From the Christmas ham to a flaming pud, festive feasting is certainly a joy. But how to choose the best turkey for the 25th? Take The Field's advice with our pick of the best Christmas turkeys, delivered straight to your door
The best Christmas turkeys are tricky to distinguish, as the shop shelves become laden in preparation for the 25th. Rather than loiter undecided in the supermarket aisle, choose from The Field’s pick of best Christmas turkeys. And they will be delivered straight to your front door.
If your to-do list is so extensive this Christmas that you don’t have the time or inclination to spend hours in the kitchen wielding a wooden spoon, then we aren’t only recommending the best Christmas turkeys. Read the 6 best Christmas puddings and the 6 top fruitcakes for festive feasting. When you know where to shop, there is a rather excellent selection.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS TURKEYS
Whole organic bronze turkey, Daylesford
You can rest assured that the Daylesford turkeys have been raised to the highest standard.
You can be certain that all of Daylesford’s birds have been raised to the highest standards on their organic pastures. The bronze turkeys are raised for 180 days, free to forage the pastures and woodlands. The whole organic bronze turkey is perfect for feeding the entire brood. And you can choose your preferred Christmas delivery date at checkout.
Price: £102 for 6kg
Buy: online at www.daylesford.com or call 0800 083 1233. Delivery dates are 21, 22 and 23 December 2016.
Yorkshire herb fed free range bronze turkey, Farmison & Co
Turkeys are Farmison’s Christmas speciality, with a variety of cuts available from a range of farms.
Farmison & Co are on one simple mission, to deliver the finest Heritage Meat from the Dales and Fells to your front door. And the festive season is no different. Turkeys are their Christmas speciality, with many cuts available from a range of farms. The Yorkshire herb fed free range bronze turkeys have been raised strictly free range on the edge of the North York Moors, and are specially selected for their larger proportion of succulent breast meat.
Price: prices start at £59.95 for 4kg
Buy: online at www.farmison.com. Delivery dates are 21, 22 or 23 December 2016.
Free range bronze turkey, Piper’s Farm
The Piper’s Farm turkeys are free to roam amongst the apple trees in the cider orchard.
Piper’s Farm’s bronze turkeys are a traditional slow-growing breed, raised with a free-range lifestyle roaming freely amongst the apple trees in the cider orchard. The birds have a completely natural diet of grass, windfall apples in the summer, acorns in the winter and whole oats. The turkeys are dry plucked and hung for at least 12 days for a greater flavour and better meat. Piper’s Farm’s free-range turkey comes with their giblets, so you can make stocks and gravy as well as an impressive Christmas lunch.
Price: prices start at £69.75 for 5kg
Buy: online at www.pipersfarm.com
Medium turkey, Riverford
The Riverford turkeys are raised with Soil Association approval for the highest welfare standard.
Riverford’s medium turkey will feed 9-10 people generously, and with plenty of leftovers. Riverford’s birds are the much-celebrated bronze breed, reared with Soil Association approval for the highest welfare standard. They are slow-grown, organic and free range. Riverford include the giblets, so can you top off your Christmas lunch with a fantastic, proper gravy.
Price: £89.95 for 5.1-5.75kg
Buy: online through your Riverford account at www.riverford.co.uk
Organic dry aged free range feathered turkey, Waitrose
Waitrose have an enormous range of organic free range turkeys.
Waitrose has an enormous range of organic, free range turkeys. Their organic dry aged free range feathered bronze turkey generously feeds 12 people, if you opt for the large size. The birds are dry plucked and matured for 7 days to get the uniquely gamey flavour and a fantastic texture.
Price: £111.92 for 6-8kg
Buy: online at www.waitrose.com
Whole free range bronze turkey, Copas Turkeys
Copas Turkeys are a truly family business, now in their 58th year.
Now in its 58th year, Copas Traditional Turkeys are a truly family business, loved by some of Britain’s best butchers, farm shops, delis and food halls as well as a loyal following of home delivery and farm gate customers. They continue to use the same values and artisan methods, believing that the best turkey has a long life and room to roam. They also continue to use age old production processes, including hand plucking and game hanging. Copas Turkeys have whole turkeys, breast roasts, crowns, turkey legs, stuffed whole turkeys and stuffed breast roasts available.
Price: for a whole free range bronze turkey, prices start at £89 for 4kg
Buy: online at www.copasturkeys.co.uk