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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask how the f you cook a Christmas dinner ?

69 replies

ilikebooksandplants · 19/12/2020 23:01

Just that really. Boris and tier 4 has kiboshed the family celebrations and I’ve never cooked one before. Vegetarian - our main is sorted (I’ve made that before) but all the vegetables and sides and stuff? Give me your tips and tricks to make it a bit special, mumsnet.

OP posts:
ilikebooksandplants · 20/12/2020 13:15

Cheers to that @Illy605 !

OP posts:
ilikebooksandplants · 20/12/2020 13:16

@CoronaIsWatching good luck! I hope it turns out ok for you!

OP posts:
toastofthetown · 20/12/2020 17:45

I always use olive oil (not extra virgin) for roast potatoes and it works well for me. I'm a massive planner so when I have a meal with lots of components to cook, I get as much prepared ahead of time as possible. For the day, I make plan with times, starting with the time I want to serve and I work backwards from there with everyone I need to do. Then I can just set a timer on my phone and relax, because everything feels under control. This is my plan from Thanksgiving this year - which is pretty similar to a Christmas dinner. Good luck with it!

To ask how the f you cook a Christmas dinner ?
JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson · 20/12/2020 18:05

What kind of turkey roasts in an hour?!

toastofthetown · 20/12/2020 18:41

@JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson

What kind of turkey roasts in an hour?!
A tiny breast joint to serve one! I'm vegetarian so it was for just for my partner.
Ukholidaysaregreat · 20/12/2020 19:25

Haha! Just what I was thinking. Needs to set aside about 5 hrs to roast a turkey and all the trimmings. Whilst screwing together a trampoline and playing aggressive dobble with the extended family. Grin

BiddyPop · 20/12/2020 21:29

I'm sure lots of food advice already given but I'm doing stream of consciousness on my method.

Peel all spuds and veg on 24th, and make your stuffing and flavoured butter. Our spuds and suitable veg soaking in water, other veg and stuffing in airtight tubs, leave butter in grease proof but out of fridge to stay soft. (Flavoured butter not essential but soft butter is - I tend to add garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, salt and pepper and zest of an orange or lemon (whichever citrus I will be juicing anyway) just to make it nice.

On 25th, take turkey out of fridge in morning so it comes to room temp before going into oven (at least an hour). Smear plenty of (flavoured) butter under its skin to keep it moist.

Put some stuffing in the neck cavity (not the main body - only a halved orange or lemon and maybe some thyme or rosemary in the body to let air circulate so it cools evenly). Lay streaky bacon over the breast to also keep moist.

Weigh bird when stuffed and ready to cook and calculate cooking times. Baste every hour or so (use a spoon to pour juices from roasting tray over bird).

About 15 minutes before bird comes out of the oven, boil potatoes and heat fat for roasties. Allow them to simmer for -0 minutes, drain, pour hot fat in and toss in the pot to fluff up before putting into a hot roasting tray. They can go in oven just as you take out turkey. Roast for an hour.

When turkey comes out, cover with foil and 2 bath towels folded over the top of foil- to keep it hot. Let it rest for at least an hour (it WILL stay hot!).

That gives time to cook potatoes, veggies, extra stuffing etc and to make or reheat gravy.

I tend to do roasted root veg (carrots, parsnips, butternut squash and red onion) in oven, steam some Brussels sprouts and maybe boil some froze on baby peas as my veg.

Use the juices from roasting tray(after pouring off any fat layer - it floats to the top) to help flavour the gravy. I usually use bistro powder to make mine, and a glib of wine as part of the liquid. I also use either turkey stock if I have some frozen or have faffed with giblets the previous day, or maybe steaming water from the roots (I steam for 15 minutes before roasting to soften them) or the water from boiling carrots if we've been less fussy.

Baby peas can cook very quickly from frozen - I usually just pour a kettle of boiling water into their pot and leave them cook with no more heat while I serve other things. Spinach is another great one that only needs a kettle of boiling water. So both don't need to use up valuable hob space.

You don't need loads of sides, and should have at least an hour, once the bird is out, to cook in the oven.

If you work backwards from when you want to serve, thinking how long it takes to cook everything, add some extra time so you are not stressed, and figure out from that when you need to get things done. Take a while now, tonight or tomorrow, to write that down so you can refer to it.

One last thing that really helps...well maybe 2.

If you want help in the kitchen, have tasks that you can assign to others when they ask. Or assign them in advance. Set the table. Make the gravy. Pour you a drink. Wash or dry the pits. Put plates in hot water or spare oven space to warm....etc. (And if you DON'T want people cluttering up a small space, know that too to say it nicely but suggest they grab the snacks there (waves hand) or pour themselves a drink and just chat to you or play with DCs in other room ...whichever suits you best.

The other is to have a sink full of hot soapy water as you work. Put in pots etc as you finish with them and wash them once you get a free minute. You might need some things again, but it also helps keep clutter controlled so less stress, gives clear working space and doesn't allow things to get dried in and harder to wash later. If you have time to dry and put away, even better but it's the washing that's the real game chager.

And once dinner is served, cook is off duty!

BiddyPop · 20/12/2020 21:33

Sorry I completely missed the veggie bit so ignore everyone about the turkey, oops! Blush

BiddyPop · 20/12/2020 21:35

(The stuffed turkey breast I buy for thanksgiving does in an hour - as it's an after work on a Thursday roast...but we do a full bird at Christmas when we have more time and can enjoy the leftovers more😂😂)

MythicalBiologicalFennel · 20/12/2020 21:40

Think about what you want to eat, what cooking space you have (size of the oven, number of hobs). Decide at time you want to eat. Work out how long each dish takes. Build a timeline backwards. For example:

Eating at midday
Peas take 5 mins means you cook them at 11:55
Etc

Never olive oil for roast potatoes. Its smoke point is too low
Isn't that the other way round? That you cannot use smoke as a guide for temperature with olive oil because it smokes at a higher temperature? Anything you put in your oven at 180° will eventually reach 180° regardless of whether it smokes or not.

Above all OP... cook what you want to eat and what you are happy to cook / tidy up after Gin

ElfAndSafetyInspector · 20/12/2020 21:43

Nicest oil for roast potatoes is rice bran oil!

Red cabbage finely sliced and cooked with finely sliced red onion in 1 tbsp water, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, cooked really slowly on low heat for an hour, is lovely. Can add a dollop of apple sauce to it too.

HoofHeartedSanta · 20/12/2020 21:53

Some ideas and inspiration for you :- www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/collections/vegetarian-christmas-dinner-recipes/

TheWernethWife · 20/12/2020 21:53

Just two of us this year so buying veg from M and S, already prepared and come in foil trays for putting in oven. No stress.

Twofurrycatsagain · 20/12/2020 22:05

Leave a gap between courses. That way you get to eat your starter instead of being in the kitchen juggling stuff.
Write the order down, tick it off as you go along.
Decide what to make from scratch and what to buy ready made.

Bridget1979 · 20/12/2020 22:17

We are in tier 3 but I’m not holding out much hope for that being the case by Friday; I’m cooking a Turkey Crown for me and my folks. A beef for my husband and DD. I enjoy cooking so I’ll do the sides the day before I think and reheat.
We normally go out but Cooking will give me an excuse not to get shitfaced and give me something to concentrate on.

I’m always super grateful when anyone cooks for me so I’m sure people will appreciate your time.

LakieLady · 21/12/2020 07:42

The only thing I do beforehand is make brandy butter and chestnut stuffing.

I put the turkey in the oven and start prepping the veg, making pigs in blankets etc at that point. The turkey takes ages, so I find that leaves plenty of time for everything else.

Mind you, I'm an old hand at this, I first cooked a Christmas dinner in 1976 and have done it most years since then. This will be the first year I haven't cooked a Christmas dinner in 10 years, and I've done it for numbers of people ranging from 2 to 18.

Aprilx · 21/12/2020 07:47

I am going to par boil my potatoes today for about ten minutes, then I will put them in a freezer bag, shake them about a bit and then freeze until shortly before cooking time. I will roast in goose fat with maybe some rosemary. I am doing parsnips and carrots, which I will toss in honey before roasting. My sprouts will be cut in half and shallow fried.

I have got a basic stuffing mix to stuff the Turkey with but I will separately make a nicer stuffing which will be roasted by itself. I have also got shop bought pigs in blanket and DH picked up some Yorkshire puddings yesterday and I have told him in no uncertain terms that they will not be a feature on Christmas dinner.

LastChristmas20 · 21/12/2020 08:24

If you've never cooked roast potatoes then just get frozen.

They're fine and saves you faffing on the day.

Although it's very hard to know how a "competent cook" hasn't ever made roast potatoes!

movingonup20 · 21/12/2020 08:37

Don't overthink it, buy frozen veg and relax!

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