The Kit
Turkey Mark Chilcott
Meat Gavin Keen
The Turkey Farmer
Talking Turkey
The Butcher
Let’s Meat Up
Not everyone eats turkey for
Christmas – BMV Butchery’s
Gavin Keen has some fresh ideas
Mark Chilcott from Chilcott’s
Turkeys tells us how to choose the
best bird for the big day
How do you choose the perfect turkey? What should we look for when buying a ham?
Always buy your turkey either direct from a farm or an
independent butcher. It should be free-range, more than 20
weeks old, dry plucked and game hung for at least a week. This
makes a huge difference to the flavour and tenderness of the
meat. We feel that Bronze turkeys have a better flavour and
texture. A ham from a free-range pig is very important because of
the quality and taste from the extra fat cover makes it nice
and moist. Personally, I go for slow cooking in Coca-Cola and
finishing off by roasting in the oven with cloves, brown sugar
and honey glaze. The joint would be scored beforehand.
How about sausages and bacon?
Whole turkey or a crown?
You need traditional pork chipolatas wrapped in dry cured
and oak smoked streaky bacon, cured from a free-range
Oxford Sandy Black breed of pork
I always try to sell people a whole bird as I think the thigh is
the best and most tender part of a turkey. Some people think it’s
easier to carve a crown but it is easy to cut the legs off a whole
bird after cooking and carve them onto a serving dish or even
‘pull’ them with two forks. We pull the sinews out of the legs
which makes carving the legs much easier.
What would you recommend instead of turkey?
Rolled beef fore rib would be my next choice for
Christmas dinner, dry aged for at least 28-32 days and
prepared as a carvery rib for ease of carving.
Why do bronze turkeys require less cooking time?
What knives would you suggest for meat?
They tend to cook more quickly because there is more fat
running through the meat – this is as a result of a more natural
lifestyle and a good diet.
I would recommend Victorinox as a brand as it’s what us
butchers have used for a long time in the trade and they
are excellent and good value for money
Order your Bronze Turkey from Chilcott Turkeys. They’re
based at Glebe farm in Owermoigne, Dorset. Contact them
on 01305 852639 or go to www.chilcott-turkeys.co.uk.
Gavin Keen is the butchery manager at the Blackmore
Vale Butchery. They have two shops in West Stour and
Somerton. Go to www.bmv-butchery.co.uk
CARVE UP
Joseph Joseph Cut & Carve
Plus Large Red
RRP: £20.00
Harts Price: £16.00
Eddingtons The Carvery
Roast & Poultry Lifters
RRP: £10.99
Harts Price: £8.95
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Heuck Turkey Lacer
RRP: £2.99
Harts Price: £2.50