What prep do you do the day before Christmas (for dinner)?

[grannyinapram]

Reading another thread and the Op is talking about prepping christmas dinner the day before.
I was thinking about it and I just couldn't think of anything other than thawing out a frozen turkey? Maybe peeling spuds?

It's just a big Sunday dinner here with a few extras.
We definitely don't prepare anything the day before.

What is this extra food I've been missing out on?!

(this is light hearted clearly but this is also mumsnet so I need to state it clearly)

Oh, and also chop the veg and store in an airtight bag, wrap the pigs in blankets and keep in fridge overnight. I keep thinking of things... Probably should make a list otherwise I'll forget something and it's definitely not just a normal roast dinner!

I do just about everything the day before so all I have to do on the day is stick things in the oven or on the hob.
I'm usually catering for 15-20 (not this year obv) so its the only way.
Prep all veg (not incl cooking)
Make stuffing
Prep sausage/bacon
Make bread sauce
Make all desserts/cakes for the evening
Mince pies will have been ongoing through the preceding weeks but may need to make more
Etc.

My prep will be going to M&S and collecting the lot already made for me

@Elfieishere - sounds perfect. We’re doing similar with Cook. Luckily I have a family who all help out so I don’t spend much time in the kitchen!

Brine the turkey.

Peel and chop everything that needs peeling and chopping! I’d rather spend time with my children and family on Christmas Day than peel potatoes and carrots. They’re quite happy in bags in the fridge/water.

And yes brine the turkey - everyone gives the mixture a stir 😁

Tell me about turkey brining lovely people...honestly is it difficult and what difference does it make to the turkey? Recipes and instructions welcome...

Brining the turkey just fills it with water and salt. It was recommended years back when turkeye could be dry but I'm surprised at all the people still doing it. Just baste your turkey as recommended and it will be way more flavoursome.

It’s incredibly easy Tea. Nigella has a good recipe though it does involve a fair amount of investment in spices! It doesn’t make the Turkey either watery or salty.

@TeaLibrary, I agree with @LittleBearPad that brining makes a lovely difference; if it ends up salty something's gone really wrong.

You can buy Heston's turkey & brining kit at Waitrose, or Nigella's recipe is as follows:

approx. 6 litres water
1 large orange or 2 smaller (quartered)
250 grams maldon salt (or 125g / ½ cup table salt)
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
4 cloves
2 tablespoons allspice berries
4 star anise
2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
200 grams sugar
2 onions (unpeeled and quartered)
1 x 6 centimetres piece of fresh ginger (unpeeled and cut into 6 slices)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons runny honey
stalks from 1 bunch fresh parsley

Apparently she puts hers in a massive bucket outside overnight; I use a large (lined) coolbox in the garage overnight so no need to take up the fridge space. It makes it lovely and moist.

I always bake a nice dessert for Christmas Eve plus we bake cookies for ‘Santa’ so I don’t tend to bother prepping Christmas Day stuff as well. I do spend a substantial amount of time in the kitchen on Christmas Day though so I might be more organised this year.

It is like a Sunday dinner but a bit snazzier so takes longer. I make potato dauphinois as well as roasties, make the cauliflower cheese from scratch rather than the usual shop bought and make my own gravy too.

Nah I prefer fresh food especially on Christmas Day. Can't imagine a frozen roast potato is particularly tasty...

I can't see the point of prepping veg as it takes 10 mins to peel it all then you just steam or boil.

Only thing I can imagine it's worth doing is pudding, and marinading. Maybe stuffing the day before.

[quote wink1970]**@TeaLibrary, I agree with @LittleBearPad that brining makes a lovely difference; if it ends up salty something's gone really wrong.

You can buy Heston's turkey & brining kit at Waitrose, or Nigella's recipe is as follows:

approx. 6 litres water
1 large orange or 2 smaller (quartered)
250 grams maldon salt (or 125g / ½ cup table salt)
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
4 cloves
2 tablespoons allspice berries
4 star anise
2 tablespoons white mustard seeds
200 grams sugar
2 onions (unpeeled and quartered)
1 x 6 centimetres piece of fresh ginger (unpeeled and cut into 6 slices)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons runny honey
stalks from 1 bunch fresh parsley

Apparently she puts hers in a massive bucket outside overnight; I use a large (lined) coolbox in the garage overnight so no need to take up the fridge space. It makes it lovely and moist.[/quote]
We put ours in the car boot to keep cold.

Peel potatoes and put in pan of water until the next day,
Wash and prep sprouts and carrots,
Cook turkey (we just have it cold but pour hot gravy on it)
Cook gammon joint,

I've got Auntie Bessie helping me.

I make the brandy butter a couple of days before, and that's it.

The meat/bird comes out the freezer on 23rd or morning of 24th depending on what it is. Everything else is prepared by Marks and Spencers/Aunt Bessie. We need the table for breakfast etc so it doesn’t get laid ahead of time either. I have already finished my wrapping and Christmas Eve dinner is in the freezer and just needs reheating. I refuse to turn into my mother who was always frantically doing stuff late into the night on Christmas Eve.

I prep all veg, par boil them all, leave potatoes in the pan in water with a splash of milk.

If making stuffing I do that

Prep veg. I'd do a selection of winter veg roasted in the oven with herbs.
I'll also do the sprouts in advance too.
We are having a 3 bird roast so then it's just that, the potatoes and gravy.
I've not fully planned everything out yet.

@thegcatsmother
When you cook the pigs in blankets the day before how do you heat them up the following day ?
I never seem to have enough to oven space on Christmas Day so that would massively help me
Thanks

@Coolatkin

I cook them in a foil tray, and then fridge that. I then stick them back in the oven the following day when the turkey is out resting and the spuds are roasting. I have a range, so have two ovens, so I have been known to bung them in the bottom oven with the stuffing, and let then heat through slowly in there. Mind you, my lot eat them hot or cold, so cold with gravy on them, whilst everything else on the plate is hot doesn't worry them.

@unchienandalusia

loads! the more free time on Christmas day the better!

Peel potatoes and leave in cold water
make stuffing and pigs in blankets
make the cranberry sauce
make the bread sauce
brine the turkey
make the brandy butter
prepare the nibbles (we have christmas brunch, nibbles all day then have a very late lunch)
lay the dining table
Chill the champagne and white wine

I enjoy it, christmas songs on, fire going, mulled wine....

I am so NOT an MN mother.....

Potatoes : Bought Frozen from Cook
Stuffing and Pigs in Blankets : Bought from Waitrose
Cranberry : In a jar
Bread Sauce : Everyone hates it, so no
Brine the Turkey : Eh?
Brandy Butter : Bought from Waitrose
Nibbles : Brought from Waitrose
Table : The DC's do that
Booze : Always some in the fridge anyway

DH is in charge of mulled wine. Turkey prepared by Mr Waitrose, bung it in the oven. Veggies done in the morning. Obviously I am doing it all wrong .

Everything is done Christmas Dinner on Christmas eve here, with everything for Christmas eve done in the 2 days before!
Over those two days mince pies, sausage rolls, cheese puffs etc are made and they make Christmas eve dinner as well as general festive snacks.
Christmas eve the meat is cooked (small beef this year, we're only 2 adults and a 2 year old!)
Potatoes and parsnips are par boiled, roughed and coated in goose fat, left coveted in tray over night in the sun room (which is colder than my fridge over winter!)
Pigs in blankets wrapped and part cooked so they can be pulled in a small tray to finish and heat through the next day
Swede and carrot mash boilled, mashed and seasoned, in fridge for re heating
All over veg are chopped and left in pans of water
Gravy and stuffing made and in sun room overnight
Yorkshire made and left in a clean tin over night, in the sun room again
Dessert made and in fridge is there's room or sun room if not (will be cheese cake this year)
On Christmas day I just turn pans on and put things in the oven at the right times, no prep and a lot less cleaning on the day buys me extra hours to watch the little one with his gifts, I've done things this was for almost 20 years (used to give me extra drinking and board game time pre baby)
Everyone does what works for them but personally I'd rather the free time Christmas day than eve, and my schedule means we're done before dinner Christmas eve which is home made picky bits with bread and I can relax from then on :)

Make Christmas cake end of Oct and store in cupboard.
Make Christmas pudding end of Nov and store in cupboard.
Make mince pies beg Dec and freeze.

On 22 Dec
I’ll pick up my turkey, gammon, ready made pigs in blankets, stuffing balls, Woodland Yule log and profiteroles from M&S and store in fridge/cupboard.

On 23 Dec
Slow cook my gammon and finish off in oven in the evening.
Decorate Christmas cake in the afternoon with DC.
Defrost mince pies.

Christmas Eve
Peel potatoes, parsnips and carrots
Make cauliflower cheese
Make cherry brandy cream