Cooking the turkey in advance

[Catnoise]

Does anyone cook their turkey the night before? We are cooking for 12 on Christmas Day and it has been suggested that we cook the turkey the night before, slice it and put it in one of those foil trays then either reheat it quickly in the oven the nest day or rely on everything else being warm to warm it up.

Has anyone done this before? Does it work?

It's our first time hosting Christmas and I'm a little neveorus.

No, the fun is in taking the whole thing out of the oven with cocktail sausages.

You can prepare the veg in advance.

My mum cooks the turkey in early December, slices it and freezes it then on Christmas Day it just needs replacing heated

My aunt does this, we dread when it's her turn on the 'rota'.

Yes it's my turn again this year, I will spend Xmas eve morning & early afternoon prepping. So I can then enjoy a stress free Xmas eve & morning with ds.

I prefer to then just pop it in the oven early Xmas morning so it's fresh & moist out of the oven, as I think leaving it overnight get might result on dry turkey, but ultimately it's up to you.

The 1st time I cooked a turkey I followed a Delia smith recipe using sausage meat under the skin and it was fab and juicy. I have now tweaked this to suit.

Good luck, if in doubt and you have a few quid spare M & S do lovely pre prepared whole fresh turkeys, that come with instructions & could pass off as your own if needs be.

If you do roast the turkey in advance, I recommend that when you slice it, put the slices in gravy when you freeze it. Then when you have thawed it out you can re-heat without the meat being dried out. Make sure it is really hot when you serve. Like others, I would be put off by dry but cold turkey on a hot dinner plate with hot veg.

We cook ours the night before. Just got the veg and roasties to do Christmas day then. Means we've got more time with the kids and aren't juggling trying to get everything cooked at the same time.

Thanks all. It seems there are mixed opinions on this! By 'in advance' it would be on Christmas Eve. So no need to freeze it.

My biggest concern is space. We are going to use the slow cooker for the ham then will have sausages, stuffing, potatoes, carrotts, parsnips in the oven. On the hob will be more vegetables. I'm sure I've forgotten some things too! I must make a list today.

You could do the sausages and stuffing the day before and just reheat.

Most people dont let the turkey rest as long as they should - the turkey should be cooked first and whilst it is resting that is plenty of time to cook everything else so you shouldnt be trying to get everything in the oven at the same time.

I slow cook the ham the day before, cook everything in the oven once the turkey is out and resting and being carved (give it a good hour or so under foil and blankets to keep warm.

Steam Christmas puddings in slow cooker on christmas morning.

If space is an issue carrots steamed on hob.

make sure your baking trays are as large as the oven can take to maximise space.

If you cook it the night before you will have to let it cool and put in the fridge. Will you have time for this?

Remember too to add a third shelf to the oven if you can- we have one in the grill we can pop down. Some veg is even better done in advance- red apple and cabbage freezes well. Just have everything prepared to Pop in the oven and a planned time Nd it will be fine. Yeah and rest the turkey under foil and tea towels for an hour or so.

You can also do the potatoes in advance and freeze them so you have cracking roasties that just need heating up

Last year I cooked my turkey crown in a bag in the 23rd. I tested it and then sliced it. On the 25th I put it in an oven tray and covered with the juices and butter and warned gently. I took it out of the juices and served on a warm plate. It was lovely and moist and will be doing it again this year. I struggled for oven space and I have a double oven!

My MIL does this, we never eat there.

We cook ours the night before, slice it and cover it in the gravy. When we reheat it on Christmas Day we cover it in bacon for added flavour and prevent drying out. I also prep all the veg, par boil the spuds and wrap up the pigs in their wee blankets. I love a Christmas dinner but love spending time with the children too. Helping them set up their new toys and playing with them so this is a happy middle ground for us

Yes. Cook it the day before. Slice and put in trays and cover with gravy. Warm through in the oven on Christmas Day.

Veg prepped the day before too and the potatoes are par boiled.

I also cook it the day before and heat through in the gravy on the day. I also cook my mashed potatoes and carrot and swede mash the day before too. Saves loads of time on the day!

I cook the turkey first thing in the morning, wrap in foil and tea towels. It's still hot when carved and lovely and juicy.

Its never the same reheated imo.