BBC Good Food Christmas Supermarket Taste Test - winners

The supermarket, owned by Blackburn’s billionaire Issa brothers, took what is arguably the top award in the annual contest, with its turkey crown deemed the best on offer in Britain’s 13 main supermarkets.

BBC Good Food’s judging panel blind taste tested 185 different products across 18 categories to pick out the must-have items ahead of Christmas, which is just two months away.

Asda’s Extra Special corn fed, Norfolk Bronze turkey crown with pork, sage and caramelised onion stuffing was named best turkey crown, and could be yours for the big day priced at £18 per kilogram.

Judges said: “The lean meat is easy to cut, the turkey stays moist under a flavoursome bacon covering and the stuffing is a welcome addition.”

The turkey prize was the only award Asda won this year. The biggest winner was Aldi, taking five awards, while Lidl came second with four wins.

Waitrose picked up three awards, as did Sainsbury’s, while Marks & Spencer took two prizes. Morrisons, Tesco, Iceland and Booth’s all won one award each.

Christine Hayes, editor-in-chief of BBC Good Food, said: “Now more than ever it feels better to give than receive, and we’ve chosen ‘Make it meaningful’ as our theme for this year’s BBC Good Food Christmas, with ideas for thoughtful Christmas bakes to gift or share.

“Our expertly judged BBC Good Food Christmas Supermarket Taste Awards help save valuable shopping time, leaving more time for baking and prepping, by guiding you to the best supermarket festive buys.

“The range and quality on offer across all supermarkets are excellent and our judges had a difficult time selecting the winners – the final list is proof you can eat the best food at Christmas and still stick to a budget.”

Full list of BBC Good Food Christmas Supermarket Taste Test Awards winners

• Best smoked salmon: Lidl Deluxe smoked Scottish salmon, £3.49 (100g)
• Best hot canapé: Iceland Cathedral City mini ham & cheese crumpets, £3 (pack of 8)
• Best turkey crown: ASDA Extra Special corn fed, Norfolk Bronze turkey crown with pork, sage & caramelised onion, £18.00 per kg 
• Best alternative Christmas main: Aldi Specially Selected wagyu wing rib, £24.99 per kg 
• Best gammon: Aldi Specially Selected bone-in crackling gammon joint, £17.99
• Best pigs in blankets: Aldi Specially Selected caramelised onion chipolatas wrapped in bacon, £2.79 (pack of six)
• Best cranberry sauce: Aldi Specially Selected cranberry sauce, £1.49 (215g)
• Best gravy: Joint winner: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference turkey gravy granules, £1.90 (200g) Joint winner: Waitrose turkey gravy, £5, 400g
• Best vegetarian main: Joint winner: Tesco Finest roasted butternut, spinach & sage galette, £7 (500g) Joint winner: Lidl Deluxe Winter cheddar, leek & parsnip sharing wellingtons, £3.49 (600g)
• Best vegan main: Joint winner: Morrisons Plant Revolution turkey crown with horseradish crumb & sage melt, £6 (497g) Joint winner: Lidl Deluxe Winter vegan parsnip and portobello pies, price TBC
• Best Christmas cake: Aldi Specially Selected luxury all over iced Christmas Cake, £8.99 (907g)
• Best Christmas pudding: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 18-month matured Christmas pudding, £10.50 (800g)
• Best showstopper dessert: Joint winner: Booths millionaire choux wreath, £15 (800g), Joint winner: M&S Snowy winter white chocolate & passion fruit yule log, £15 (850g)
• Best free-from dessert: M&S clementine frangipane, £8 (365g)
• Best classic mince pies: Waitrose No1 brown butter mince pies, £4 (pack of six)
• Best flavoured mince pies: Waitrose No1 crumble-topped mince pies with cranberry & orange, £3.75 (pack of four)
• Best gluten-free mince pies: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Free From mini mince pies, £2.75 (pack of nine)
• Best biscuit tin: Lidl Favorina all butter shortbread tin, 500g, price TBC

The Christmas issue of the BBC Good Food magazine is out now.