Turkey Crown or Whole Bird? How to Choose for Your Christmas Feast

The Christmas turkey is the undisputed star of the festive table, but one big question often arises during planning: should you choose a whole bird or a turkey crown?

Both promise a delicious, memorable meal, but they offer different advantages depending on your needs.

At Morton's Farm, we prepare our free-range Bronze Norfolk turkeys as whole birds and crowns, ensuring you get the perfect fit for your celebration. This guide will help you decide which is right for you.

What’s the Difference?

Understanding the fundamental difference is the first step to choosing well.

• A Whole Bird is the traditional, classic choice. It includes the breast meat, legs, thighs, and wings, giving you a wonderful combination of both white and dark meat. A whole bird makes for a spectacular centre piece and provides plenty of rich, dark meat for those who love it, plus bones for making incredible gravy and stock. You can choose between our Norfolk bronze or Norfolk black/bronze turkey.

Ideal for: Traditionalists, larger gatherings, and anyone who loves both white and dark meat (and amazing leftovers!).

• Our Norfolk bronze turkey Crowns are the whole bird with the legs removed (wings stay on), leaving just the succulent breast meat on the bone. It’s a more compact joint that is incredibly simple to cook and carve.

Ideal for: Smaller gatherings, families who prefer only white meat, or those with limited oven space.

How Much Do You Need?

Planning your portions is key to a stress-free Christmas. Our handy chart below will help you choose the right size, ensuring generous servings on the day and plenty for those much-loved Boxing Day sandwiches.

Note: These are estimates. For hearty appetites or more leftovers, consider going up a size.

Cooking and Carving Made Simple

Your choice will also affect your time in the kitchen.

• Cooking: A turkey crown cooks much faster than a whole bird of the equivalent size, as it's a smaller, more uniform joint. This can be a huge advantage when you're juggling roast potatoes, vegetables, and all the other trimmings. A crown also takes up less space, freeing up valuable room in the oven. A whole bird requires a longer cooking time and a bit more attention to ensure the legs and breast cook perfectly.

 

• Carving: This is where the crown truly shines. With no legs to navigate, carving is incredibly straightforward. You can simply slice beautiful, even portions of breast meat directly from the bone. Carving a whole bird takes a little more technique, but the reward is a wonderful platter of both light and dark meat to offer your guests.

Order Your Perfect Fit

Whether you decide on the simplicity of a crown or the tradition of a whole bird, you can be sure you're getting the highest quality free-range turkey from Morton's Farm. Our master butchers expertly prepare every bird by hand, so it arrives ready for you to work your magic.

Our Bronze turkeys are available as whole birds or crowns, and Black/Bronze turkeys as whole birds, allowing you to choose your perfect breed and cut. All orders can be placed directly through our website for delivery on 22nd December or collection from the farm on the 23rd or 24th of December. Ordering early ensures you won't be disappointed with the size you require.

Ready to plan your feast?

Order your free-range turkey crown or whole bird direct from Morton’s Farm.

Click Here to Browse Our Christmas Turkeys