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...

@Etinoxaurus
Brining is the way forward. Done this the last few years and the turkey has been moist and delicious every time.

I don’t, because I think it’s at its best the same day it’s cooked. Also, the turkey itself is no trouble at all compared with peeling 5kg of potatoes and all the other veg prep!

Cooked overnight really low. Then at 9.00 turned up high for half an hour. Perfect

Turkey goes in the oven first thing on Christmas morning. Gammon also goes into a large pot, covered in cherry coke and on to boil. The turkey is ready to come out the oven in time for the potatoes, parsnips, carrots and stuffing to go in. The gammon is left to slowly simmer and is ready about the same time as the turkey. Both are left to rest and I will slice just before serving up.
Not everyone in my family likes gravy so the gravy goes in a gravy boat on the table rather than over the meat. I don’t plate up anything just put into warmed serving dishes so people can help themselves.

Firstly YABU posting this in AIBU. Second, reheated turkey on Christmas Day sounds disgusting. So sad.

My friend does this and reheats it in the microwave because ‘it’s quicker’. By the time the last plate is microwaved the first people have already finished eating. My friend is also a pretty poor cook.

Heating turkey up in gravy sounds disgusting! It’s gravy not bloody soup. Some people don’t like gravy?

I don't understand the logic behind cooking a meat letting it cool and cooking again

Wonder if people who complain turkey is dry do this.

Turkey is a delicious meet much better than chicken.

Re-heating meat in gravy actually works perfectly well - it keeps it tender and prevents it from drying out. Heat through gently in the oven. Of course it only works if everyone likes gravy...

However I still maintain that on Christmas Day it should be freshly cooked and at its best!🎄

Re-heating meat in gravy actually works perfectly well

It really doesn't.

I’ll rephrase: it works perfectly well when I do it.

I’m a good cook. I like good food. It’s a perfectly good way of re-heating meat (although not turkey, imo). But it’s not a patch on freshly cooked meat! And especially not turkey...

I really want turkey sandwiches now!

Nope to the day before but do cook it early - out of the oven and wrapped well in layers of foil / clean towel (Jamie Oliver) still piping hot and fresh and space in oven for potatoes and trimmings. The rest time makes it super tender.

*I’m a good cook. I like good food. It’s a perfectly good way of re-heating meat (although not turkey, imo). But it’s not a patch on freshly cooked meat! And especially not turkey...

I really want turkey sandwiches now!*

Oh I'm. With you but the first time turkey is fresh, I will join you on the sandwich's a few days later.

I was going to do mine on Christmas eve this year for the first time. Changed my mind now, it's getting done on the day.

We don't have turkey, but if we did, it would be freshly-cooked. Reheated food at Christmas? No, thanks all the same.

Nope. Don't think I could bring myself to do this. Purely for the fact that I enjoy the crispy skin and basically presenting and carving the Turkey at the table in front if the family is kind of a tradition. Putting a plate full of cold sliced Turkey on the table doesn't have the same effect.

I also love the way the house smells on Christmas of freshly cooked Turkey

Blimey. I can't even bring myself to let the turkey rest let alone reheat it the next day!! Need my meat piping hot and fresh! And what's with so many people cooking gammon as well? Is that a thing?

I put my Turkey in the oven when I go to bed on Christmas Eve (probably 1.00am ish) and cook on a very low heat. Then when I wake up the house smells lovely and it’s probably got another hour or or to cook. Because it cooks slowly and is stuffed, it’s very moist and easy to slice when we eat around 3.00pm.

@WildWombat

Blimey. I can't even bring myself to let the turkey rest let alone reheat it the next day!! Need my meat piping hot and fresh! And what's with so many people cooking gammon as well? Is that a thing?

Yes I think for a bit of variety a lot of people do gammon as it works well with Turkey and can also be used for Boxing Day.

Always cook it Xmas eve. A nice turkey sandwich 🥪 before bed!
It always cuts better when it's cooled, and saves space for cooking the beef and roast potatoes.

Yes, my mum cooks it for me and drops it off either Christmas Eve or in the morning.

But cold meat on xmas day?! That's great for leftover sandwhiches etc but not xmas day!

Warm it up in some juices in the microwave.

Christmas dinner is just a glorified Sunday Dinner with a few extra trimmings.

I get the more room in the oven but not the more room in the fridge. It'll still need to go back in once cooked?

@Comefromaway

Warm it up in some juices in the microwave.

Christmas dinner is just a glorified Sunday Dinner with a few extra trimmings.

I don't cook the Sunday roast on Saturday.

And what's with so many people cooking gammon as well? Is that a thing?

I dont now everyone I work with as gammon is on canteen menu regards gammon as shit, I'd rather have a pork joint.