Christmas Turkey Dinner

At Christmas time I always suffer a bout of home sickness. Even though my life is here in the Netherlands with my husband, his family and our friends, Christmas stirs happy memories (and longing) of family get-togethers, decorating the Christmas tree while my dad muttered curse words while hanging up the window lights, and the warm fuzzy glow of Christmas day traditions like the queen’s speech and smell of a roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings, followed by a nap.

For the last few years I haven’t been able to make it back to my family in the UK during the Christmas break, so instead I have focused on building our own family Christmas traditions, including cooking a large Christmas dinner, complete with a turkey and all the trimmings.

The hardest part of planning Christmas day is finding where to buy a turkey (’Kalkoen’). In the UK, supermarkets have shelves full of fresh and frozen turkeys to choose from, but it isn’t as easy (or as cheap) to get hold of a whole turkey here in the Netherlands.

If you have a large budget, I would recommend a visit to your local butcher (’Slager’). Many butchers will take pre-orders for turkeys in the run up to Christmas (and you will need to pre-order to ensure you get one). Tell them how many people you will be feeding and they will try to get you a turkey that is the right size, although it always depends on supply; but the leftover turkey isn’t a problem in our house! They will clean the turkey and usually for an additional fee you can have it stuffed, seasoned, with bacon on top and in an oven ready bag so you don’t have to do anything at all (except get it in the oven in time). Last year my in-laws bought the turkey, it was a large 7kg turkey (enough for 8-10 people), was oven ready and cost €90.

Another option would be a fresh turkey from a supermarket. Since last year a number of the big name supermarkets have stocked whole turkeys in the run up to Christmas (or have an order service). Usually the turkeys in store are on the smaller side, but with the order service you can get larger turkeys. Turkeys from supermarkets will come cleaned, but not stuffed or seasoned etc and you will look at paying €7-€9 per kg.

If ordering your turkey, give at least 1 week notice (if not 2), else you may be disappointed.

Besides the turkey, most other traditional side dish ingredients are readily available in supermarkets.

Here are places where you can order a turkey from (other butchers and supermarkets may also be selling turkeys, so ask at the store for more info).

AH – Order online at http://goo.gl/deUTwG, they will also have smaller turkeys (2-3kg) for sale in larger stores.

Plus – Available from 21st Dec in store (not all stores will have stock in, so ask in store to be sure.)

Jumbo – Available to order in larger stores at their butcher counter.

Keurslager (butcher with many shops across the Netherlands) – http://www.keurslager.nl/vind-uw-keurslager

Slagerij Patrick (Nieuwe Ebbingestraat 106, Groningen) – http://slagerijpatrick.nl/