Christmas dinner with only one oven

[SilenceOfThePrams]

We've always had a double oven, and I've always used both; big oven for roasting turkey, potatoes, etc., smaller oven for cooking other veg, stuffing, keeping sauces warm and mulling over, and heating plates.

Only going to have one oven this year, and once the turkey's in, there's not going to be a lot of room for everything else.

I'm sure I can heat plates once the turkey's resting, but how do I juggle everything else?

What do others do?

Don't have the budget for a hostess trolley. Or the space!

I always do it with only one dinner, despite having two.

The turkey goes in for however long, and the ham boils. Once the turkey comes out to rest (well insulated with foil and dishcloths over it) you have an hour of free oven. That's well long enough for everything else!

We put plates on the radiator to warm, they're double radiators. Or if you've got a microwave stick them in there with a cup of water.

Potatoes cooked in advance and heated through while the meat is resting.

Plates go on a radiator or in the microwave.

Roasties in when turkey comes out with pigs in blankets

Veg in steamer.

The turkey can rest for an hour.

Roast potatoes are a priority - they go in immediately the turkey comes out.

I try to do at least 2 veg that are can be done on the stove top . So for thanksgiving last week, I did the ham in the slow cooker. Did the turkey then put in roast potatoes. About 20 mins later I put in 2 stuffings, and potato gratin and cauliflower cheese. They all fitted (just about). I did brussels sprouts and green beans on the stove top.

Not sure about UK but at this time of year, we can buy disposable (although they are reusable - I have mine for years) foil chafing dishes which can keep veg etc warm. Really helpful for keeping stuff warm for the second helpings.

Same as above, I build in an hour's resting time for the turkey which allows the potatoes to be roasted (we do small roast potatoes though). And they go in at a higher temp. We don't bother with heated plates but make sure the gravy is very hot.

I think I read on here a tip to heat the plates in the dishwasher on a quick wash timed to end when you are ready to serve up.

Turkey goes in, then stuffing and sausages underneath near the end.
Turkey taken out and put under foil.
Parboiled spuds and parsnips go in to roast at higher temp.
Carrots and peas/beans cooked on hob, ditto gravy.
Red cabbage heated up in microwave, ditto Yorkshire puddings.

Warming plates in the dishwasher is genius!

A good sized turkey will keep hot for a good hour, if you wrap it in foil (I use two layers) with a couple of tea towels on top.

That gives you plenty of time to roast potatoes and cook other veggies, pigs in blankets, etc., and make the gravy, if you're making it. Have your spuds already parboiled and ready to whack in the oven.

I often put plates on top of pots that are simmering on the hob as a makeshift lid, because I can't be dealing with the chaos in the pot cupboard to warm them as I'm cooking

But that dishwasher tip is ingenious. And a quick google has also revealed that you can cook the veg in there at the same time!

One year I cooked NDN's family dinner as well as our own as she had broken her arm the week before, so I had a much bigger turkey than usual and loads more roast potatoes etc. I got round the problem by cooking the turkey on Christmas Eve afternoon, carving it all up and putting all the carved meat in the fridge (and what was left on the carcass in the outhouse as it was conveniently freezing cold out there). The all I had to do was reheat the sliced turkey on Christmas Day - you can do that in the microwave or in a covered dish of hot gravy in the oven. It worked out really well and I've done it every year since.

Cook roast potatoes and stuffing the day before and then microwave the stuffing. Microwave the potatoes and finish them off under the grill while the turkey is resting.

thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/dwYAAOSwZJBX-L64/s-l225.jpg

One of those is brilliant for keeping all your veg and meat in while the spuds finish.

You can warm plates in the microwave too, or just in a washing up bowl full of hot water.

We also always cook our turkey and stuffing on Christmas Eve. That way we have bags of space in the oven for the roast spuds, parsnips etc. Works brilliantly.

I'm planning on doing the turkey Christmas eve and a joint of beef Christmas morning. So long as the plate and gravy are hot, it'll warm the meat up

I've got a Mary Berry Christmas book that says to part roast the potatoes the day before, so then they just need half an hour at the end to crisp up.

We always do our turkey on the BBQ. We are in the U.K. Tastes great and frees up space as am catering for anywhere between 7&12 .

Use a slow cooker if you have one

We cook our meat on Christmas Eve to free up room for everything else on Christmas Day. Last year I also cooked the mashed potatoes and carrot and swede mash on Christmas Eve too, I cook for a lot on Christmas Day and it made it so much easier. I also use a stackable steamer to cook some veg too!

Liking the idea of slow cooker ham - anyone got a favourite recipe?

Wonder if I can do tongue in it too the week before; that'd solve Christmas tea beautifully.

Thank you for reassuring me it's possible! Plates in dishwasher is ingenious. And resting the turkey for an hour is great. I am used to 20 minutes for chicken or small joints; an hour gives me plenty of time (although what on earth time am I going to have to shove it in for to be fine an hour before we need it?). Don't think I can do the turkey the day before; my carver would have conniptions.

Gordon Ramsay reckons to rest the turkey for two hours!

Yy to plates in the dishwasher to warm.

I do as much veg as I can in pans, creamy leeks, red cabbage, sprouts.

Then the oven is free for roasties, pigs in blankets, parsnips, Yorkshire puddings, nut roast.

I always get a carrot and swede mash but a microwave one cos I can't be arsed mashing it.

Depends how many you are feeding, but you can get a turkey crown - it is a lot smaller but will feed 8-10.

You just wrap the cooked turkey up - foil over the bird then a towel or tea towels

A well wrapped turkey with a couple of tea towels on top stays nice and warm. If you have the cash aldi has one of those electric buffets for £25. But I don't see the need - depends how many trays you have? Get turkey out, wack up the heat and roast the potatoes, sausages and parsnips. In my narrow oven I can juggle two small trays on each shelf or one large.

Thanks people.
Getting a grip now I think.