Christmas Dinner Must Haves!

[littleone7]

I'm going to be hosting my first Christmas this year for 8 people. I was just wondering what are everyone's Christmas dinner must haves!? I want to make sure I don't forget anything! Thanks!

I've just ordered my online shop:

Turkey (obvs!)
Sage and onion pork stuffing
Roast potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Roast parsnips
Carrots
Gravy (loads)
Apple sauce

Buck's Fizz to drink.

There's only 3 of us. If there were more adults I'd do peas and cauliflower cheese, and sprouts if anyone wants them.

More than 5 adults I'd probably do a ham too.

For me bare minimum must haves are,
Turkey,
Pigs in blankets,
Pork and chestnut stuffing,
Parsnips,
Sprouts,
Proper crunchy roast potatoes,
Mashed potatoes,
Red currant jelly,
Gravy made with turkey neck,
Mustard.

Nice to have extras that I always do,
Ham,
Red cabbage with Apple,
Cauliflower cheese,
Sage, thyme and onion stuffing,
Herby roast carrots,
Cranberry sauce

Oh my god I forgot the pigs in blankets!!

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets epic username

Only the token two sprouts so not a problem!

I'm surprised by the lack of variation. Xmas dinner seems to be the very similar in most houses, ours included:

Gammon
Turkey crown/other smaller joint
Roasties
Roasted parsnips
Carrots, green beans, broccoli maybe
Cauliflower cheese
Mushy peas
Cranberry sauce
Stuffing balls
pigs in blankets
Proper gravy
Extra cheese sauce

I have done sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta/pardons before

christmas gammon

slow cook a smoked gammon in pineapple juice or boil on stove

oven 200 degrees make the glaze with 1 cup of light brown sugar,1/4 cup of honey,2 teaspoons dry mustard mix.Get ham remove skin leave a layer of fat.score a diamond pattern then at each point stick clove in(not garlic the spice clove).Rub glaze all over then place in tray with foil over top cook 30mins.Take foil off make more glaze 1 cup brown sugar,1 teaspoon dry mustard now add a tiny drop of OJ just enough to make it pourable but thick .Pour all over gammon then 25mins in oven then done

That and some slow cooker leg of lamb the best ever.I add to a 6.5 slow cooker 250 ml beef stock(oxo),crushed garlic,a chopped onion/carrot,leg of lamb lea perins high 6hrs

It falls off the bone so good especially with mint sauce currently only £5 a kg in tesco

Then theres the roast potato's ,i par boil on stove first and heat beef drippings in oven.Drain toss in colander with 2 table spoon plain flour,teaspoon garlic powder and a teaspoon aromat.Then roll in hot oil,next get a onion.Chop top/bottom off but leave skin on chuck that in too. Cook in pre heated oven at 210 for 30mins turn over then 30mins done

Veg i steam the brussel sprouts then serve in melted butter best way

aldi or asda do nice pre made stuffing balls in the fridge section and waitrose do these really nice pork chipolatas wrapped in bacon.I always buy pre made yorkshires as theres never enough room in the oven.Honey roasted parsnips/carrots also so good to

Red cabbage cooked with apple, raisins, white wine vinegar and a spoonful of sugar.

I like braised beef cabbage, as you can make this two days before and reheat on the day - makes life easy, pop in microwave.

Cauliflower cheese can be made the day before, make sauce pour over and add extra cheese in day and reheat, it's far better when reheated than first time round.

Red cabbage

My DH family have onion rings with roasts, and insist on them at Christmas too.

Notice no-one else has mentioned that one yet..!!

Pigs in blankets.

I hate braised red cabbage too

Broccoli
Roast potatoes
Yorkshire Pudding
garden/petti poi peas
Linda McCartney sausage rolls
Gravy
mint sauce. :D

Onion rings 😱

I need to say this very quietly. I've never had bread sauce, what is it???

OH's family always do bread sauce and pease pudding, neither of which I had ever encountered before!

I've never had it either dotdash. I plan to make it every year and buy the ingredients but never get round to making it. I like the idea of it. My Dad says it's grim though.

It's mushed up bread in milk flavoured with cloves and onions. Clove flavoured baby food. Grim is right.

bread not my cup of tea personally

allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8842/homemade-bread-sauce.aspx?o_is=LV

Sounds nasty!

Clove flavoured baby food

Turkey
Gravy
Roast potatoes
Roast parsnips
Sprouts
Carrots
Pigs in blankets
Stuffing
Cranberry sauce

One year I did all the above, plus mashed swede, red cabbage, clove flavoured baby food and pI fed about with the sprouts. I nearly had a heart attack, ended up just drinking Prosecco and not eating anything.

Since then, I've scaled back.

A nice big turkey, with plenty for leftovers so with the gammon we never eat till Boxing Day, no cooking for a couple of days
Lots of crispy roast potatoes
Sprouts, cooked until just tender
Carrots
Parsnips
Lots of pigs in blankets, made with best quality sausages cut into 3rds and good streaky bacon
Cranberry sauce
Proper gravy made in the roasting tin with all the juices and stock from the turkey giblets
Homemade stuffing: sage, onion, and sausage meat from best non fatty sausages
Crackers! Non-expensive ones, with daft plastic crap inside. Things like vampire fangs always go down well.
Christmas pud flamed with plenty of brandy and vodka 50/50
Homemade brandy butter
And a lovely dessert wine
I would add a good cheeseboard and fruit, but nobody ever has room.

Turkey
Bread sauce is an absolute categorical must; it is my favourite bit
Stuffing - if I'm honest, I'm pretty pleased when there's more than one type but I can cope with just sage & onion
Sprouts
Roasties - potatoes AND parsnips
Cranberry sauce
Gravy
Pigs in blankets
Christmas pud with pouring cream

Everything else is negotiable as far as I'm concerned.

I'll pass on the onion rings, thanks.

Following with interest, lived in the UK for nearly 20 years now and never had proper Christmas dinner the British way. Learning a lot here!