what do we think to traditional meal being served christmas eve?

[tulpe]

We have established our routines over the last 10 years of celebrating christmas with LOs as part of the deal. HOwever, last year, a neighbour told me that they cook traditional christmas lunch on christmas eve and then nobody has to be in and out of the kitchen on christmas day.

In principle, I quite like the idea.

What do we think?

TBH, yes, I would rather spend Christmas Day playing with DCs rather than keeping an eye on oven timer. Also, DCs are of an age (6 and 10) when they could stay up later on Christmas Eve to make the "supper" something quite grown up and special.

i prepare everything xmas eve just before i go to bed and cook the turkey slowly overnight. that way its just a case of putting everything on to cook xmas day

Do they eat it on Christmas eve? In my experience it doesn't take that long....prep the veg the night before and leave in cold water...cook turkey overnight...

I wouldn't do this because I love Christmas Eve so much and wouldn't want to ruin it - surely it just means you're in the kitchen Christmas Eve morning instead of Christmas Day?

I would much rather spend a long time in the kitchen on Christmas Day because there are relatives in the sitting room because Christmas Day, though of course lovely, is frankly a bit dull. No shops open, all the radio announcers sound like they've sucked a lemon having to work on that day, and really a LOT of Lego to be constructed. Wouldn't change it blah blah, but a nice morning peeling spuds and exhausting myself taking the plastic off an M&S bird is not really a problem.

Also I like seafood on Christmas Eve, tis a personal tradition.

I love Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. Christmas Eve has all the excitement and expectation, presents under the tree, everything ready to go, lots of nice things and lovely smells in the house and everyone (hopefully) in a good mood.

Christmas Day is generally just hassle after about 10am :o

i prefer to have christmas dinner on christmas day. i cook most of the food on christmas eve whilst db keeps the monsters occupied. it doesnt take that long to finish off on christmas day.

Whatever works for your family!

We normally have the main meal when my parents come over so either Xmas eve or boxing day. Xmas day is really just for us and the kids and we eat whatever we want on that day.

We did that a couple of years ago...and then had a very quick and simple buffet thing for family on christmas day.

We won't be doing it again because the Tuna Fish pie caught fire in the oven so we had a horrible burning smell all day! (and no tuna fish pie).

I think Tuna on christmas eve and Turkey on christmas day is the way to continue from now on! .

I always buy the ready prepared veg from m&s and do as much prep on christmas eve too!

i would always worry that the veg wouldnt taste as nice the following day if prepared xmas eve

I think my Christmas day would feel like a part of it was missing if the turkey and the works wasn't eaten.

I've got into a system now of preparing everything before Christmas day - and most books and magazines seem to have got into this too as a lot of the dishes allow you to freeze beforehand.

Roast spuds for example. I was very doubtful about the result for freezing the par boiled potatoes and then on the day putting them straight from freezer into the goose fat. AMAZING they come out just the same as if you'd done them on the day.

Last year I prepared nothing on Christmas day. seriously. Even the stock for the gravy was all ready, done from the giblets. It couldn't have been a calmer, easier meal to do.

I didn't know about the roast spuds slubber!

More details please...how long do they take in the oven from frozen then?? did you freeze them the day before?? tell me, tell me!!!

It was a revelation fairies.

Peel, and par boil spuds as you would normally do. Gosh I think I did them well over a week before christmas last year. Give them the usual shake so the edges go all fluffy then tip them out onto a few baking trays to cool right down.

Stick them in the freezer on the baking trays (I think I might have put grease proof paper down on the trays so they didn't get stuck) and when the spuds have frozen you can take them off and just stick em all in a plastic bag.

On the day, if you have a single oven you have to do the bird first, then when its done take it up and cover it in foil then towels/jumpers to keep it warm and let it rest, then you can whack up the heat on the oven. Like HOT. Don't piss about with 180 - I'll go and check the temp in a minute. Heat up the goose fat in the roasting trays first then carefully tip the spuds in and cook them for an hour as per ususal.

yes just an hour! but how can that be if they are cooking from frozen? I have no idea but by gum they were bloody great.

fan-blardy-tastic!!!!

Thank-you!!! I am going to have a practice run before christmas with this one, i always do mine on very hot anyway, makes them crispier dosen't it!

Oh how i love roast potatoes .

HIJACK
Slubber are you on Facebook?

Is that you pruners? No, sorry mate. Only have room for one time vampire.

well I just checked in my christmas file (oh yes) and there seems to be a roast spud temp contoversy. Good Housekeeping (who have the tip about freezing them) say 180. deliah on the otherhand who has not frozen hers says 200. Me on my time planner last year wrote down 220. Where I got that one from I've got no idea, but my spuds weren't burnt.

I think 180 is too low for goosefat and crispy spuds tbh

Gah!

Agree about the spuds though.

sorry . Had to give it up with other internet things as too much screen time being had.

Aw don't be sad, you are eminently sensible.
xx

Yikes, we always have gammon Christmas Eve, boiled potatoes + veg we wont have the day after. Its that leftover gammon that then joins the cold turkey for Boxing Day.
We always peel the potatoes and the sprouts on Christmas eve but do the other bits half way through Christmas morning - somehow it doesn't seem to much then.

DH does all the cooking on Xmas Day and Boxing Day so I love having my turkey dinner on the big day.
I also like seafood on Xmas Eve.