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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Help me to not spend Christmas in the kitchen please

163 replies

SugarAndLemon · 10/11/2021 08:47

I see people here speak of a cozy and fun Christmas Eve, going for walks on Christmas morning, and I don't know how they do it. My husband does an equal amount of food prep/cooking but it feels like Christmas is spent in the kitchen rather than enjoying the day. Even the night before we are prepping food rather than relaxing. Can you help us?

We don't have many people to feed and want to do a traditional roast with sides. Ordering or relying on pre-prepared food is not an option unfortunately. Where are we going wrong and how can we better arrange our days?

OP posts:
mayblossominapril · 10/11/2021 09:24

Prep ahead and freeze. I’ve already got the Christmas cake, bread sauce, stuffing and chocolate tiffin all dairy free in the freezer. I will have a chocolate log, red cabbage, cauliflower cheese, sausage rolls and various other things in the freezer by the first week in December.
I write a defrosting plan so I know what to get out when.

Iemony · 10/11/2021 09:24

we are a family of various intolerances and allergies

We have a family member who is coeliac. On occasions like this, we would all have gluten free options, to save making different versions of things, eg GF sausages for the pigs in blankets, GF yorkshire puddings, stuffing and gravy. Is that an option?

00100001 · 10/11/2021 09:28

Make it simple.

First of all tell us what you're thinking of doing/usually have.

Bit if you "just" did a fancy roast, why is it lots of work to do something like

Turkey
Second meat if using
Roasties
Carrots/peas/parsnips/sprouts/cabbage (whatever veg you want)
Gravy
Stuffing.

Most of it can be prepped before.

Eg you can make and freeze the gravy.
Peel and chop veg day before.

What are we missing? Why does it have to be complicated?

RantyAunty · 10/11/2021 09:34

What are the allergies and intolerances?
Can people bring a side that conforms to their needs?
You make the roast and others bring the sides?

EdgeOfTheSky · 10/11/2021 09:34

All these can be done ahead and frozen, thawed and reheated on the day (microwave)
Stuffing
Red cabbage
Mash
Cranberry sauce
Gravy
Bread sauce
Cauliflower cheese if you have it

Day before:
Peel potatoes
Prep other veg
Prep pigs in blankets

There is no way I would pay for good quality meat / poultry and pre cook and re-heat.

To make it manageable:

Don’t have more than one meat / poultry option. If you must, a ham (slow cooker) to go with Turkey.

Don’t do Yorkshire pudd unless you are having beef (in which case scrap the sides that go better with poultry snd ham: red cabbage etc)

Eat later. We always have Christmas dinner as an evening meal. Light lunch of smoked salmon, brown bread, mince pies.

sashh · 10/11/2021 09:38

Start by emptying on drawer in your freezer - that will be you Xmas day freezer.

Make and freeze:

Mashed potatoes
Parboiled potatoes for roasts - see posters above
gravy
Carrot and swede
Pigs in blankets

Buy frozen sprouts and any other green veg

What meat (s)are you having?

A turkey can be put in the oven (turned off) the night before unless your kitchen is really warm.

Lamb or beef can be done in a slow cooker, just put the meat in and leave, you might want to invest in a timer switch for it to switch on in the morning.

Everything in the freezer except the roast potatoes can be cooked from frozen so defrost the roasts overnight.

In the morning switch the oven or sc on to cook the meat.

45 mins before you want to eat put the roast potatoes in the oven.

10-16 mins later take the meat out to rest - cover with foil and put the carrot and swede, pigs in blankets etc in the oven.

16 mins after that boil a kettle, put the green veg in a pan, pour over the boiling water and cook for 10 - 16 mins.

HelloTreeWindow · 10/11/2021 09:38

Change the layout of the day? So after stockings it’s then dinner prep and do presents after dinner in the afternoon so less stressed and you don’t miss out?

Madcats · 10/11/2021 09:40

I'm afraid we're one of those families that just bungs it all in the oven and heads out for an hour BUT not necessarily during the cooking - we've been known to head out after mains and before Xmas pudding or after the entire affair.

What are you planning to cook? Then we can suggest what can be done the day before and popped back in the oven during the 20 minutes that you leave the joint(?) to rest.

SugarAndLemon · 10/11/2021 09:46

Sorry if I am frustrating people. Possibly I am simply a bad cook! Happy to share additional details through private messages but I’d rather not have people recognise us through our list of dietary requirements.

We were planning to do either beef or turkey and have not planned sides yet as it all felt overwhelming. Pigs in a blanket, parsnips, and sprouts will probably all have to be included at a minimum.

We do have a freezer and can make some space in there so already thinking about doing pigs in a blanket ahead. Thank you to everyone for your suggestions so far.

OP posts:
Triffid1 · 10/11/2021 09:49

You're still a bit vague but a few things on our side that might help:

  1. Lower expectations. I do more, and fancier, sides than on a normal day, but I'm not cooking 6 different side dishes. Sorry. If it's just a small group, no one needs it and if it's a big group, I ask other people to bring some. Every second year or so we do a massive christmas with friends and everyone brings something fairly substantial. Two couples do dessert, I usually do a big cauliflower cheese and/or yorkshire puddings, another woman does roasties and/or a dauphinoise etc.
  1. Planning. Look at your menu. Work out what can be done in advance. Write up an actual schedule for cooking/prepping etc. This means you aren't constantly trying to keep it in your head on the day. A lot of people use their Alexas for this too.
  1. Choose things that CAN be done in advance. I peel potatoes for the roast the night before and leave in cold water. Cauliflower cheese is always made the day before and just put in the oven. I will make gravy next week and freeze it (although that's mostly just because we like a LOT of gravy so I'll also make a more quick and dirty gravy on the day!).
  1. Make the kitchen social. Ours isn't massive but two people at least can be n there with a glass of wine organising things and we have a sort of breakfast area where often guests will sit and chat to me while I'm pottering in the kitchen.
  1. Abandon any plans for multiple christmas meals. We do pre-cooked croissants for breakfast. No way I'm making a huge brunch.
oneglassandpuzzled · 10/11/2021 09:50

@SugarAndLemon

Sorry for being so vague! Only seven people to cook for and two are small DC. I think some of the posts about the list of endless sides is part of our problem as the main seems to take less time and prep. How many sides is reasonable? Prepared food is tricky because we are a family of various intolerances and allergies. A typical roast dinner cooked from scratch is generally okay but often the same dishes when bought prepared have various allergens/cross-contamination.

I don't know what dishes are acceptable to cook a day ahead so have previously made everything on Christmas Day itself. I would be happy to do the meat or some sides a day ahead but didn't know if that was a done thing.

M and S is very good on this. I buy stuff for our coeliac son there.

I don’t find Christmas food interesting to cook although I’m quite a keen cook usually. So I buy in what I can for coeliac son, vegetarian daughter and lactose-intolerant other family member.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 10/11/2021 09:52

This thread is brilliant Wine

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 10/11/2021 09:55

Leg of lamb
Roast potatoes
Yorkshire puddings
Gravy
Carrots
Peas
Brocolli
Sprouts

Easy peasySmile

Just do less. There really is no need to spend the day in the kitchen with 7 people to feed.

Franticbutterfly · 10/11/2021 09:58

Make a few things in advance (you could do a trail run over the next month or so).

Eg. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/golden-roast-potatoes

You could make stuffing the night before and leave in the fridge. Peel and par boil carrots and parsnips and leave in the fridge then roast the next day. Red cabbage can be made in advance and if you make your own pigs in blankets they can be too.

My ultimate Xmas dinner tip is to have a couple of slow cookers turned on and warm/hot, so if things cook too quickly they can be kept warm in there.

JamesWilbysAbs · 10/11/2021 10:00

2nd meat??
cauliflower cheese?
Yorkshire puddings??
It would never have occurred to me to have any of these with Christmas dinner.

toomuchlaundry · 10/11/2021 10:02

Can people bring things to help out?

BIWI · 10/11/2021 10:04

@JamesWilbysAbs

2nd meat?? cauliflower cheese? Yorkshire puddings?? It would never have occurred to me to have any of these with Christmas dinner.
You can have whatever you like for Christmas dinner @JamesWilbysAbs! There are no rules!

@SugarAndLemon if a supposedly traditional Christmas dinner is too much, why not cook something else? Just a fancier dinner than you might normally have. We never have turkey, as no-one really likes it - so generally have a whole roasted fillet of beef, with some kind of sauce, and just a couple of veg sides. Then a pudding that's usually made in advance/in the freezer.

KurtWilde · 10/11/2021 10:04

We always have 2 meats, that way there's plenty of leftovers for later and the rest of the week but only one cooking session as they both go in at once. Yorkshire puddings are essential!

Shedmistress · 10/11/2021 10:10

We are veggie but I do one pan of roast veg with home made stuffing, and one pan of all the veg which goes on 30 mins before the roasties are out. Knob of butter on the drained cooked veg. I bung in whatever main veggie into the oven in time for it all to be finished at the same time. Make gravy during the 5 mins the frozen yorkies are in. Then serve. Takes 90 mins tops.

Greenmarmalade · 10/11/2021 10:18

OP I feel the same and am taking screenshots of all the great ideas here!

I also have vegetarians, coeliacs (cross contamination is the biggest worry), and dairy free guests. It’s hard!!

I will be freezing some stuff and seeing how to write up a plan of when if goes in the oven.

SeaToSki · 10/11/2021 10:20

Look at Delia Smith online. She has a Christmas countdown which is very helpful

I have a coeliac and nut allergy to cook for. This is what I do

Making now and freezing/putting in the fridge
Stuffing (freeze 3/4 cooked)
Pigs in blankets (freeze 3/4 cooked)
Bread sauce (freeze add a bit more cream and butter on the day)
Parsnips shaken in cornflour and parmesan (freeze after parboiling and cheesing just need roasting on the day)
Pancetta for brussel sprouts (freeze)
Gravy (freeze add brandy on the day)
Cranberry relish (fridge)
Brandy butter (fridge)
Mince pies (freeze)
Xmas pud (shelf)
Xmas cake (shelf)

I try and freeze stuff in a disposable foil tray that I will use to cook it in on the day

On Xmas eve i peel spuds and put them in a big bowl of cold water overnight so the dont brown. I prep the carrots and do the same. The brussels get trimmed quartered and thrown on the defrosting tray of pancetta, then everything comes out of the freezer to defrost overnight and I lay the table

Then on Xmas day Im cooking the turkey, doing the potatoes and basically reheating everything else while the turkey rests.

As for gf, I use gf ingredients in everything except the bread sauce and xmas cake and they just dont eat those. Everything is also nut free. I did spend a few years making a gf pud and a real pud, but we taste tested the two against each other and no one could tell the difference. I do make a buche de noel some years too (make on xmas eve and assemble on the day), and that is gf (and the kids love it)

MrsSkylerWhite · 10/11/2021 10:21

I prepare everything in advance, only cook gammon/turkey on the day. Every element of a traditional Christmas meal freezes really well.

MollysDolly · 10/11/2021 10:27

A typical roast dinner cooked from scratch is generally okay

But this is what you're essentially doing. Do you spend the night before and all day in the kitchen every time you have a roast dinner?

Do your roast dinner. Your reasoning for being stuck in the kitchen is "I must have all these side dishes to encompass all these food intolerances". When actually, you don't. If you choose to make multiple time consuming things, when you could just serve the perfectly acceptable sides to a roast dinner, then you are making a rod for your own back. No one's day is going to be dramatically altered because they've had a side of tasty carrots instead of tasty gluten free cauliflower cheese.

BiddyPop · 10/11/2021 10:35

I have generally had to work on Xmas Eve morning so we've all gone to town, and had a nice lunch there once I've escaped...so we only start prep in the early afternoon. Music on, DH and I working together, DD partially helping in younger years (now we hope she disappears to her room for her own music to avoid a row...teenage years).

Prep involves peeling potatoes and putting to soak in water in a pot, peeling and chopping carrots to soak in water in an airtight tub, peeling and chopping parsnips to put in airtight tub (ditto onions and garlic), peeling and putting the cross in the stalk of sprouts, cooking sausage meat (and the annual phonecall from DH to DMIL to remember how to do that) and making stuffing, chopping herbs and mixing into softened butter, some years brining the turkey, etc. I usually also make stock with the turkey giblets and the carrot and onion peelings.

Working together, that takes about an hour/90 minutes.

On the day, it takes a few minutes (maybe 20?) to prepare the bird (stuffing in bum, herby butter under skin, streaky rashers laid over the top, foil tent over the roasting tin), which we do when we get in from mass and a couple of extended family visits. I also throw a tray of M&S party nibbles into the oven at the same time, while we light the fire, open wine, find a nice drink for DD, light candles etc.

The rest of dinner is prepared in fits and starts in between opening presents and refilling wine. No more than 5-10 minutes in the kitchen at a time, in between long periods in the sitting room. Baste turkey a few times initially, turn on potatoes to steam/boil for 15 minutes just before turkey comes out, put foil tent back over turkey on the carving dish and cover with 2 towels (to keep heat in while it rests for another hour) and at the same time toss potatoes in fat (olive oil, duck or goose fat, depending on preference) to throw into the oven to roast, turn on carrots/parsnips to steam for 15 minutes. Next visit is to toss carrots, parsnips, onion, garlic in olive oil, juice of 1 clementine and some thyme, salt/pepper before throwing them into the oven for 45 minutes.

Then it gets a little hectic with about 30 minutes to go - making gravy (which could be done while waiting for root veg to steam or in the final stretch), steaming sprouts, doing any other veg we want (maybe wilted spinach or baby peas), putting plates/serving dishes in to warm, setting the table (which can easily be done earlier - but we use it for nice breakfast and it works to do this way for us).

Our party food nibbles are the starter, supplemented with nice crisps or hummus and breadsticks if necessary. But you can make soup ahead of time to just gently reheat (if a nice low heat, don't need to constantly stir, just when you are out doing other jobs anyway).

We do have a pudding, but generally a couple of hours after main course. But if you want it straight away, just put it on to steam as you are in that final 30 minutes and a ring gets freed up.

I know I have seen lots of people talk about doing they steaming and tossing in fat of potatoes the day before or even a while before and freezing them so they just go straight into the oven. And the same with red cabbage. I am sure you could do the steaming and tossing into the seasonings of the roasted roots the day before also (the onion and garlic go in cold), and either or both onion and garlic could be left out if necessary. I have made the gravy the day before also on occasion and just reheated it and added the turkey juices to the pot (my gravy uses bisto powder rather than flour though, so it is pretty quick to make once you have 5 minutes to stir initially).

I know DM used to always cook the ham the day before (boil and bake it) and reheat that in the steamer on Xmas Day, but turkey would be roasted on the day. Then again, turkey sliced up and reheated in its gravy is a great dinner another night, so that could well also work for Christmas Day.

I know we only do it for 3, but I grew up in a large family so catering for crowds is not that different. Instead of 1 hour prep on 24th, it would be 1.5-2 hours, and needing larger pots and tubs to put things into.

I try and already have breadcrumbs made (from ends of loaves we wouldn't otherwise eat) and frozen to just pull the bag from the freezer. And I tend to skin onions early on in the prepping, so I can ignore the slow frying of 1 diced onion for the stuffing while I do something else.

And we used to get DD involved by finding the vegetables in the fridge/cupboard, sweeping the floor, finding the best music station on the radio, getting out the big pot for the potatoes, count if we had enough potatoes/carrots/sprouts, counting enough nice napkins in a pile for everyone ready to set the table, ....little jobs she was able to do, not terribly getting in our way and making her part of the effort. As she got older, she could do some peeling and chopping as well - and then she hit teenage years where she is perfectly capable but not really interested so it's back to me and DH at the moment.

VestaTilley · 10/11/2021 10:36

Ha, when I find out I’ll let you know! Grin

I’d say reduce the sides - do turkey only (or whatever you want), no need for ham also. Ditch things like cauliflower cheese or red cabbage and just stick parsnips in to roast with the potatoes and just do carrot, swede and sprouts for veg.

If there aren’t many of you, peeling that veg shouldn’t take long, peel on Christmas Eve when children are asleep. You can use a packet mix for stuffing, make gravy with water, flour and a stock cube, tipping in the meat juices when you’ve cooked the turkey, and buy ready prepped chipolatas wrapped in bacon.

That really isn’t elaborate and shouldn’t take any longer than doing a roast chicken on a Sunday. Have shop bought puddings or get a microwaveable Christmas pudding, and job done.

If you have DC, save the more elaborate Christmas dinners for when they’re teenagers and don’t wake up so early.