People who cook their turkey on Christmas Eve

[FernArable]

How do you keep it moist? I want to do as much prep on Christmas eve as possible and I'm considering cooking the turkey then too but I'm worried it will be to dry?

So would you serve cold turkey? Or reheat it and therefore make more work for yourself? Sounds a stupid idea.

Oh please don't. My MIL did this one year and it was the most joyless Christmas ever - spent all of Christmas Eve smelling delicious roasting smells that we couldn't eat any of, and on the Christmas Day instead of a great big shining golden steaming roast bird on the table all we had were pathetic warmed up slices with gravy over them like school dinners. Leave out side dishes, scrap extras, but roast the meat on the day!

We cook it overnight in the slow oven. Don't do this with a boneless bird within a bird thing though, or it may be totally cooked by seven in the morning

Tom Kerridge on Radio 2 this morning suggested warming very slowly with some stock and butter to keep it moist. It would steam it as it warmed through I think - possibly cover with foil or similar as well?

I do this when FIL gets his ostrich sized bird (we have had to cut legs off to get it into the base of the oven before now).

Cook it the day before and once just cooked (according to a meat thermometer) take it out and let it rest upside down, covered in foil and wrapped in T Towels. Leave overnight in that position.

The next day I slice the breast up quite thickly and lay it in a large roasting tin, chuck the uncut legs/wings on top of the breast meat and pour the juices back over it. I cover it in foil and place it in the bottom of the oven. It warms back up gently and the juices keep it moist. At the last minute I take the meat out and place it artfully (!) on a pre-heated serving platter and make the gravy from the remaining juices.

I've been complimented many times for how moist the turkey is when I do it this way, and it saves so much hassle (especially when I am trying to cook for 16 in a galley kitchen!)

Hmmm.... very mixed reviews! Thank you for all the replies!
Onesleep It's more about space and time in the oven than saving time in general.
LtEve That sounds lovely and easy I may just try that.
I plan on preparing everything else during the day on Christmas Eve so might have the time to do the turkey on Christmas day but I'm getting the pre-Christmas nerves and don't want to miss the kids opening their presents,

I cook it the day before, then I have my carcass for stock for soup and the gravy can be premade from the roast juices, I then carve/joint it and split it into enough for Dinner and then boxing day.

On Christmas day, I pop it in the slowcooker with the gravy and it frees up the oven for the roasties etc. It still smells delicious and is beautiful and moist and tasty.