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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:
roobyred · 11/12/2024 18:08

Go to Marks and Spencer and buy tubs of bread sauce, turkey gravy, ready made stuffing, pigs in blankets.

Get a turkey crown, much less faff to carve. Slather in butter and bacon. Cook it and then wrap it in thick foil and a very thick towel (bath towel) to let it rest for an hour. I learned that from Jamie - it takes all the pressure off and it stays hot. That's a game changer, because it frees up the oven space which was the most stressful part. Then you can do the accompaniments.

Good luck.

Twothinkthat · 11/12/2024 18:10

How many are you cooking for?

these would be my tips - but it does depend on numbers and how deep your pockets are
Definitely get a turkey crown (you just put it oven - no giblets etc).

buy the fresh (not frozen) ready done roast potatoes.

microwaveable red cabbage is fine, as is mash (if you have that as well as roasties) and also cabbage/greens

last year I did carrots and parsnips in the air fryer - they came out really well (parsnips are aunt Bessie’s frozen ones).

honestly I’ve probably cooked it for the last 15 years and have found that the ones where I faff with Jamie Oliver/Nigella etc are not even close to the best ones

Oblomov24 · 11/12/2024 18:10

Depends how good your timings are. Are you good at getting things ready at the same time, eg a meal with lots of bits, a full English breakfast?

TheCanaryInThePurpleSkirt · 11/12/2024 18:11
  1. Never made one. Husband was a fantastic cook. I did the everyday and he did lovely dishes. He just had a knack for me, not so much.

We’re divorced now (not because I’m a crap cook!) This year, I’m away and will be waited on, hand and foot 😊 I can do a decent Sunday dinner so that’s what I did last year.

Andoutcomethewolves · 11/12/2024 18:14

Depending on your budget I'd probably buy pretty much everything ready made from M&S (I'm sure other supermarkets will have similar). That's what I do when I fancy a roast with all the trimmings but am short on time (or feeling lazy!). For meat I agree with a turkey crown and pigs in blankets.

So you can get ready cooked roast potatoes, stuffing, cauliflower cheese and Yorkshires that just need to go in the oven to crisp up, then microwaveable mashed carrot and swede, greens and red cabbage plus ready made gravy.

Everything has timings on the packaging so just list them all out in order and maybe set your alarm so you know when everything needs to go in!

Starter can be packs of party food type stuff, there's loads in the shops now. And for dessert a shop bought Christmas pudding and maybe a yule log or trifle or something as not everybody likes Christmas pud.

I really, really wouldn't decide that Christmas day and hosting PIL is the ideal time to cook your first ever full on roast from scratch! That is a recipe for major stress (and potentially disaster!).

WalterdelaMare · 11/12/2024 18:14

I can’t give you any advice, but I’m with you as I’ve never made one either. Despite my husband telling me it’s easy, it doesn’t look it. Christmas dinner in particular seems a monumental faff with all those trimmings. Can you tell, I avoid the kitchen?

I could probably manage a very basic one, but I’d buy lots of ready made stuff. My husband does everything from scratch.

DowntonFlabbie · 11/12/2024 18:14

fanaticalfairy · 11/12/2024 16:24

If you've cooked a roast dinner...it's the same.

If your Xmas dinner is just your average roast dinner, you're doing it wrong.

slightlydistrac · 11/12/2024 18:18

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 18:04

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

Great stuff - come back and update us on how it goes. 😀

maxelly · 11/12/2024 18:19

nevercooked · 11/12/2024 17:01

This is really helpful thanks. It looks like Jamie Oliver is the go to for this?

It’s for me, DH, PIL, a 4 year old and a 2 year old.

I wouldn't bother with trying to do a full menu or look up recipes from a particular chef, I'm sure some of them are fine but way too many are trying to put their own unique 'spin' or touches onto the basic, classic recipes IMO, which is fine for regular meals when you fancy a change but for a first time roaster at Christmas especially if you're a bit nervous about it you just want simple instructions and not to be messing around thinking it's essential to add orange zest to your gravy or za'tar to your carrots or whatever.

If you're a generally competent chef I don't think you should really need to follow a recipe for Christmas dinner TBH, just look up cooking times and temperatures online and make a plan as others have said. If you do want recipes I find Delia's the best overall as she's reliable for classic English dishes, or use BBC good food...

SwordToFlamethrower · 11/12/2024 18:21

Don't bother.

Roasts are all about prep and timing. There a lot of balls to juggle!

If you really must,

Then you should peel and chop all the veg the day before and place them in pans of water.

Draw a line across an a4 sheet of paper and write times on everything.

When the turkey goes in
When the veg goes in etc

Set timers for everything.

Clean as you go.

Maybe even do a practice roast before the big day. See how you get on.

mitogoshigg · 11/12/2024 18:23

Keep it really simple and cheat where you can!

Get a decent turkey, lots of butter on it and season, cook for 20 mins plus 45 mins a kilo, at 180. Remove and leave to stand covered in foil and a towel.

Roast potatoes, par boil for 8 mins, drain, bounce about a bit to fluff them up, put into a roasting tin with already hot oil, toss around then cook for 45 mins approximately till golden.

Roast veg, cut carrots and parsnips into 1cm approx batons, toss in oil and cook for 45 mins

On hob I make red cabbage - in a little oil fry a cut up red cabbage, couple of diced red onions for 5 minutes, add a couple of cups water, a good splash balsamic vinegar, handful raisins, 2 chopped apples, tablespoon brown sugar, a few cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 50 minutes.

Whatever green vegetables you fancy, steamed is easy.

EnjoythemoneyJane · 11/12/2024 18:32

If you can afford it, buy as much pre-done as possible. I’m a decent cook, pretty well organised and used to cooking for a crowd, but Christmas Day is the one time I take as many shortcuts and easy options as I can. I want to enjoy the day, not spend it juggling pans in a steaming kitchen from the crack of dawn.

I only ever buy a big turkey crown - no faffing about with brining or giblets or wrestling with tinfoil halfway through to stop the breast drying out before the legs are cooked. You can buy them fully prepped, but it’s easy enough to just stick a bit of butter and a few herbs under the skin and some bacon on top. All breast meat, no waste, no leftovers hanging around for days.

I buy pre-made gravy, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets and trays of stuffing. I do prep all my own veg - roast potatoes, sprouts & chestnuts, parsnips, carrots and red cabbage - but you can get all of that pre-done too, which may be less anxiety inducing if you’re a complete novice.

Then you just need to do a bit of military-style planning: work out all the cooking and resting times and oven temperatures and write a schedule, working backwards from when you want to serve lunch (remember to take the turkey out of the fridge early so it’s at room temp by the time you want to cook it. It can also sit around wrapped in foil for ages once it’s cooked and basted, freeing up oven room for all the other stuff). Literally write the times you’re going to do everything and just follow it.

Also work out where everything’s going to cook (oven/hob/microwave) and what you’re serving it in. Knowing that in advance means you don’t suddenly realise you’ve run out of space.

Doing it like this is still work, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than going full Nigella - and means I can feed a big crowd of people whilst still having fun and a few glasses of wine.

Good luck, OP. And remember, the cook NEVER clears - they get a round of applause and sit on their arse for the rest of the day!

alfhroa · 11/12/2024 18:39

If you can afford it, buy as much pre-done as possible. I’m a decent cook, pretty well organised and used to cooking for a crowd, but Christmas Day is the one time I take as many shortcuts and easy options as I can. I want to enjoy the day, not spend it juggling pans in a steaming kitchen from the crack of dawn.

Completely agree, if you're quick OP there might be time to do a festive food to order for the more special stuff.

Icanflyhigh · 11/12/2024 18:44

Do as much as possible beforehand - so all veg prep etc.
Aunt Bessie does roast potatoes, parsnips and bake at home yorkies and all the supermarkets have got braised red cabbage, pigs in blankets and all other trimmings available to just pop in the oven.

Get your turkey, get that in, and work everything else around that- you can do this and hopefully you enjoy it x

Ellejay67 · 11/12/2024 19:02

Imbusytodaysorry · 11/12/2024 18:05

How was it ?

Excellent!

onwardsup4 · 11/12/2024 21:00

SuperfluousHen · 11/12/2024 16:26

Don’t start.
let someone else do it 🤣

🤣 this
Christmas dinner is a big roast for your first one but if you want to there's loads of info online and I'd say write down a list of timings also prep what you can the night before

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