Christmas meal from heartless old jailer (6)
I believe the answer is:
turkey
'christmas meal' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both things that one consumes for nourishment as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'heartless old jailer' is the wordplay.
'heartless' means to remove the middle letters.
'old jailer' becomes 'turnkey' (historical term for a jailer).
'turnkey' with its centre taken out is 'TURKEY'.
'from' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for turkey that I've seen before include "See 12" , "Eurasian republic" , "Country - fowl" , "Country - theatrical failure" , "Christmas bird or theatrical flop" .)