[BoP]

I know I'm very early in the year to ask this question, but as I'm expecting my parents for Xmas who are coming from the UK to stay with us in NZ over the festive period - I thought I had better start looking.

I would love to find a source of free range (or at least fresh) turkeys for Xmas. This is what we've done previously when back in the UK, but ever since moving to the Bay of Plenty a couple of years ago, we can't seem to find a source of fresh turkeys anywhere! Can anyone help? If not, I may well start my own turkey farm up:-)

[IanW99]

Not tried them myself, but they seem to be pretty good - Croziers Free range turkeys (http://www.croziersturkeys.co.nz/about.htm)

Ian

[zardell]

Hi BoP.

We're in BoP too and my local butcher is already advertising his Christmas Hams.

You're post has reminded me to ask him about Christmas Turkeys, so watch this space.

Whereabouts in the BoP are you ? PM me if you prefer.

Julie

xx

[Anita & Marco]

Hi,

Just a thought: wouldn't your parents better like a decent BBQ when they are in NZ, instead of the standard UK Xmas turkey?

When I would travel to the other side of the world, I would not look forward to the same stuff as back home, but maybe this doesn't apply for your parents.

Cheers,
Anita

[gil]

Not tried them myself, but they seem to be pretty good - Croziers Free range turkeys (http://www.croziersturkeys.co.nz/about.htm)

Ian

They have been advertising heavily on the radio recently, so I looked them up. They are frozen, though, I think.
I love the information they give on their website, especially this one: "Crozier's turkeys tuck the legs in so that legs do not stick up during cooking"
:D

Also, I like the selling point of "Crozier's turkeys have wobblers, A4 point of sale cards and carry bags available".

Not sure what wobblers are (I'm guessing someone will tell me soon!) and a carry bag seems a bit....obvious? Unless of course, it has a different meaning here?

Oh, and they are frozen:
Crozier's turkeys have protective Cryovac packaging so no freezer burn potential, or does that mean if you freeze it yourself?

Still there is a supplier local to us, so I just might try them....Happy Christmas one and all!
Gil
x

[KerryS]

Have you tried asking your butcher if he can get you one?
Mine sourced me one last year, which we cooked on the bbq - so we had a combination of English and Kiwi traditional christmas dinners.

[kanatakiwi]

I've been told.... that NZ turkeys do not taste like North American turkeys, they are tougher and not so plump. So I have held off buying as they are not cheap. But would be interested in others opinions, especially those used to the "butter ball turkeys" we are used to in North America. Would really love to cook one to add to Christmas Day BBQ/Hangi on the beach:yes

[tigerlily]

Maybe try brining the turkey? It's a pain but it seems to help with flavor. Actually, my family has started deep frying it, and oh, it's good in that terrible for you sort of way.

[Debbie]

According to my butcher you will not get a fresh turkey at xmas in NZ and anyone selling you one is being economical with the truth and defrosting a frozen one and selling it to you.

Apparently you slaughter turkeys in the winter months when they are putting on all their fat and in the spring /summer the turkey is breding and the meat is not best suited for slaughter. So because of the reverse seasons you won't get a fresh turkey at xmas. Apparently they tried to introduce goose but the kiwi shoppers didn't take to it because of the price and duck is your best bet for a different bird to roast at xmas but you should order early.

Debbie
(looks like beer chicken again for us this yr)

[Moorf]

A wobbler, if it's part of a marketing / POS kit is one of those promo tools the use - normally they stick them on shelves to get your attention, or on the freezer fridges, that wiggle about on a short length of clear plastic that makes them look "suspended" and animated - hence wobbler. Chewing gum dispays seem to use them a lot....

;)

[Timbo]

Get yourself a rifle and pop up this way for a day. There are loads of "ferrell" Turkeys running around the Coromandel. I am told that nobody bothers to claim ownership of them.

[neilw71]

According to my butcher you will not get a fresh turkey at xmas in NZ and anyone selling you one is being economical with the truth and defrosting a frozen one and selling it to you.

Debbie
(looks like beer chicken again for us this yr)

We were also told this by the organic butcher in Ellerslie 2 years ago - his were excellent but expensive. We tried another source last year and were disappointed, so will go back to him this year :)

Neil

[IanW99]

Sent an email to Crozier turkeys to see if they do supply any fresh turkeys and they agreed with the posts here that they don't because it is out of season.

They did say the following though:-
Sometimes it is possible to get fresh Tegel ones nearer Christmas, they grow in barns.

So might be worth contacting Tegel to see if it's possible?

Ian

[CricketLover]

I sooo wanted Turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. A bit too pricey, so only bought one for Christmas. It was smaller than you get in the USA. There was definitely less breast meat.... but that would just suggest they don't pump them with all the nasty hormones and drugs here!

My local butcher told me it wasn't worth it for him to carry them in his shop. But said, if I bought one at the grocery store he would debone it and roll it with stuffing for me.....if that's the way I chose to prepare it. I had big plans. In the end I just chucked it in the oven.

I do miss yummmy yummy turkey in the fall.
If there is truth to that bit about fall being the best time to harvest them, I'll be pushing harder for XMAS IN JULY!!