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Best turkey crowns for Christmas 2024
For a faff-free Christmas Day feast, try one of these expert-rated birds
Tested by Georgia TurnellGHI Food & Drink Tester
Whether it’s your first time cooking Christmas dinner or you just fancy streamlining the process this year, a faff-free turkey crown is undoubtedly the easiest way to go.
Taken from the top part of the bird, the crown is quicker to cook, easier to carve and better suited to smaller gatherings. It should also take up less space in your oven, leaving more room for the pigs in blankets and roast potatoes.
This year, the Good Housekeeping Institute tried a selection of fresh and frozen prepared birds, so you can be confident your feast will go off without a hitch.
Best turkey crowns for Christmas 2024
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Tesco Finest Easy Carve Turkey with Pork, Cranberry & Chestnut Stuffing
Read review - 4
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How do you keep a turkey crown moist while cooking?
We followed each brand’s cooking instructions to the letter and were impressed with the results, with many using innovative methods to lock in moisture.
Generally, the trick to ensuring the family tucks into a juicy crown on Christmas Day is to add a little liquid to the bottom of your roasting tray. You could do this by smearing the skin in extra butter or oil, seasoning with herbs and topping with bacon for extra flavour.
This fail-safe recipe for an easy, glazed turkey crown will take the guesswork out of cooking times; however, it’s always a good idea to use a meat thermometer if you have one to hand. When you stick the thermometer into the thickest parts of the breast and leg, it should read 72°C or over for two minutes — and don’t forget it will continue to cook after you’ve taken it out of the oven. Alternatively, insert a skewer and check the juices are running clear.
How we test turkey crowns
The GHI tested 13 turkey crowns, cooking them according to packet instructions and serving them “blind”, to avoid bias. They tried a selection of fresh and frozen birds from supermarkets and online butchers, in a variety of weights, so you can be sure you’re tucking into the tastiest meat on Christmas Day.
Looking for whole turkeys? We’ve ranked those too, if you’d prefer to cook an entire bird.
Score: 89/100
A clear favourite with testers, our winning turkey was succulent and juicy, with a sweet and sticky treacle glaze, and nutty stuffing. Testers thought it would make the perfect centrepiece for Christmas 2024, saying they would definitely recommend it to family and friends.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2-2.5kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 6-8 |
| Welfare | Higher-welfare |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 20th December |
Score: 87/100
Proving value and great flavour can go hand in hand, Lidl’s free-range turkey is a top choice for those on a budget. It stood out due to its rich, natural flavour and crisp, umami skin. Beautifully moist and buttery, this simple crown is the ultimate blank canvas for you to add your own twist.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2-3kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 6-8 |
| Welfare standard | Free-range |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 15th December |
Score: 85/100
Tesco’s easy-carve turkey crown comes with a fruity cranberry stuffing that’s packed with flavour and complements the succulent meat. It’s finished with a maple and stem ginger glaze, and the crisp chestnut-smoked bacon adds a delicious salty note. Overall, it’s very memorable, and would make Christmas dinner feel very special.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2.87kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 12 |
| Welfare standard | RSPCA Assured |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 19th December |
Score: 84/100
Aldi’s comically named Roly Poly turkey was described as “very tasty’” by our testers, due to its crispy skin and succulent texture. Simple but delicious, the buttery roasted meat is a great base for you to add your own rubs or marinade.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2-3kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 6-8 |
| Welfare standard | RSPCA Assured |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 19th December |
Score: 84/100
Iceland’s convenient turkey crown comes frozen, so you can buy ahead and spread the cost of the big day, or have it on standby for entertaining family throughout the festive period. It was well-seasoned and filled our test kitchen with the aroma of rotisserie chicken, with wonderfully crispy skin.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2.2kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 6-8 |
| Welfare standard | Not disclosed |
| Fresh or frozen | Frozen |
| Available | 12th November |
COOK Turkey with Pork & Cranberry Stuffing for Four
Score: 82/100
COOK turkeys are free to roam outdoors 24 hours a day and are raised on a natural diet. In addition to the herby pork, apricot and cranberry stuffing, there’s also a parsley and lemon centre for an added flavour boost.
The whole thing is wrapped in streaky bacon and topped with lemon and bay leaf for good measure — just be sure to factor in defrosting time ahead of cooking.
Key specifications
| Weight | 1kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4 |
| Welfare standard | Higher-welfare |
| Fresh or frozen | Frozen |
| Available | 30th October |
Score: 82/100
If budget allows, this organic, free-range KellyBronze is raised to the highest welfare standards, and is often referred to as the Rolls-Royce of turkeys. That quality shone through on the plate, with testers repeatedly describing it as incredibly “natural” tasting.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2-3kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4-6kg |
| Welfare standard | Organic |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 20th December |
Score: 82/100
This free-range crown is wrapped in crisp, streaky bacon and finished with salted butter, rosemary and bay leaf, leaving you nothing to do but cook and carve. The fruity apricot and cranberry stuffing proved a real highlight, pairing well with the naturally sweet meat.
Key specifications
| Weight | 2kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4-6 |
| Welfare standard | Free-range |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | Now |
Score: 79/100
Asda’s new premium “Exceptional” range makes its Christmas debut this year, with a focus on quality ingredients. This crown is a prime example, with its juicy, melt-in-the-mouth texture, bolstered by smoky bacon and orange-flavoured, chestnut stuffing.
Key specifications
| Weight | 1.5-2.5kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4-6 |
| Welfare standard | Free-range, Red Tractor Assured |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 16th November |
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Free Range Turkey Joint with Pork & Mulled Pear Stuffing
Score: 78/100
'Tis the season for stuffing – and it’s the standout element here. Pork sausage meat is seasoned with pear and warming winter herbs and spices, providing a strong flavour injection to the succulent turkey meat and crispy bacon.
Key specifications
| Weight | 1.4kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 6 |
| Welfare standard | Free-range |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 19th December |
Co-op Irresistible Slow Cooked Turkey Joint with Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffing
Score: 78/100
Don’t overlook convenience store Co-op for the main event this year, as its budget-friendly turkey achieved a solid score with our panel. It’s the ideal size for a couple and comes complete with a distinctive cranberry and chestnut stuffing.
Key specifications
| Weight | 900g |
|---|---|
| Serves | 3-4 |
| Welfare standard | Not disclosed |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 11th December |
Score: 78/100
Morrisons has packed this turkey with a full-flavoured red onion and sage stuffing, before wrapping it in crispy bacon, leaving you to get on with the important job of hosting. Testers thought it was well-seasoned, with the sage particularly distinct.
Key specifications
| Weight | 1.9kg |
|---|---|
| Serves | 4-6 |
| Welfare standard | Red Tractor Assured |
| Fresh or frozen | Fresh |
| Available | 20th December |
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Georgia has been part of the hospitality industry for the last nine years. Her starting point was the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary school where she gained a Diplôme de Pâtisserie. She has worked at a number of well-known restaurants and bakeries including The Club at the Ivy and Ottolenghi, Notting Hill where she was the head pastry chef. Most recently, Georgia worked at The Clink Bakery inside HMP Brixton, which aims to reduce reoffending through teaching. She is an expert in all things baked goods and holds a WSET level 2 in wine.
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