Christmas turkey!

tinkerbell

Hi folks

This year I'm cooking a turkey! Last year I got a turkey crown from M&S (my first time ever cooking a bird!) This year I would like to get an actual turkey. My options are M&S bronze turkey or Superquinn bronze turkey or Superquinn SQ bronze turkey breast on the bone. All about the same price and are free range. Which should I go for, which tend to be better - M&S or Superquinn?

I like those choices since they are ready to cook, no messing with giblets and horrible stuff like that. It's only my second time ever cooking a bird so I want to make it as easy as possible for myself!

Thanks

boodlesdoodles

Can't help you I'm afraid because I always get my turkey from my local butchers as he buys them locally and they are free range. He also bags up the giblets for me (with the neck which my mother eats) and I use them to make stock for the gravy on Xmas day! Personally, I'd never buy my turkey from a supermarket but that's because I'm lucky to have a good butcher.

Corsendonk

Supermarkets get the giblets removed and placed inside the turkey carcass in bag. So if you don't want to use them you can bin them.

huskerdu

The OP seems to think that a turkey from a butcher will be messier or not as easy. This is just not true. A butcher will clean out the innards and remove the giblets before you get it.

I find that meat from a local butcher is better quality and better value.

Can't compare M&S to SQ as I find the meat, like everything else in M&S way way overpriced so dont buy it.

The Hill Billy

I'm another who has never even considered buying my turkey from a supermarket. I buy mine from Des Byrne Butchers in Skerries. Locally sourced turkeys that are prepared however you want them (eg, boned & rolled, crown only, etc). Luckily for me he has many customers that don't take the giblets - so plenty more for me!

I'd imagine that there are many butchers the length & breadth of the country who do the same. Support your local butcher this Christmas is what I say.

nosietoes

I would go for the bronze turkey from superquinn - they generally source them from an amazing free range farm in Johnstown. We get one direct from the farm every year and have always been happy with the product.

leahyl

We have always got fine big fresh turkeys in Dunnes (half price or more on Christmas Eve) and they are delicious! My mum would buy a few and freeze them for the following year! They are gorgeous!

RoryMurphyJnr

Having cooked the whole bird last year, I'm going for boned and rolled this time.
Way less hassle

R

tinkerbell

Thanks everyone for the replies! Well another reason for not going to a butcher is that I don't know a good one near me coz I always buy my meat from Superquinn. I don't cook roasts though - I get mince, chicken fillets, pork chops, steaks and sausages from SQ.

Maybe I should go check out a few butchers? I kinda like the idea that the M+S or SQ turkeys come ready to cook in a foil tray! Baby steps for me lol

Should I try one of those organic butchers in Terenure maybe? Eg John Downey + Son? Maybe I should have a practice run first with the turkey!

Corsendonk

tinkerbell wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies! Well another reason for not going to a butcher is that I don't know a good one near me coz I always buy my meat from Superquinn. I don't cook roasts though - I get mince, chicken fillets, pork chops, steaks and sausages from SQ.

Maybe I should go check out a few butchers? I kinda like the idea that the M+S or SQ turkeys come ready to cook in a foil tray! Baby steps for me lol

Should I try one of those organic butchers in Terenure maybe? Eg John Downey + Son? Maybe I should have a practice run first with the turkey!

Organic Turkeys won't yield as much meat and your looking at twice the price. Some people also think organic means free range, it doesn't. It just means that the animal is fed on a organic feed.

If anyone wishes to support Irish and is buying from a supermarket, check the turkey packaging for a round circle and the intials IE followed by numbers. IE stands for Irish and the numbers are the packer. The code is on all prepacked meat, poultry and fish so handy to check for when out shopping.

tinkerbell

Thanks! Yah I know the difference between free range and organic. Those butchers in Terenure do free-range organic poultry, rather than just organic. I think so what I'll do is I'll go visit a few butchers and maybe buy a small turkey and do a trial run and see how I go!

magentas

I completely agree with getting your turkey from a local butchers, they really need the support and the quality is far better so win-win!

Good luck with the dinner tinkerbell:)

pampootie

tinkerbell, definitely go for a butcher if you can. tell them you dont want any larking about with giblets and they should sort it out.

also, i find these http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shelflife.ie/img/xmas13.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shelflife.ie/article.aspx%3Fid%3D275&usg=__cIu-ho4aAcBLL0Ha6tf0_mW0guw=&h=299&w=350&sz=36&hl=en&start=1&sig2=Lk3ILrk6NfUUo-opHrPDvQ&zoom=1&tbnid=9mb0iwZZOrI_BM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=120&ei=xizbTOKcG8qxhAfV4J3RAg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmagic%2Bturkey%2Bbags%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DVzK%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D585%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1 amazing for christmas turkey, you'll get them in any supermarket with the tinfoils etc. it basically bastes the bird for you so you can get on with opening presents and eating half a tin of roses as breakfast. just put the bird in the bag, tie it up and put on a roasting tray. It leaves it really moist and is honestly foolproof, I've been making the family christmas dinner since I was 17 and these are the job!

Mellor

My local supermarket from a farm, free range tracable etc

This is the same farm that supplies many of the butchers around the dublin area, just because its a butchers doesn't automaticaly make it better, it often is, but no harm in checking

the beer revolu

The last 2 times I cooked turkey, I did it this way.

Just take off the legs, bone them and stuff them or else make curry from them (very like lamb) and follow recipe above for the crown.

It really does produce a much nicer turkey.
For those of you who actually like dry turkey breast continue as normal ie calculate the cooking time then add on another couple of hours (just to be sure) and serve that dry crumbly whiteness!

tinkerbell

Hi all, one more question - what is the difference between a normal turkey and a bronze turkey? I can't seem to find much info online.

Thanks!

the beer revolu

Different breed.
Bronze is usually smaller and IMO tastier.

Mellor

tinkerbell wrote: »

Hi all, one more question - what is the difference between a normal turkey and a bronze turkey? I can't seem to find much info online.

Thanks!

Did you try google?

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=bronze+turkey&aq=f&aqi=g4g-o1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=d194d714d5989135

jap gt

do any of ye fatten your own turkeys, they are the best tasting of all

podgeandrodge

Corsendonk wrote: »

If anyone wishes to support Irish and is buying from a supermarket, check the turkey packaging for a round circle and the intials IE followed by numbers. IE stands for Irish and the numbers are the packer. The code is on all prepacked meat, poultry and fish so handy to check for when out shopping.

I thought the IE simply stood for the producer/packer and had nothing to do with the origin of the meat at all - therefore you could have an IE piece of Ham that was packed in Kerry but was actually Pork from Holland.

That's why I always look for packaging that includes "Origin - xxx".

I'm open to correction though.

magentas

podgeandrodge wrote: »

I thought the IE simply stood for the producer/packer and had nothing to do with the origin of the meat at all - therefore you could have an IE piece of Ham that was packed in Kerry but was actually Pork from Holland.

That's why I always look for packaging that includes "Origin - xxx".

I'm open to correction though.

I'm trying to keep all my shopping as local as possible so would be interested to know what symbols etc to look for.

I usually just check for country of origin, consumers can be mislead by labelling such as "packaged in Ireland" so they think it's Irish

I think a lot of our meats are imported from south america

this kind of advertising is not false but it can be misleading

magentas

interesting reading here, looks like corsendonk was right about the BORD BIA quality assurance mark:)

http://www.farmersjournal.ie/2007/1013/ruralliving/countrylifestyle/feature.shtml

http://www.fsai.ie/legislation/food_legislation/fresh_meat/labelling_of_beef_products.html

and its amendment S.I. 485 of 2002 require a mandatory traceability and origin labelling for beef from slaughterhouse to point of sale to consumers. This labelling system for beef consists of two elements, a compulsory beef labelling system and a voluntary beef labelling system, with the objective of providing maximum transparency during the marketing of beef. Compulsory beef labelling requires operators or organisations to label beef with specific information at all stages of marketing up to and including the point of sale to the consumer The requirements apply to all fresh or frozen beef, either carcasses, de-boned meat, cut meat or minced meat, which are marketed in the EU The information required under the Labelling of beef Regulations should be applied to or attached to individual pieces of meat or to their packaging material. Where beef is not wrapped, the information is required to be provided in a written and visible form to the consumer at point of sale
Operators or organisations are required to label beef with the following information:

• the reference number or code of the animal or group of animals from which the beef was derived
• the country of the slaughterhouse and approval number. The indication should read:- 'Slaughtered in (name of country) (approval number)'.
• the country of the cutting hall and approval number. The indication should read:- 'Cutting in (name of country) (approval number)'.
• Origin of the beef.

(i) If the beef is derived from animals born, raised and slaughtered in the same country, the indication on the label may be given as "Origin: (name of country)" . For example, 'Origin: Ireland '
(ii) If the beef is derived from animals from different countries the label must indicate:

• Country of birth
• Country (or Countries) of fattening
• Country of slaughter

For example, 'Born in Italy' 'Reared in France' 'Slaughtered in Ireland '


Anyho, turkey ordered and due for collection on Christmas eve yipee!

podgeandrodge

magentas wrote: »

interesting reading here, looks like corsendonk was right about the BORD BIA quality assurance mark:)
.............. (i) If the beef is derived.........

I still don't think Corsendonk was correct. Corsendonk wasn't (as far as I can see) referring to the Bord Bia mark but to the EU labelling mark. e.g.

(IE)
(233)
(EC)

And the IE in that case does not mean that it is of Irish origin.

Also, the rules you are quoting are in relation to beef not to Turkey's.

Corsendonk

podgeandrodge wrote: »

I still don't think Corsendonk was correct. Corsendonk wasn't (as far as I can see) referring to the Bord Bia mark but to the EU labelling mark. e.g.

(IE)
(233)
(EC)

And the IE in that case does not mean that it is of Irish origin.

Also, the rules you are quoting are in relation to beef not to Turkey's.

My tip was for fresh turkeys, there minimal processed foods so the IE code won't change from kill to shop. Most of Fresh Turkeys sold in Ireland are Irish or NI origin so the EU identification mark was a back up to check if your turkey is Irish or from our Northern cousins. If I was to bread and season turkey drumsticks thereby creating a new product I could change a UK product into a Irish product but whole turkeys or turkey crowns undergo minimal processing. When I finally remember the legal term for this I will post it.

The beef country of origin food labelling format is set to become compulsory for pork, lamb, and poultry soon. Meat origin in processed products will have to be indicated too.

magentas

podgeandrodge wrote: »

I still don't think Corsendonk was correct. Corsendonk wasn't (as far as I can see) referring to the Bord Bia mark but to the EU labelling mark. e.g.

(IE)
(233)
(EC)

And the IE in that case does not mean that it is of Irish origin.

Also, the rules you are quoting are in relation to beef not to Turkey's.

yes I couldn't find anything specific to turkeys!:D

any packaged meat I buy will say "traceable to the farm of xx name of farmer xx in county xxxx