How to Choose a Turkey, Duck or Goose

We all want our Christmas dinner to be special and a meal to remember for the right reasons! So how can you make sure that your bird is the best choice?

First take the time to buy your meat from a source you trust. You might prefer a trusted butcher, farm shop or mail order company.

Knowing how your meat has been reared and where it came from can help you determine the likely quality of the meat. Usually higher quality comes from younger animals that are subject to greater welfare standards. Of course prices will also reflect this so battery-reared birds will be much cheaper than those which have been subject to a mainly organic diet and free-roaming.

Look for birds with unblemished skin, and if buying fresh check whether they will be dressed or whether you will need to do additional preparation.

Consider carefully the size of the bird you require. General recommendations allow around half a pound or 225 g per person for boneless meat and three quarters of a pound or 340g per person for meat with a bone in. Of course appetites vary and you may want to buy larger deliberately, in order to have enough for leftovers.

Choose well and enjoy your Christmas Dinner!