Serving the dinner hot

[autumnglow]

Can I ask your plan/tips for serving it all hot. Do you cook and serve immediately? , use a hostess trolley? Cook and warm up in microwave/oven? Keep it all warm in your huge oven/aga?

I've only got a double oven and am serving for 10 last year I borrowed a hostess trolley which really helped.

Heat the plates well.

We just put it all on the table in pre heated serving dishes and every one helps themselves. Put lids of the food- even if it is just plates on top.

Watching this thread like a hawk. First time hostess over here and only serving 6 but tiny kitchen to cook in (and 8mo twins to look after at the same time).

For super hot plates. I put them (and the serving dishes) in the dishwasher and set it to finish just before I need them.

For super hot plates. I put them (and the serving dishes) in the dishwasher and set it to finish just before I need them.

We normally serve 10-14 bit have a normal electric and a little wooden oven. The bird(s) are in a warmed serving dish with a lid and we put one tray each of pots, vegs etc on the table and keep the other food in the oven cooking or on top and covered with foil and oven gloves etc. Then we top up dishes as the meal goes on.

hostess trolley is a 1970s life saver.

I use the slow cooker - I cook the Turkey the day before and carve/portion it up. On Christmas morning I pop the amount of meat we need into the slow cooker with the gravy. That then frees up (my single) oven for doing the roasties and sides (chipolatas/stuffing/parsnips) etc and you have the stovetop for veg and mash if you have it (although frozen mash done in the microwave is perfect). And yes, make sure the plates are hot. If you are eating in the afternoon, the meat in the slow cooker will be hot and tender whenever you are ready to serve.

I drain the cooked veg and then leave it sitting in the pots with the lids on. I dish the stuff from the oven onto the hot plates, add the mash from the microwave, add on the veg from the pots, then lastly add the meat from the slow cooker and cover everything in the hot gravy.

Works for us every time :)

I bought a set of vacuum casserole dishes from Amazon a couple of years ago and put the veg in those - works a treat. You put boiling water in them and then empty when you are ready for the veg. They keep red cabbage, sprouts and parsnips piping hot for ages. This also has the advantage of freeing up hob and oven space and means you can already wash those pans or at least pop them in the dishwasher. They're not as elegant as using lovely Spode (or similar) serving dishes but with so much food, candles etc on the table they tend to be hidden anyway. Only cost about £13-£14. I also decant the gravy into one or two vacuum containers which I've had for years and it stays perfectly. The only veg which don't work in the dishes is roast potatoes which lose their crispiness.

Plates go in the microwave. Dishwasher is a brilliant idea though!

While the bird is resting, the potatoes and pigs in blankets are done

I have a large steamer so all of the veg is done in that.

Only thing on my hob is the gravy.

We have those things they have in Indian restaurants that keep the food warm

I have a cold starter that can be made in the morning and kept in the fridge.

All the main course is cooked then put into serving dishes, and into the oven along with plates at a very low heat. Veg is covered with cling film and microwaved before it comes out. As soon as the starters cleared its just a case of carrying everything out.

Yes I second the vacuum dishes they are brilliant, I bought a really pretty set off the market. They keep veg hot for ages