IT might feel as though we’ve only just stopped eating turkey and finally said goodbye to the cheese boards, but some bargain hunters are already getting ahead with the preparations for Christmas 2024.
With our purses feeling tighter than ever before, one woman has decided to get ahead with her Christmas shopping to spread out the costs – yes, you heard that correctly.
A bargain hunter has revealed that she’s already got her turkey for Christmas dinner this December, thanks to Tesco[/caption]
Charlotte Mcfall took to social media to proudly show off her cheap bird, which she nabbed for only £4.50 – but not everyone was impressed[/caption]
It might be more than 11 months away, but savvy shopper Charlotte Mcfall has confirmed that she’s already got her turkey for this December.
Charlotte was thrilled when shopping in her local Tesco in Sheffield, when she noticed that turkeys had been slashed down to just £4.50.
Stunned at the find, Charlotte bought one to put in her freezer, ahead of this December.
The bargain hunter then took to social media to alert other shoppers to the cheap find – but people were left divided.
Posting on Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, a private Facebook group with a staggering 2.4 million members, Charlotte shared a picture of her British whole turkey, which serves eight to 10 people.
Alongside her snap, she penned: “Tesco Sheffield had turkeys for £4.50.”
She then confirmed: “Good for next Christmas.”
Charlotte later explained: “I don’t like it so I get it once a year or so for the boys.”
However, Charlotte shared her post just 12 hours ago, but it has quickly caused a lot of discussion online.
The post has amassed 128 likes and 80 comments, with many sharing their thoughts on Charlotte’s frozen turkey.
Many users said the same thing – that 11 months was far too long to leave meat in a freezer.
One person said: “It won’t last a year.”
Another added: “It won’t have much freezer life, probably three months.”
A third commented: “I couldn’t store anything that long I don’t think.”
Whilst another foodie posted: “You can only keep poultry type food in the freezer for three to four months. Definitely not for 12 months, would have begun to freezer burn.”
At the same time, someone else claimed: “Errrr that’s not good.”
However, other foodie explained that they too have previously done the same thing, as someone else admitted: “It does [last]. I cooked one this year and it tasted just as good as my fresh one I bought for xmas day!”
Whilst another chimed in: “I had a frozen turkey I had brought at the start of last year and yes it did last until Christmas.”
If you buy a frozen turkey, you will need to make sure it’s properly defrosted – all the way through – before cooking.
If it’s still frozen in places it might not cook evenly, which means that harmful bacteria could survive the cooking process.
Bear in mind that a whole turkey can take up to five days to fully defrost – and you shouldn’t take shortcuts by thawing it out of the fridge.
According to the Food Standards Agency, some turkeys can be cooked from frozen if the manufacturer’s instructions say so.
Guidance on how long to keep a turkey in the freezer varies, so the best thing to do is to check the packaging for guidance.
The USDA reported that a whole turkey can be safely stored in a freezer for up to 12 months.
Turkey pieces are best consumed within nine months, whilst ground turkey can be stored for up to three to four months.
However, the flavour and texture tend to decline the longer it sits in the freezer.
Not only this, but turkey can be stored in its original packaging. However, plastic wrap is permeable, meaning meat is more exposed to air.
Meat that is exposed to air can lose its moisture, and freezer burn is more likely to occur.
Although meat with freezer burn is considered safe to eat, the taste and texture will change.
As a result, one of the ways to ensure your turkey is stored properly is to wrap it in an air-tight plastic bag or vacuum seal it, if possible.
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