Our turkeys and geese are again coming from Steve Childerhouse's Great Grove Poultry in Norfolk this year - again we offer the bronze & white varieties of turkey.
Both the white and the bronze birds are the same price as last year, which appears to make us excellent value for mature, free-ranging, dry plucked and game hung birds, that you know exactly where they have come from.
Below are the typical differences between Steve's birds and a supermarket bird....
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Great Grove –Dry Plucked
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The Supermarket - Wet Plucked
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Grown to maturity 24-27 weeks old, which gives them a layer of fat which makes the meat nice and juicy
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In-mature 12-14 weeks old no fat whatsoever
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Given free access to grass and woodland day and night
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Reared on so-called free-range systems but often fairly cramped
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Bedded on fresh dry straw
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Not littered frequently which gives the birds breast blisters
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Fed on rations containing 70% cereals, no hormones or additives
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Fed on rations to ensure the quickest growth possible
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Processed on farm where the birds are reared so there is no travelling whatsoever
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Can be loaded and driven miles in cramped crates which makes them stressed.
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Dry Plucked by Hand
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Wet plucked in hot stale water
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Delayed evisceration and hung in chillers to tenderise the meat – normally 7-21 days
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Hot eviscerated, blast chilled and usually gas flushed and in the retailer the next day
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Sinews pulled
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Sinews not pulled
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Golden Turkey Guarantee, raised on small family farms
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No guarantee,large scale production
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