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I’m 46 and I’ve never made a Christmas dinner

116 replies

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 16:21

And I don’t know where to start.

Just me? Anyone?

OP posts:
alfhroa · 11/12/2024 17:30

Turkey - I don’t actually like it much but I am vetoed!

The beauty of being chef is that a) you don't have to clear up b) your vote trumps the collective consensus. Cook what you want!

unmemorableusername · 11/12/2024 17:30

You need to brine it.

Mirabai · 11/12/2024 17:32

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 17:17

I do like it, but I’ve never made it.

Christmas Day is not the time to trying to cook your first roast bird ever. Whole turkeys are tricky as they’re so big.

Either do a rehearsal next week or buy everything pre-made and get practicing in time for next year.

Legoninjago1 · 11/12/2024 17:33

Same here and slightly older than you! Mum did it first now DH! Hurrah I say!

Mirabai · 11/12/2024 17:35

housethatbuiltme · 11/12/2024 17:13

Nope I'm veggie so never made a roast chicken. My husband cooks his own chicken but has never roasted a whole one.

Was talking to the OP. I don’t expect veggies to have cooked chicken.

TonTonMacoute · 11/12/2024 17:35

rookiemere · 11/12/2024 17:27

Oh gosh don't be stressing yourself with Jamie Oliver.

First course smoked salmon with some oatcakes.

Main course- turkey crown ( much easier to cook than a whole turkey), frozen Aunt Bessies roasties, shop made red cabbage, some posh sprouts from the supermarket with bacon and bits, pre-made stuffing and sausage tray, some supermarket turkey gravy. Bung into oven or microwave as timings dictate.

I enjoy doing a Christmas dinner as it requires no imagination about what to cook.

This!

I do a lot of roasts so can do Christmas lunch in my sleep these days, but just buy as much ready made stuff as you can!

Mirabai · 11/12/2024 17:37

rookiemere · 11/12/2024 17:27

Oh gosh don't be stressing yourself with Jamie Oliver.

First course smoked salmon with some oatcakes.

Main course- turkey crown ( much easier to cook than a whole turkey), frozen Aunt Bessies roasties, shop made red cabbage, some posh sprouts from the supermarket with bacon and bits, pre-made stuffing and sausage tray, some supermarket turkey gravy. Bung into oven or microwave as timings dictate.

I enjoy doing a Christmas dinner as it requires no imagination about what to cook.

This. Aunt Bessie’s roast parsnips.

Sunshinedayscomeon · 11/12/2024 17:39

52 and only once. DH always wants to do and I'm usually working christmas day.

Good luck.

rookiemere · 11/12/2024 17:43

@Mirabai I had forgotten about Aunt Bessies roast parsnips
, they are really good !

If it was me I wouldn't go to Cook. Possibly a me thing but I once got sprouts and gravy from there and they weren't the best and any frozen meal I have got has been a bit watery. Most of ours comes from Tesco or Aldi.

AlphabetBird · 11/12/2024 17:44

Get a turkey crown for about 8-10 so youve got plenty of leftovers, and do your peeling and chopping the night before and store veg in water if you want to save time. It's hardly any stress if you've no prep to do, I always do a list with times things need to come in and out and then you're on autopilot. Gravy is bisto, because life is short and bisto is tasty. I'm a vegetarian of 30 years and don't bother with a veggie main, just some extra stuffing (the sort without sausage!) and loads of veg and I'm happy.

Have a lovely Christmas!

Tallullahmakata · 11/12/2024 17:51

I'm 45 and doing my first this year! My mum has always cooked for us all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I felt bad last year so have basically bullied her into letting me do it!

slightlydistrac · 11/12/2024 17:54

There are a couple of Sundays between now and Christmas. Maybe use them as dry runs, and cook maybe a chicken one week and a joint the next?

There are loads of 'how to' recipes and guides about cooking a turkey, but to be honest, the hardest thing is finding oven space when you want it, and co-ordinating everything so it is all ready at the same time. So a practice beforehand will definitely help.

Freetodowhatiwant · 11/12/2024 17:55

50 and never cooked either a roast dinner or a Christmas dinner. The thought of me doing it is terrifying to me and probably anyone who knows my cooking! It really would be a hideous experience. I have other talents, no one cares I can't cook. Good luck! Hope it goes well.

Ellejay67 · 11/12/2024 17:56

Get Iceland frozen turkey crown. Bought one ten years ago as an "extra". Never will have anything else now. Fabulous and easy.

Mirabai · 11/12/2024 17:58

rookiemere · 11/12/2024 17:43

@Mirabai I had forgotten about Aunt Bessies roast parsnips
, they are really good !

If it was me I wouldn't go to Cook. Possibly a me thing but I once got sprouts and gravy from there and they weren't the best and any frozen meal I have got has been a bit watery. Most of ours comes from Tesco or Aldi.

Cook turkey is really good - better than Waitrose or Marks
Salmon en croute is also really good.
Parsnips - fine now they’ve removed the parmesan.
Red cabbage good altho I prefer Waitrose.
Cranberry sauce - much better than Waitrose or Marks - not as good as homemade Delia Smith.
Bread sauce - fine but not as good as homemade
Stuffing - good.
Gravy - better than Waitrose or Marks but not as good as homemade
Sticky toffee pudding - really good.
I would avoid sprouts or any green veg from them.
I don’t personally like Tesco or Aldi food - other than fresh fruit & veg etc.

ForeverinBJ · 11/12/2024 17:59

Probably Xmas day not the best day to start!

Ellejay67 · 11/12/2024 17:59

Plus you can literally buy everything frozen. Two Christmas's ago I was really ill ... so I did an online iceland delivery. Basically apart from gravy and booze everything came from the freezer 😁

LittleBobbyDazzler · 11/12/2024 18:00

Honestly, it's all about timing. Make a list of what you want, look at cooking times and work from there.

BBCLW · 11/12/2024 18:02

Work backwards from when you want to eat. Find out timings for everything you're going to cook, and write a timetable for putting things on the stove or in the oven. Example:
Put turkey on to roast, timer 1hr
Ham on to boil, timer 1 hr
Put potatoes to boil , timer 15 mins
Potatoes to roast, turkey out of oven, timer 20 mins
Baste pots, vegetarian main in oven, timer 10 mins
Pigs in Blankets, stuffing in oven, ham out of water to rest, timer 5 mins
Veg on to cook, timer 10 mins
Make gravy, timer 5 mins
Serve

Those timings are obviously not the real ones, that will depend on what you're doing, but I write it all out on a big sheet of A4 and blutac it to a cupboard door near the stove so I can check the next step and see what I need to do next and how long I've got, and so far I've never forgotten anything or overdone it. We often go really overboard with our Christmas dinner with vegetarian mains and sides as well as meaty ones, two types of stuffing, bread sauce, etc, but with a clearly written timetable I can manage it all with no stress.

Remember a large turkey can be left to rest covered in foil for a long time without getting cold, so you can get it out of the oven before you start trying to fit other stuff in as well, veg can be peeled and sliced the day before and left covered in water in the fridge.

TheBramley · 11/12/2024 18:03

Go Swiss. Buy a Raclette or maybe two if there’s a crowd. Very traditional, zero cooking, more fun generally.

Imbusytodaysorry · 11/12/2024 18:03

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 16:25

I haven’t

I’d practice with a roast chicken tomorrow. .(free range) you don’t need foil for those but you can cover if you chose
i put butter on mine and baste half way. .(
Alexa is your friend to help with timing.

Buy a jar of goose fat for your roasters . Use aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire’s.

do carrots and parsnips .
mom Xmas day add any jar of extras for the table anyone may like. .
You are going to have to keep it simple as possible

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 18:04

Roast chicken is now on the menu for Sunday! Thanks so much everyone.

OP posts:
Imbusytodaysorry · 11/12/2024 18:05

Ellejay67 · 11/12/2024 17:59

Plus you can literally buy everything frozen. Two Christmas's ago I was really ill ... so I did an online iceland delivery. Basically apart from gravy and booze everything came from the freezer 😁

How was it ?

Bridget05 · 11/12/2024 18:05

I'm 67, never have, never will.

Imbusytodaysorry · 11/12/2024 18:05

Mirabai · 11/12/2024 17:37

This. Aunt Bessie’s roast parsnips.

This . Except I’d do my own parsnips