Chris knows how to talk turkey

THE SECRET to a delectable Christmas meal lies in something as simple as a happy, active and, most importantly, pampered turkey.

This formula has been adhered to rigorously by Lydiard Turkeys owners Chris and Lindsay Rumming, and has earned them and their free range birds national recognition and a faithful clientele over the years.

“Our aim is to grow the birds in such a way that they are as happy as possible,” said Chris, 35. “We give our turkeys twice the space of standard free range turkeys and they have access to the outdoors for over 80 per cent of their lives. Having enough space reduces stress and leads to a better tasting turkey.”

Chris’s great aunt herself reared turkeys on the farm near West Swindon, which has been owned by the Rumming family for 100 years. Her retirement in the 1980s marked the end of the enterprise.

Gradually the traditional bronze turkey was discarded by producers around the country for the much faster growing white-coloured variety – all at the expense of taste Chris believes.

That is why in 2008, he took it upon himself to rediscover the lost custom and reintroduce the birds to Swindonians’ tables on the most important and often stress-inducing meal of the year.

He started the business with just 40 birds. Their number reached 275 this year.

“All the turkeys people used to eat had bronze-coloured feathers,” he went on. “But in the 1960s, people worked out that they could breed the turkeys to be white.

“Because the feathers are white you can’t see the feather stubs whereas, on a bronze, they have little black flecks and this put people off.

“White turkeys also grow much faster but nobody stopped to realise that the flavour was compromised. It was done at the expense of the taste.

“Bronze turkeys are much slower to grow and it costs more to produce them but you end up with a much better product. “When they are slaughtered my turkeys are 22 weeks old – twice as old as the fast-growing variety. It gives them the chance to lay on fat reserves so it seeps through the meat and it keeps it moist when it cooks. It also cooks faster.”

The turkeys are one day old when they arrive on the farm at the beginning of July each year.

They are kept indoors under heat lamps for the first three weeks of their lives. When they are deemed big and hardy enough, they are given access to a large outdoor run, filled with plants, trees and “interesting things to explore, eat, scratch” – which is crucial to their happiness and wellbeing.

“We have 275 birds this year which is still very small scale but it allows me to pay meticulous attention to detail,” he added. “We give them straw bales to make them feel more comfortable.

“I check them first thing when I wake up and last thing at night.

“Turkeys also get bored easily so we try to keep them stimulated and interested. They are fed on a cereal-based diet we supplement it with vegetables and tree branches. It gives them something to explore and peck at. It stops them pecking at each other and fighting.”

In 2012, Lydiard Turkeys joined the Traditional Farm Fresh Turkey Association, a group of around 50 seasonal turkey producers who adhere to very strict welfare rules. Each is independently inspected every year to ensure the health and wellbeing of their turkeys.

Chris’s commitment to the birds’ welfare means they are all slaughtered on site.

“It is very good from a welfare point of view. It reduces unnecessary stress for them. Travelling is very distressing and if you slaughter a bird when it’s stressed it won’t taste as good. We then have eight staff helping us to dry pluck them which takes about 45 minutes for each one. It’s a labour of love.

“They are then hung in a fridge for at least seven days before they are butchered. It allows the meat to become tender and the flavour to develop in the meat.”

Chris and Lindsay’s high welfare standards and the resulting flavoursome meat were rewarded this year when they received the Wiltshire Life’s Independent Food/Drink Producer of the Year title.

Each year, crowns, rolled breast joints and of course the traditional whole birds are available to customers. Later this month, the farm will host two collection days at which customers will be treated to a mince pie and a warm glass of mulled wine.

Whether the turkey is collected or delivered it is presented in a box, wrapped in greaseproof paper and comes complete with a recipe leaflet and herbs. A vacuum pack of giblets is also included.

“I think especially in this day and age and with the meat scandals you hear about that people like to know where their meat comes from and that the animal is looked after. Our customers really appreciate the effort I put into it. “It’s about the happiness of the bird and of the customer.”

To order your Christmas turkey go to www.lydiardturkeys.co.uk, call 01793 881215 or email orders@lydiardturkeys.co.uk.

Collection days will be held on Monday, December 22 and Tuesday 23.

Lydiard Turkeys’ top tips to a successful turkey.

• Start with a quality turkey Bronze and black turkeys have made a huge comeback in the last few years with people realising that these traditional slow-growing breeds have more flavour and marbling in the meat. This keeps the turkey moister as it cooks. The very best of the bronze and black turkeys are raised to at least 20 weeks. Some farmers and butchers will be able to supply you with a bird that has been hung for seven days and dry plucked. These are the very finest.
•  Looking after your turkey It’s important to keep your turkey in temperatures between 4 degrees and 1 degree Celsius. This can be done in a fridge although a shed or garage may be cold enough if there is a cold spell over Christmas.
•  Warming up Remove your turkey from the fridge a couple of hours before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature before it goes into the oven.
•  Keep it simple Remove the leg band or trussing to allow the heat to circulate around the bird. We don’t recommend covering with foil, as this will steam the skin.

  Remember that stuffing your turkey will increase your cooking time. This will also dry the turkey out a little more. For this reason the stuffing is best cooked separately.

•  Breast side down Place your turkey breast side down in your roasting tray. This keeps the breast meat moist because the fat from the back trickles down through it. Halfway through cooking, turn the turkey onto its back to brown the breast. Do this by holding the legs with oven gloves.
•  Check Half an hour before cooking time is up check the meat’s temperature by putting your meat thermometer half way through the thickest part of the breast and the thigh. If the temperature is over 70 degrees it’s done. This can also be checked by putting a skewer into the thickest part of the breast and thigh. The juice should run clear with no trace of pink.

  If the turkey is not done then pop it back in for another ten minutes and check again. Repeat until it reaches temperature/the juices run clear. Ovens rarely cook at the temperature that is stated so it is vital that you make these checks rather than just carving it when the time is up.

•  When it’s done, it’s done!

  Don’t overcook! The fat in a bronze turkey actually reduces the cooking time as it transfers the heat to the meat. Once you’re happy that it is done, take it out to rest. Any additional time is simply drying the turkey out.

•  And rest….

  Rest the turkey uncovered for a minimum of 20 minutes before carving. This allows the meat to relax.