How to choose poultry

When buying poultry, look for birds with a good plump breast and firm, unblemished skin.

Most whole chickens come drawn, trussed and ready to roast, requiring little extra preparation. Intensively reared birds may be cheaper, but their poor welfare and fast growth means they can also lack flavour. Free range or organic birds are reared to higher standards and given longer to reach maturity, so the meat is more flavoursome, but they are more expensive

Poussin are small, young chickens. They weigh only about 450g (1lb) and serve one person. Poussin have tender, succulent meat. Cook in same way as chicken, but for a shorter time.

Duck has a rich, dark meaty flesh and high proportion of fat. When buying, make sure breasts are plump and skin is dry to touch. If skin looks wet or duck has a strong smell, it’s probably past its best. Whole birds make decadent roasts and the meat pares well with fruity flavours like cherry or orange. Duck legs are also delicious roasted, or made into duck confit where they are slow-cooked in their own fat until the meat falls off bone. Duck breasts are most commonly pan-fried and can be served pink.

Goose is an expensive bird so is usually served on special occasions. It has a very rich, meaty flavour and a high proportion of fat to meat. When buying goose, ask butcher for a younger bird as older geese can have a tough texture. Look for creamy white skin that’s dry to touch. Yellower skin is a good indicator that bird is older. Goose is best roasted to render the large amounts of fat and crisp up skin. The rendered fat is highly prized in its own right and can be saved to make roast potatoes.

A classic for Christmas dinner, turkeys yield a lot of meat, and one bird is capable of serving a large number of guests. The meat is very lean, so it needs basting with extra fat during cooking to keep it succulent. They vary hugely in price depending on size, how they’ve been reared and whether they are a special breed. Fresh turkeys have much better flavour than frozen birds but are more expensive. Heritage breeds like bronze-feathered turkeys are becoming increasingly available around festive season. These birds have a higher welfare standard as they aren’t reared intensively. They have very flavoursome meat but come with a higher price tag.

Use your skills to make these triple-tested recipes:
Bacon-roasted turkey recipe
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Chopping board, chef’s own.