I've never cooked Christmas Lunch before!

[thisismycodename]

It's just a big roast, right?

I've managed to get to 36 years old and never cook for the big day. I've made loads of roast dinners though. I'm having a bit of a panic about doing it all!

Do I just cook a turkey in the same way as a chicken? I normally put a bit of butter, salt, pepper and herbs on the skin and cook it on a celery, carrot, onion, garlic and white wine/stock base which I then mash and strain and use for the gravy base.

Please help me out and let me know if my plan sounds ok!

Turkey crown - cook Christmas morning
Gammon - cook Christmas Eve evening (can I reheat?)
Veg - prep Christmas Eve ready for next day except peas as they're frozen (will they be ok sat in water overnight?)
Potatoes and parsnips- as above
Yorkshire puds - frozen Aunt Bessies!
Gravy - make on the day using the base described above
Pigs in blankets - buy pre prepared and cook on the day
Stuffing - make on the day but premade

Have I forgotten anything? I've got all sauces, condiments etc. And wine, lots of wine

Yes, it is just a big roast. The biggest issue is getting the timings right and having everything hot at the point of serving. Massively helps if you have 2+ ovens and a warmer. Set lots of timers.

Don't do the peas until the last minute.

Parsnips will likely discolour if chopped the night before, even in water.

I buy frozen croissants etc and bung them in the oven in the morning as the oven will be on and that is breakfast sorted.

If I do a starter then it’s something simple like smoked salmon that just needs to be arranged.

I have a timetable written for things to start cooking. The meat can rest for quite a while so other things can be roasted whilst it rests.

Get yourself a meat thermometer. That’s really all you need to do.

Cook it for the minimum time then test, if it’s done it’s done. If not, pop it back in and cook for another 15 - 20 min and test again. And so on.

Yes, it’s just a roast. Don’t stress too much.

I’d cook the ham on 23rd or 24th and serve cold.

I write the timings down so I know what to do and when. It keeps me on track and means I don't forget anything eg 11 - oven on, 11:10 - turkey in, 11:20 - stuffing in, 11:30 - potatoes on to boil. It is a big roast but it's a lot of pressure for the cook. I try and do as much preparation as possible the day before so when DD is in bed we peel the veg... and watch a Christmas film with a mug of mulled wine to make it more fun!

Bread sauce - I use a packet and make on the stove x

Remember the turkey can rest covered in foil for a while while things like pigs in blankets cook

It is just a roast dinner. People get all dramatic but it’s a big roast at the end of the day

Make sure you get busy with butter and bacon on the turkey. It can be quite dry if you’re not careful. I would also make your own Yorkshire’s as they will be way better than aunt bessie’s

In advance produce a timetable as there’s lots to remember on the day

You can do this OP. It is just a big roast but remember turkey/crown can get dry very quickly if overcooked for even twenty mins. You will need to baste every 40 mins to stop it drying out. I season with onion salt and put streaky bacon on Breast to stop it drying out. Then baste every 40 mins. When golden put foil loosely around top of bird to stop it going too dark on top. Roast potatoes taste nice if cooked in goose fat. Put a glass of white wine and a dash of milk in gravy to make it extra yummy. Take turkey crown/bird out 30-40 mins before slicing to rest (makes it easier to carve). During this time pigs in blankets and stuffing balls can go in to cook. I always make fresh Yorkshire puddings and they also go in when turkey comes out. Prep veg night before and leave in plain water, salt just before cooking. I am lucky as have 2 heated serving trays so everything keeps nice and hot. I always cook extra roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings as adult sons always want to eat them in evening as snack. If you do decide to make YP's put small teaspoon of veg oil in each tray and preheat tray with oil in before putting mixture in to cook. Cook on s very hot oven for YP for 30 mins in muffin trays.

For the gammon I would slow cook it on the day- comes out better than roasted IMO!

Turkey roasting bag. Bung turkey in, open for last 30 minutes to crisps the skin up. Rest the bird and cook other items.

Mare sure you remove the plastic covered neck and giblets from the turkey. How do I know this?..........

That all sounds good OP. Yes to the PP who suggested slow cooked gammon, I’ll be doing that Christmas Eve. Then we normally have a bit for tea and serve the rest up with lunch on Christmas Day.

You can make your roast potatoes ahead of time and freeze. I’ve done mine today. Have a look online, I used the BBC Good Food method, works every time. Then just chuck them in the oven on the big day.

It is just like a big roast dinner - with a few additional items. What I hate is getting everything to the table whilst it’s still hot, so if anyone has any tips on keeping everything hot...

Yes that sounds all lovely. I’m round the other way, haven’t had my Christmas dinner cooked me since 1977 and this year we are going to one adult child and family as we are their childcare bubble.
They have never cooked a Christmas dinner either before, I don’t care what it turns out like as I’m so excited I’m not cooking it!!!
Enjoy!

Just chill. Don’t cook any veg til the day. You can make gravy early.
Cook the turkey crown so it’s ready early to allow space for the pigs in blankets and roast potatoes to cook. Use a meat thermometer to prevent over cooked meat. You can precook veg but I don’t bother. We don’t have gammon or Yorkshire puds but I’m sure cooking the gammon the day before would be fine. And Aunt Bessies could go in last minute while you plate the rest. Just watch a few festive programmes like Jamie’s Christmas to give you ideas.
Don’t use a roasting bag - it may stick to the turkey! Just use foil.
In the end it is just a roast meal so enjoy the process.

It is just a big roast, however I find there are many more distractions and other things competing gif my attention on Christmas Day itself, so i find it useful to do quite a detailed plan and pin it up in the kitchen.

Start a draft plan, in plenty of time, so that there is plenty of time to remember any special things you want go include. I have a Santa custard jug that my mother won at the Ideal Home exhibition in 1955. The number of times I only remembered to get it out after we have done all the washing up on Christmas Day ....

Start from actually eating the meal, and work back from there, the time somethings needs to be done (put bird in oven), remove bird from oven. This shows up what needs to happen at the same time do that you can check that things will fit in the oven at the same time or make different arrangement

It's also helpful to note what dishes will be used to cook and to server, so no last minute aggghhh what do I put the sprouts in to take to table.

I quite enjoy the process of planning, it really gets me into the fast ice spirits much more than shopping or anything else.

It’s just a big roast. If you don’t know how to cook something, don’t use Christmas Day to try it for the first time - especially if you’re having guests. Stick to what you know.

I always prep parsnips the day before, pop in a freezer bag with a splash of water and lemon juice, and bung in the fridge. They never discolour.

I always cook gammon, sausages, pigs in blankets and stuffing the day before. On the day wrap in foil and put on the floor of the oven after the turkey has come out and I've increased the heat for the roasties, just to reheat.

It is just a big roast but one you want to get right.

Do a time plan (work backwards) this also means that you don't forget to cook anything!

Lay the table Christmas Eve after kids gone to bed. Think about any extra things salt/pepper/cranberry jelly etc Christmas Day breakfast we have things like croissants so no table needed.

Prep everything that you can Christmas Eve

Get out all of your dishes that you are going to use to cook/serve in on Xmas Eve night. I stick post it's on them.

Make someone else responsible for doing all drinks and breakfast on Xmas day.

Doing it this way means I can get maximum amount of time out of kitchen and with the kids on Xmas day.

How many are you cooking for

Thank you so much for the tips, you lot are (Christmas) angels!

I have a Rangemaster, so two ovens and five hobs, a decent amount of oven space.

Cooking for five adults and two children (4 and 2 so they don't eat much), so only small because COVID. Ordered a 6lb turkey crown from the butchers, that should be enough shouldn't it with a gammon too?

Definitely Aunt Bessie's yorkshires my 4 year old DD has autism, she won't eat any other ones. I actually don't make very good ones either so I don't mind.

Oh breakfast is sorted too, we're having pastries with posh coffee (and hot choc for the children), easy just to warm through.

Not doing starters, just some bowls of nibbles as we'll have lunch at 1/1:30.

Puddings will be bought from M&S, not made, so easy there. Am thinking something chocolatey, and probably something like an apple pie or crumble (no one likes Christmas pudding or cake!). Mini Christmas Colin Caterpillars for the children.

Top tips OP!

Par boil potatoes and parsnips this week, shake up to roughen edges, then freeze on a tray NOT packed together, make sure they all have space around. Once frozen they can be packed more closely in the freezer. On the big day just put straight into hot fat and into the oven from frozen, cook for an extra 7-8 minutes than you normally would.

If you make mashed carrots/suede again cook in advance and freeze, microwave in serving dish on the day.

I never stuff the turkey, I serve stuffing in a separate dish which again I make (but not cook) and freeze in advance in the metal oven dish. This goes from freezer, to fridge, to oven. Easy.

Prep turkey for oven on Christmas eve with herbs garlic, whatever youre using, put in fridge in it's roasting dish coved in foil. Take that out of fridge 45 minutes before putting dish straight into oven.

I hardly spend any time in the kitchen on Christmas day.

Oh, and as much as you can roast/cook thinks in their serving dishes so they can go straight from oven to table.