Where do you get your turkey from for Thanksgiving?

My local Morrision's has fresh turkey breasts all year round. I buy a small 1/2 breast frequently to cook/slice for sandwiches.

Our local Tescos, Sainsburys and Lidls all have frozen turkeys now.  We usually get a free range one from sainsburys. We did have a local free range one from the butcher one year and it was delicious but very expensive!  (actually don't even know bc my mom was visiting and she bought it!).

I checked last week in preperation for Thanksgiving, and our local Tesco and Morrisons has full frozen turkeys in several sizes (prices ranging from £15 to £30 I think).

For the big family meal that hubby's family did for me the three years I was there, we always had a turkey crown and a boneless, skinless chicken breast for hubby. Hubby is not a fan of turkey at all. For the 'just us' one, I'd bake a chicken.

A friend shared a bit of her home grown pumpkin so I was able to make my own puree for pies. Now that I am back in the US, I am still making my own puree because I discovered I prefer pies made from fresh.

When I did a big Thanksgiving a few years ago, I got mine from a local -free range Turkey farm. Best turkey I have ever had. I just phoned up and she literally slaughtered and dressed a bronze one for me special.  She thought it was brilliant I was doing a big Thanksgiving!
So if you have a turkey farm near you, I highly recommend it!

When I've done Thanksgiving for myself and/or J, I have just gotten turkey breasts as it was easier and I didn't have tons and tons of leftovers.  Mind you, I love turkey dinners so I don't mind having loads either.

I love having tons of leftovers so the bigger the better.

Thanks, everyone for all your suggestions. I guess it will be a lot easier than I thought!

Bumping this up

I am moving at the beginning of November so my first holiday abroad will be Thanksgiving!  I've already promised my British friends an American feast so I hope I don't disappoint...both because I am not sure I can get everything over here and I never actually cooked Thanksgiving before here.. should be an adventure!

Do the frozen turkeys come with good instructions for oven cooking?  The teensy English ovens don't look like they can cook much...   

Do the frozen turkeys come with good instructions for oven cooking?  The teensy English ovens don't look like they can cook much...  

Yeap, they sure do  

You may have to get a bit creative with your oven/stovetop space, but its all completely doable. Afterall, many families like to cook a traditional Christmas dinner, which includes turkey and all the trimmings 

Good to know - thanks!!  Guess I've never thought of that, we never have turkey on Christmas because we're still tired of it from Thanksgiving!

Good to know - thanks!!  Guess I've never thought of that, we never have turkey on Christmas because we're still tired of it from Thanksgiving!

The last time I did thanksgiving in the UK, I was only feeding 2 meat-eaters so I just got some turkey breasts and did those in the oven instead of an entire turkey. Might be a good option if you're not feeding loads of people.

Last year I got a small turkey breast from Waitrose.  It was pretty good, had stuffing and everything.  I was able to get pumpkin for a pie and Stove Top stuffing from the American Candy Store.  Not the cheapest but well worth it for a little taste of home.  I even made a green bean casserole.  Can't wait for this year!

Good to know - thanks!!  Guess I've never thought of that, we never have turkey on Christmas because we're still tired of it from Thanksgiving!

The three Thanksgivings I was in the UK, hubby's family did a Thanksgiving for me. His brother hosted. They bought a crown instead of a whole turkey, ate from it that one meal, and then didn't have their traditional turkey for Christmas those years because they were tired of turkey from having it the month before. Maybe I am the odd duck here, but I can't imagine ever getting tired of turkey. Once in a year, a month before Christmas hardly seems like too much to have it again. You don't get tired of chicken, pork, fish, beef, etc, because of having it once. Poor little turkey.

The first year, they fed the rest of the turkey to the cats. I did a bit of a gasp and sigh, unintentionally, but my American heart just couldn't take the idea of no Thanksgiving leftovers. They are just tradition, and a concept they didn't get. Hubby had a quiet word before the next one, so then the leftover turkey went home with me. Of course, being a crown, there wasn't much, but enough for me to make two meals off of.

The second and third year, we went to theirs, but had one of our own, where I cooked enough to make a couple meals of Thanksgiving leftovers for the two of us, but with a baked chicken since hubby doesn't like turkey at all. That way I got the family meal and leftovers.  Life is just better with a turkey, dressing (or stuffing) and cranberry sauce sandwich a day or two after Turkeybird Day.

Last year I got a small turkey breast from Waitrose.  It was pretty good, had stuffing and everything.  I was able to get pumpkin for a pie and Stove Top stuffing from the American Candy Store.  Not the cheapest but well worth it for a little taste of home.  I even made a green bean casserole.  Can't wait for this year!

I've ne'er liked stuffing, but I'm a pumpkin pie fanatic. I've had to go to the American stores in 2012 and 2013 to get it. But last Christmas after I bought it, a British friend of mine told me she saw it in the tesco in Cardiff city center. So apparently canned pumpkin might just be available in British stores. I'll definitely be looking for it from there this year before I resort to buying a can of pumpkin for 5 quid. I also recently saw a tutorial on making your own pumpkin purée  from roasting your own pumpkins. So I may try that just to see if I can.

I do not understand how anyone can get tired of Turkey!!   

I was able to get a half turkey from a local farm last year which was my best bird yet.  I liked that I had some dark meat too and it stayed juicier than just the crown.

I am thankful and lucky enough that hubby doesn't mind my Turkey cravings beyond just Thanksgiving ... We do a Crown of turkey a few times a year ... Yum, I don't think I could ever get tired of it ...


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