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Christmas

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What Christmas dinner prep do you do the day before?

32 replies

Nativity3 · 22/12/2014 11:24

We are hosting Christmas this year and I want to be organised the day before.

My plan is to prepare the potatoes, sprouts, carrots etc the day before. Can I make the Yorkshire pudding mix the day before or is it best fresh?

The turkey crown etc can just go into the oven on the day but I want to spend the day with the dc rather than in the kitchen all day. Pudding is already ready to go in the oven and I bought custard as it's the only one the dc like.

What do you get ready the day before?

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Nativity3 · 22/12/2014 21:22

We eat at 1pm and I'm going to have 6 children not all mine but that's by the by here to supervise opening and building presents in the morning so I want to be part of their Christmas rather than stuck in the kitchen! :)

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dementedma · 22/12/2014 21:25

Red cabbage cooked ahead and frozen, turkey crown cooked on Christmas eve, gravy bought in - decent stuff- and tarted up with a glug of port. Parsnips and carrots prepped and in fridge over night. Nothing much else to do really....

lucysmam · 22/12/2014 21:26

Cake pop tray is pure genius for stuffing balls, I'm going to root mine out tomorrow. It'll save me space in my oven.

Girlsbrigadewashorrible · 22/12/2014 21:29

I prep all my veg the evening before, except the parsnips, which I find discolour quickly even submerged in water. I will prep the turkey so it's ready to cook the next day. Eldest DS will make pigs in blankets and I have cheated and bought stuffing balls already. I'm not stuffing the turkey because James Martin told me not to, but I will put lemons inside and lots of streaky bacon on top.

I lay the table the day before, which takes a while, and we have a picnic meal in front of the tv on Christmas Eve.

MrsHerculePoirot · 22/12/2014 21:33

I have parboiled and frozen my potatoes, carrots and parsnips already - then straight into oven on the day. Red cabbage cooked and frozen. Pigs in blankets assembled and frozen. Turkey will be prepped day before. We have others bringing various other aspects of the dinner as we have 20 here this year and eating at 130 so frankly nothing like cooking our usual Sunday roast for anyone looking down their nose at my fussing....

I also want to spend the morning with my children and family, not in the kitchen. On a usual Sunday me and DH take it in turns to cook Sunday roast and potter about in the kitchen in peace!!!!

Sleepstarved · 22/12/2014 21:46

Steam veg Christmas Eve, slightly al dente, leave to go cold, put in serving dishes with butter and seasoning, cover in cling film and in fridge.
Microwave before serving - is what al a carte restaurants do.
Stuffing will prob be made tomorrow when we pick up meat from butchers.
Will probably make the casserole for Saturday too - feeding 11 that day.
Bread sauce is made and in freezer, along with braised red cabbage for Boxing Day, and the brilliant River Cafe smashed celeriac (my fav).
I've also done a dish of broc and cauli cheese in the freezer, and one of swede and carrot mashed together for whenever.
Today I've done Jamie's winter coleslaw, which is fab with cold cuts, sandwiches ect and made another of Nigella's chocolate Christmas cakes (DH nearly got through one already ?? )
We'll par boil and rough up potatoes night before so they go straight in for roasting.

Nativity3 · 22/12/2014 22:00

Could I par boil the potatoes the night before and store in fridge already roughed up? Will they keep okay without going brown etc ?

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