Our Turkey goes 5 star... & Still time left to Order

On the Menu at the Merrion

(7 days left to Order your bird, but hurry we are close to selling out)

We've been thinking about Christmas for quite a while around here (after all our birds need to be on the farm at least 6 months in advance of the big day) and Ed Cooney, Executive Chef of the 5 star Merrion Hotel in Dublin is no different. Christmas, and Thanksgiving, are a big deal at the Merrion Hotel and Ed takes planning his Christmas menu very seriously. Which is why we've been planning with him since early June and are proud as punch that every single Turkey served at the Merrion this year will be a Friendly Farmer Bronze Turkey, pasture raised on the fields of Athenry.
Our Turkeys winged their way to Dublin last week to be served on the menu for US Thanksgiving (27 November) and will be on the menu right through to the New Year.

And the Friendly Farmer pasture chicken now features on the Merrion menu on a weekly basis, with our ducks making some guest appearances too. We are delighted to be working with Ed and his fantastic team at the Merrion. Chefs like these are lifeblood of our farm business.

Don't forget to put your order in soon and make sure one of our Pasture reared Bronze Turkeys or Goose is on your Christmas dinner table too. We're selling faster than ever this year (and if we say that every year, it is because the orders really do come in earlier and faster every year).

FIND ALL THE DETAILS AND ONLINE ORDER FORM HERE

 Follow Ed Cooney on Twitter @Edcooney

The Best Way to Cook A Bronze Turkey

Cooking: The Friendly Farmer Irish Free Range Bronze Turkeys do not need long cooking times.

1. Remove your Free Range Turkey from the fridge, leave it to stand at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

2. Place the free range turkey, breast down, in a roasting tin and season the back of the bird with salt and pepper. Most of the fat deposits are on the back of the bird, which will percolate through the breast allowing the turkey to cook in its own juices.

3. Place a large peeled onion in the cavity for extra flavour. We do not recommend stuffing the bird but to cook it separately.

4. We do not recommend using tin foil as this will result in a steamed skin rather than a crispy one.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (gas mark 4) before putting the turkey in the oven. If you have a fan-assisted oven and cannot turn the fan off, reduce the temperature to 160ºC.

6. Turn the free range turkey over (to brown the breast) 30 minutes before then end of cooking time. This is easily done by holding the end of the drumsticks with oven gloves (be careful of hot fat). Season the breast of the bird with salt and pepper and then insert your meat thermometer halfway through the thickest part of the breast and place back in the oven.

7. To manually check, insert a skewer into the thigh and when the juices run clear remove from the oven. If the juices are pink, place back in the oven and keep checking at 10 minute intervals.

8. Allow to stand for 30 to 60 minutes before carving.

9. The stock that is produced from a free range Bronze turkey is truly the best. Please do not ruin it with gravy granules etc. Simply skim the excess fat from the top of the stock and then scrape all the delicious crispy bits off the bottom of the roasting tin. Re-heat the stock and then carve the meat into the stock before serving.

Cooking Times

Lbs	Minutes	Hours
6	90	1.5
7	105	1.75
8	120	2
9	135	2.25
10	150	2.5
11	165	2.75
12	180	3
13	195	3.25
14	210	3.5
15	225	3.75
16	240	4
18	270	4.5
19	285	4.75
20	300	5