Turkey dilemma

[robfosters]

I really fancy a turkey this xmas as we never have one due to the cook (mum) not liking it.

Me, my brother and my dad like it, but Turkey's are huge. Can you get little ones for 3 people?

 

[Lonewolf]

You could consider a turkey crown...

 

[Rich_L]

Chicken

 

[cainer]

You could consider a turkey crown...

this

 

[HeadlessChicken]

Personally, I think for 3 a turkey is nuts. Even a crown (which excludes all the best bits in my mind..). I'd go for a lovely organic chicken and all the trimmings

 

[D.P.]

Forget a turkey, go for a nice roast duck or corn fed free-range chicken.

 

[One More Solo]

Goose?

 

[Participant]

Just do a whole turkey and enjoy leftovers for ages.

 

[Schizo]

You could consider a turkey crown...

This,ill be cooking for 3 this year and ill be using a crown and the rest of it will chucked in a curry.

 

[bsoltan]

Just do a whole turkey and enjoy leftovers for ages.

This. For four of us we usually get a turkey that says it feeds 10-12 and then it lasts just about a week.

Brown meat > white meat.

 

[Lartyconshayo]

Boned and rolled joint from the butchers ?

 

[Participant]

Taking the bone out of anything is usually a fasttrack to dryer and less flavoursome meat.

 

[Glaucus]

No such things as to much turkey.

Just need plenty of pigs in blankets, gravy, roast parsnips, cranberry sauce and sour dough bread to go with it.

Could eat 20 of those sandwiches every day for a week and not be bored.

 

[Maccapacca]

Go for a decent chicken

 

[FrenchTart]

Taking the bone out of anything is usually a fasttrack to dryer and less flavoursome meat.

Not true at all. Ballentine/gallentiine chicken is divine.

If you're getting dry meat (hoho) then the problem is your cooking method and not whether or not you have left the bones in there.

 

[-BA-]

Can recommend an Indian Game Bird...very tasty.

 

[Jonny69]

You can get quite small turkeys. I've seen them around the 3kg mark which would probably be billed up to feed 6, so not much more than an extra large chicken. There would be enough there for a massive turkey blow-out and not too ridiculous amount left over. I love turkey - I really think those who say they hate it either don't cook it properly or over-complicate it and are disappointed with the results. Keep it simple, roast it simply and enjoy it for what it is

 

[Participant]

Not true at all. Ballentine/gallentiine chicken is divine.

If you're getting dry meat (hoho) then the problem is your cooking method and not whether or not you have left the bones in there.

I say 'usually' and you quote a relatively unusual cooking method (assuming you're referring to poaching the boned bird).

When roasting I've had more moist meat with bone in than 'ballentine' [sic].

Also, I'm not sure how 'gallentiine' [sic] is relevant to a Christmas dinner, given that it's a cold dish .

 

[FrenchTart]

I say 'usually' and you quote a relatively unusual cooking method (assuming you're referring to poaching the boned bird).

When roasting I've had more moist meat with bone in than 'ballentine' [sic].

Also, I'm not sure how 'gallentiine' [sic] is relevant to a Christmas dinner, given that it's a cold dish .

Yes...I messed up that spelling and typing a lot. Very nice use of a pithy tone in response.

I meant ballotine and galantine.

The most important point was that requiring a crux of keeping the bone in the meat when cooking in order to achieve optimum texture and flavour means that you are doing something wrong.

 

[tom_e]

The only good bit about a turkey is getting a massive turkey leg on my plate, nom nom nom.