Does anyone cook the turkey the day before..?

[NettleMania]

This is probably sacrilege, but it would make my life so much easier. There would be more room in the fridge and more room in the oven. And I'd have more down time.

Does anyone else do this?

p.s. I am a turkey virgin as we usually have goose which I always do the day before. I have reluctantly been persuaded by misguided 'traditionalists' to do turkey this year...

I do it in the morning, then it rests while I do everything else.

Yep, I do! And so does my mum. It tastes great and yes, one huge less thing to worry about on the day itself!

I’ve done it as it takes pressure off. Normally after Xmas meal turkey is put in fridge and lasts days without being all dry if properly covered. Cooking it What 15h earlier isn’t going make huge difference to taste. Plus you don’t give yourself 3 degree burns trying carve it even if it’s been resting for hours. Heats up in seconds in microwave and the kitchen looks less like bomb has hit it.

I’ve done it on Christmas Eve for the last 20 years. Makes life SO much easier on the day!

Turkey is always cooked on Christmas Eve here. Gammon is slow cooked overnight as well.

No (mostly because we don't have a turkey) but we roast almost all the potatoes and other root veg on Xmas Eve, and then finish them off while the meat is resting on Xmas Day.

My parents used to cook it on Christmas Eve, carve it and then reheat in stock on Christmas Day

My cousin cooks and carves on Christmas Eve, then serves cold turkey. She swears that on hot plates, with plenty of gravy, no one notices

Me too, always cook turkey and ham on Christmas Eve, makes life a little easier on Christmas Day

You can save fridge space the day before if you get it out to brine it.
Nigella

As much as poss is cooked on Christmas Eve, we even do a lot of the veg prep. Makes Christmas day easier.

Always cook it the day before. Plus I par boil the potatos and prep all the veg.

I sometimes do turkey if we are having a big family event, cook it, slice it, lay it in foil trays and cover with stock/ gravy so that it can be reheated the next day.
Just makes life a bit easier.

It is much easier to carve when it is cold as well. Then in stock to warm on Christmas day.

@notanothertakeaway
My cousin cooks and carves on Christmas Eve, then serves cold turkey. She swears that on hot plates, with plenty of gravy, no one notices
That’s how my Mum always did it and how I do it. Christmas Day is then such less hassle!

No. I really want the turkey to be at its best on the day.

It needs at least an hour’s resting time anyway, during which time potatoes and sides can be dealt with.

Potatoes first for half an hour to get a head start, then stuffing, pigs in blankets and veg goes in and it all takes care of itself.

I do make the braised red cabbage in advance, because it can be re-heated in the microwave without impairing its quality. I also always plan at least one, sometimes two, veg dish(es) that can be done on the hob.

That just leaves gravy. Which you can also easily make ahead of time, freeze, thaw out on the day and then just add the meat juices to it on the day and reduce a little. Or make it the day before.

P.S. don’t expect much from the turkey (although I guess you must’ve had it before?) - goose is a far nicer bird! I’m envious as we’ve not had goose for at least two years now and I’ve been vetoed yet again.

MIL everything was peeled put in water in pans stored in pantry vegetables wise the day before, turkey cooked overnight with three boys she had a head start on Xmas day, they would have open house in the morning for friends and family

Yup as much as possible the day before. Allows for tweaking the spicing or fixing the gravy.

We're having a chicken curry for Christmas.
I did a full Christmas dinner once but it was a pain, turkey and beef both cooked on the day. Spent most of my time in the kitchen drinking wine 🤣, teetotal now though. The bird goes cold pretty quick once carved anyway so I can't see a problem with cooking it the day before.

Do this every year, as does my mum. Not sure it saves fridge space as it still needs refrigerating but it saves stress and oven space on the day.

No I never do, grew up with my mother doing it. I like food freshly cooked. How much work is involved in putting the turkey in the oven?

We always cook the turkey Xmas eve

My father and his partner insist on cooking the turkey on Christmas Eve. I HATE it! It isn't as nice the next day.

All veg peeled and chopper too and get ahead gravy ready in the freezer.

@puffin23

It is much easier to carve when it is cold as well. Then in stock to warm on Christmas day.

That was my mother's theory, it's so easy to carve. I don't care if it looks pretty, I like it freshly cooked.

@HundredMilesAnHour

My father and his partner insist on cooking the turkey on Christmas Eve. I HATE it! It isn't as nice the next day.

I agree and I wonder if all this reheated turkey is why people get food poisoning?