How soon can I cook veg?

[FaithLoveandGrace]

DP and I are spending Christmas with my parents. We've offered to do the roast veg - so carrots and parsnips. We'd do more but dad greatly enjoys cooking and won't let us. I'm wondering how soon I can do it. Tomorrow afternoon we're going to my parents so it has to be before then. I'm wondering if I cook them tonight, will they still be okay on Thursday? The ovens on for dinner so I thought it'd be good to make use of it instead of putting it on again tomorrow. Probably a bad idea though isn't it?

You could do them now and chuck them in the freezer overnight? I frequently roast too many veg to keep some in the freezer for use in quick week-day meals, and they come out fine

Good idea ditzzy. Only thing is, I suspect they may defrost a little getting to my parents tomorrow. Do you think that'd be an issue?

Can you tell I'm not used to preparing things in advance. I normally just cook on the day at home.

I would do as ditzzy suggested and take them out of the freezer last minute tomorrow and put them straight in the fridge as soon as you get there. DON'T FORGET THEM!

Have you not had your sprouts on since October? They'll be underdone.....

(Sorry, not helpful.)

If you stick them in a cool bag or something (or just not keep anywhere too hot) and let them defrost again slowly and then just put in fridge when you get there, and they'll hopefully be fine to use on thursday. Freezing for short length of time should just buy you the extra day of keeping them fresh enough!

Just don't overcook them the first time round or they might just turn to mush...

Oops that was slow typing, where did everyone else come from.... agree with lifesalemon

Thanks :) will put them on the freezer and take them out tomorrow afternoon then. I'm glad I started tonight actually, looks like it'll take two lots as cooking for 12.

Good luck!

But surely you will just par boil today, add fat, then bung in the oven to roast on Christmas day.

Or am I doing it wrong?

angie I would do except dad's oven will be jam packed on Christmas Day so I said I'd make them in advance at ours :)

Oh, so how will you heat them up? In the microwave?

That's the plan :) if I put them in the fridge when we get there tomorrow afternoon, they should have defrosted for when we need them. Then we can reheat them in the microwave.

Won't microwaved roast veg be a bit soggy?

mrscampbell I've done it before and it always comes out fine. Though that's leftovers reheated rather than the entire thing reheated. My nan used to make lunch and then reheat everyone's dish as it'd gone cold by the time she'd dished it all up. Always tasted good to me :)

I don't understand what you mean! Are you doing roasted parsnips and carrots? Together?

damsel I'm roasting the carrots and parsnips this evening - our oven is the worst and takes about 90 minutes from start to finish - freezing them as others have suggested overnight, then defrosting and reheating in microwave on Thursday. Tbh I don't have time tomorrow and glad I'm doing them tonight. I haven't done roast veg for a while and forgot how ridiculously slow our oven is!

The carrots and parsnips are in separate roasting dishes but I can't see the issue with cooking them in the same one. When it's just DP, DSS and I we cook potatoes carrots and parsnips all in the same one.

But there is no need to freeze them. They will last for more than two days in the fridge.