And be sure to check out KellyBronze confit thighs, which are an easy to cook alternative to a full bird, and especially good when you're not cooking for crowds.
Paul Kelly's mission
I am passionate about ensuring the British Christmas turkey remains the meat of choice for the Christmas feast not just because of tradition but because it tastes great! To do this we need to address some fundamental problems.
• Standard Turkey has the reputation of been dry and tasteless which is purely because of the age at which they are harvested.
• Cooking recommendations overcook the turkey which is exasperated because the turkey is so young and lean.
• Cheap imports and consumers buying on price force British turkey farmers to cut the necessary corners to compete in what is a race to the bottom in terms of taste and quality.
World record holder
Paul holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest turkey carver. He can carve a five kilogram turkey in just three minutes and nineteen seconds. He also holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest turkey plucker.
How has KellyBronze got to where it is today?
In the 1970s my father Derek and mother Mollie decided to break from what had become intensive turkey production in pursuit of growing delicious Christmas turkeys. By the 1980s their four children joined the business and the brave decision was made to collect all the rampaging flocks of bronze turkeys from every corner of the UK. Undeterred by the extraordinary lengths required, we hand selected the best from the best to create a unique breeding programme. After a few years, the first KellyBronze poults were hatched.
Turkeys are in your blood, please tell us something about turkeys that we don't know...
Turkeys don't sweat! Their wattles are useful for more than just attracting mates, when it is hot, the wattle can release excess heat - because their feathers are dark they absorb a lot of heat. On sunny days, the skin on their wattle and their bare neck helps them release some of this excess heat. (The wattle is the flap of skin hanging under the turkeys chin connecting the throat and head).
What makes you proud about KellyBronzes?
Our continued ambitious determination to make a difference to the way turkeys are farmed. By focusing on welfare and flavour we have influenced and helped other farmers to farm as we do. We have also been able to put good quality turkey back on the map.
How do you serve your turkey on Christmas Day?
You will be surprised to know that I leave my turkey out of the fridge overnight, in a cool place and in a roasting tin, loosely covered in the greaseproof paper that it comes wrapped in - and I'm still alive today! In the morning I like to quarter lots of red onions for the bird to sit on, throw in a pint of water, to catch all the gravy and stop it sticking to the tin then put it into a hot oven 180C at midday. Turn it over after 45 minutes, pierce a knife right through the leg and thigh to allow the dark meat to cook and return it to the oven for another 45 minutes to an hour. During this time, I would advise anyone to constantly monitor the temperature with the thermometer. Luckily, having cooked quite a few birds in my time, I pretty much know to the minute how long a KellyBronze takes to cook!
What are the most common mistakes home cooks make when roasting turkey?
Talking to folk over many years I have found that there are two common mistakes that people make and the first, is that they start with a young cheap turkey. Standard turkeys are killed long before they reach full maturity, those birds have barely had a chance to lay down muscle let alone any fat, the fat is the what gives the bird its flavour. In their short life they've had very little exercise too, which is why the leg meat is pale and not dark in colour; the darker the meat, the richer the nutrients, the fuller the flavour. Obviously, the home cook therefore needs to give these young birds a lot of help to avoid them being dry and flaky - as is the common view with turkey. And the second most common mistake I notice is that cooks over cook their bird, take it out of the oven and proceed to cover it in foil, creating a mini oven and dry meat!
Paul Kelly's top tips for cooking and serving the best turkey ever..
A meat thermometer is essential... We give away cooking instructions and a thermometer with every bird, it takes all the guessing out and tells you when the bird has reached optimum temperature. We have recently paired up with MMEATER to offer our customers a digital option.
Brining and using butter... If you purchase a cheap turkey, it won't have reached full maturity and it will need all the help it can get. It will have no fat marbling (flavour) and the bones won't produce a rich and flavoursome gravy, so yes brining and butter may work and help flavour a cheaper bird. But with a mature, slow grown KellyBronze turkey there is absolutely no need to brine and smother in butter.
Trimmings... I don't use bacon and I certainly wouldn't stuff my turkey. The meat on our turkeys are wonderfully moist and the mature bones produce a great stock. Personally, I like to fill the baking tray with quartered red onions – this adds a slight sweetness to the gravy without losing the delicious turkey flavour.
Best way to carve the bird... The Kelly Carve! Break the bird into primal cuts - removing the wing, legs, breast joint before slicing the meat into servings.
Your favourite turkey leftovers dish... Late in the evening on Christmas Day we make a leftover sandwich of turkey, stuffing, Hot Cranberry Jelly, turkey crackling in warm bread with mayo.
On Boxing Day, however, I chop up the meat into small cubes and pan fry in butter until slightly brown, it's delicious.
A favourite turkey recipe from one of the chefs you've worked with over the years... There are so many - Delia Smith Thai Turkey with Lime and Coconut, Jamie Oliver’s leftover turkey risotto and Mary Berry’s Turkey Ham and Leek Pie.
The strangest turkey dish you've ever eaten... Turkey testicles! Dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, then pan fried, they're the dog’s bollocks!
Please tell us about your new product, KellyBronze confit thighs... Originally reserved for our family and friends, the Kelly Confit Turkey thighs have come to market with the meat already cooked, softened and flavoured in it's own fat slowly. It's an easy, irresistible and versatile choice - particularly for those that buy a crown at Christmas. Go on, I dare you to try it, it may change your view on the dark meat forever!
Bite sized
Ingredient you can't live without... It's got to be KellyBronze turkey, closely followed by red onions and red wine!
Favourite spice/herb... Chillies, lemons and nasturtiums.
Best kitchen hack... I try to buy good ingredients, in season for their inherent delicious flavours. It makes cooking much more simple.
Favourite kitchen implement... A good, sharp, strong knife.
Favourite home cooked Christmas dish that's not turkey... My wife Marisa’s chestnut stuffing.
Favourite Christmas dessert... Marisa’s bread and butter pudding with Bailey’s.
About Confit Turkey Thighs
Kelly Confit Turkey Thighs aren't just for Christmas Pre-cooked and ready to heat, they are a great alternative to Sunday roast. Serve with traditional roast vegetables or serve alongside rice or pasta or shred into wraps with hoisin sauce and spring onions. Available in a box of two, £6.50, confit thighs are available from kellybronze.co.uk and Ocado.
Paul says, “Like many of the classic cheaper cuts of meat, our breedings hens offer deliciously big flavours at great value.” “My mum, Mollie Kelly, has been a firm believer in nose-to-tail cooking (although it was more like beak-to-tail in our house!) for many years. The whole animal is respected, which is a more sustainable, less wasteful and more nutritious approach to making meals.”
There are a number of recipes to browse on the website, click here.
Turkey Tales by Paul Kelly
Here are some facts about turkeys that you were probably unaware of, until now.
• Every turkey in the world originated from Mexico and they were bronze in feather colour.
• The Spanish conquistadors brought the Turkey to Europe in the early 1500s.
• It arrived on British shores in the 1534 and it was Henry VIII who put turkey on the map replacing the peacock in the royal courts for Christmas with the rare exotic turkey.
• Turkey became more and more popular and by the mind 1700s there were 250,000 turkeys walked to London Smithfield market from the grain fields of Norfolk Suffolk and Essex.
• In the 1950s the modern white turkey replaced the bronze turkey in the market place as the feather stubs left in the skin were thought to be unsightly.
• The genetic selection for growth rate meant that the commercial turkey doubled its weight every 10 years. So now standard turkeys are processed at such a young age they have very little meat and flavour.
To see the full range of KellyBronze, click here.
November 2023
By Team GWG
