow the flavour to develop.  A frozen turkey, or one that has been wet-plucked, is unlikely to have been hung - this is an important point because it’s during the hanging process that the flavour matures. 

So, you’re satisfied with the provenance of your bird, you’re ready to order …it’s time to decide, Bronze or White.   Let’s put rare breeds aside for the benefit of simplicity.

For a satisfying, slightly “gamey” flavour, Bronze gets our vote by a feather.

But that’s not to say that a good quality White won’t provide excellent, succulent meat.  Many butchers we have spoken to agree.  In fact one (who shall remain nameless), admitted that he took home a “Bronze” turkey last year.  His wife was delighted with the flavour.  He still hasn’t told her it was really a White!

Carefully-reared, local birds are in limited supply, so if you haven’t already placed an order, do so now.

Whatever you choose for your Christmas meal this year, we wish you a memorable feast accompanied by the most important trimmings: laughter, love and merriment … in sleigh-loads!   

Where to buy local turkeys in Surrey