Will small frozen turkeys be in short supply this year?

My sister & I have decided to go rogue this year and do a beef joint for Xmas Day. Can do it in the slow cooker so no need to keep checking & basting all day.

PECS

I have done what I have done in the previous two years: ordered a complete Christmas meal from the shop called Cook..except for sprouts.. I will do those fresh as don't think they freeze well!

I'd never heard of 'Cook' but apparently we have a branch nearby so am going to have a look at their website and give it some consideration. I will be working a long day on Christmas Eve, if I can make life easier for myself on Christmas Day I will.

Some kind of takeaway for me hopefully, possibly Indian! If I can't have my normal Christmas, I'm not going to cook anything!

Very little meat on a goose, isn’t there? So much fat, the kitchen was full of blue smoke and very dangerous when pouring it off.
I’m sure I read somewhere that small turkeys aren’t a good buy as the skeleton is the same size as a bigger one, but without the bird having put on much weight, so you’re really paying more for the bones. Does that make sense?

You'll enjoy partridge puzzler61. We had them last weekend. Unstuffed they only take about 20 - 30 minutes in the oven, they are lovely, only just slightly gamey little birds.

I have ordered a 3 gamebird roast from M&S for us, as we will just be our two selves on Christmas day.

You can buy an enormous goose and it will still only have enough meat on it for two.

I know. I cooked one once for a Christmas dinner to serve 10 ?

Agree with Puzzler in fact am going to order one for us.

Bluebellwould

Hah Phoenix, I tried some but I thought it was horrendous. It was sort of like chewing on a tyre that had run through a fishy puddle.
I think I’m just too cheap and uneducated to appreciate smoked salmon, unlike you more refined people. ?

That’s a great comparison?

Thanks Merlotgran .
Tesco did you a favour as you can get more meals than just Christmas lunch from your turkey crown.

It will probably be just the two of us on Christmas Day so we will have turkey if I can get a small crown but if I can’t then a chicken will be fine. Christmas dinner to us is really just a very fancy roast dinner with extras. I will buy fresh veg a couple of days beforehand but will have frozen veg in the freezer just in case I can’t get fresh.
We will have a pudding and I might make a small trifle as well to see us through the day itself and Boxing Day too. A box of Hotel chocolates will be bought just for us to nibble on.

Hah Phoenix, I tried some but I thought it was horrendous. It was sort of like chewing on a tyre that had run through a fishy puddle.
I think I’m just too cheap and uneducated to appreciate smoked salmon, unlike you more refined people. ?

See what the cooking instructions are on the M&S packaging, Puzzler They should take the need to keep the birds moist into account.

I wouldn't pan fry partridge as there's barely any fat on them, unlike duck.

My best results have come from doing them in the slow cooker the day before then gently reheating them covered with foil and basted with the cooking juices which also make delicious gravy.

Would you think pan roasting gives best result, like duck, Merlotgran ?
Or oven roast in a “bag” to keep it moist?

Sorry, forgot to post the link:

www.cips.org/supply-management/news/2020/october/uk-faces-christmas-turkey-shortage-due-to-covid-quarantine-rules/

There could be a turkey shortage because the skilled seasonal workers from the EU who usually 'process' the UK's turkeys won't be coming this year because of covid quarantine regulations and there isn't time to train UK workers

It won't worry me, I'm not in the least bit bothered about turkey at Christmas. We had venison last year and I've some wild duck and pheasant in the freezer. I think I'll cope...

Partridge is lovely but like all game birds you have to take care to keep them moist during cooking.

I've just ordered my gluten free Christmas Pud from Sainsbury's.

I made an M&S pre-Christmas collection order and picked something different for our lunch - a pair of stuffed partridges.
(They are small birds).
I’ve no idea what partridge meat tastes like, but I enjoy the vegetables and trimmings more than the meat anyway.
Have to have Christmas pud, my husband wouldn’t swap it for anything else.

There could be a general shortage of meat and poultry because some slaughter houses and meat processing companies have had to close down because of staff illness from the virus.
I expect they all have to be tested regularly - hope so anyway.

DH's many health issues are starting to rear their heads again. Lockdown was a glorious period of anxiety free peace and calm for me so because a lot of the time I feel like I'm living with a ticking time bomb I'm mindful that each Christmas could be his last.

Therefore, even if it's just the two of us, it will be a gluttonous feast!

I have done what I have done in the previous two years: ordered a complete Christmas meal from the shop called Cook..except for sprouts.. I will do those fresh as don't think they freeze well!

Ahem, so not having any smoked salmon then, Bluebellwould?

It's difficult to plan ahead for Christmas this year. We don't know what Tier of lockdown we will be in so don't know how many we will be cooking for at Christmas.
I would expect to be four or six on Christmas Day but being in Tier 2 we can't do this. Everyone maybe in restrictions by then or the Government could lift it back to allowing six people for everyone. I'm waiting until nearer the time to decide on menus.

Wow, Christmas food!!
I’m on my own and last year had baked beans on toast for Xmas dinner, really enjoyed it too.
This year I’m on a strict low fat and low carb diet so might have a turkey mince Thai curry with courgetti spaghetti. Followed by zero fat yoghurt. Could sprinkle nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice in it for festive cheer I suppose. Hope you enjoy your gluttonous feasts ?

I bought a small turkey crown a couple of weeks ago, i have also bought my pigs in blankets. Im buying sprouts this week and as soon as i see parsnips in the shop i will get those. I always buy fresh carrots and freeze half so those already there. Not worried about pudding as we prefer a trifle , not so heavy. Mince pies i will also buy and anything else i see that i think we may need. just hope potatoes will be easy to buy nearer the date also satsumas and nuts.

Maybe people will turn to chicken or other meats this year.