TURKEY CROWNS

WINNER

Pipers Farm Free Range Turkey Crown

From £71 for 3kg (serves 5-8); pipersfarm.com 76/100

This year’s winning turkey crown is a free-range bird from online butcher Pipers Farm. The result? Impressively juicy meat under evenly crisped golden skin. One tester said the caramelised exterior had so much flavour it reminded them of pork crackling. Despite being a crown, the brand has also included the wings and giblets, should you want to make gravy from scratch.

RUNNERS-UP

Iceland Luxury Extra Tasty Turkey

Crown £16 for 2kg (serves 6-8) 75/100

This oven-ready bird comes in baking parchment to keep it moist during cooking. The instructions advise opening the paper 10 minutes before the end to allow the skin to crisp, however our panel found this resulted in uneven browning. Despite this, the meat was succulent and firm, with the addition of turkey stock boosting the natural flavour. Tesco Finest British Free Range Bronze Stuffed Crown with Tender Cooked Stuffed Thigh £35 for 2.1kg (serves 6-10) 75/100

Tesco’s bone-in turkey crown includes two separate pre-cooked stuffed thighs, ready to be reheated. The crown is finished with crisp streaky bacon and includes a generously seasoned gluten-free pork, sage and onion stuffing. Testers found both cuts moist and tender, although the thighs didn’t achieve quite the same level of caramelisation as the crown. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Bronze Turkey Crown with Pork, Sage & Onion Stuffing & Oak Smoked Bacon Lattice £42.50 for 2.15kg (serves 6-8) 75/100

Our panel commented on the flavour boost from the crisp, streaky smoked bacon arranged in a pretty lattice, alongside a sweet and salty herb stuffing. It was, however, slightly dry in areas.