Prep tips for stress free Christmas dinner

[User1704]

I have a few last minute guests to cook for on Christmas Day and I’m feeling a little stressed. I’ve only ever had to make dinner for our family so was never too worried about how it went. Now I’m feeling a little under pressure to get it right. I’ve always just done everything on the day but looking to cut that down this year. What can I do the day before? Specifically roasties what prep can I do and how do I store them overnight? Same for carrots and parsnips. Also I usually roast my sprouts can they be done the day before? Novice chef here

Feeling like I want to get cracking early this year too.

I'm prepping stuffing the day before. Will just air fry or oven on the day.
Roast potatoes can be par boiled, thrown in an oven tray with whatever oil/fat you're roasting with and covered till you need them.

Same goes for all of the vegetables to roast. If you're boiling they can all be peeled and put into pots and covered in water overnight too.

Always buy pre-made red cabbage which is easy to microwave and tastes better than I've ever made. You can also roast any meat the day before providing you store it well.

Jamie Oliver is big on Christmas dinner prep. Lots of dishes and recipes on this page. Hope it helps!

www.jamieoliver.com/christmas/collection/get-ahead-christmas-recipes/

Depends on what you are planning to make. I peel/prep all veg and keep in the fridge wrapped in plastic. I would peel potatoes and do the parboil on the day. I roast parboiled potatoes, carrots and parsnips in the oven. I just buy a jar of pickled red cabbage to heat on stovetop and usually shred brussel sprouts to stirfry. I also pre make stuffing and keep in the fridge to just reheat in microwave.

Thankyou I will take a look at the Jamie Oliver page

I'm thinking to parboil and par-roast potatoes on Xmas eve, chill and refrigerate. Then Xmas day, re-roast in hot oil. Has anyone done this before?

Yorkshire puddings I'm also thinking to make Xmas eve and then re-roast Xmas day.

Cook all your veg until not quite gone and immediately run under cold water to stop cooking further. Carrots and parsnips can be put into oven proof dishes with a blob of butter/honey into the fridge ready to put in the oven on Christmas Day. Likewise sprouts can be almost cooked, ready to be pan fried with red onion, bacon etc on the day. Tomorrow I am going to make the red cabbage and gravy.

had anyone tried Mary Berry’s double roasted potatoes? I usually prep them to the par boiling stage on Christmas Eve but never actually part roasted them before. Tempted.

Apologies for the predictive text errors. New phone seems to make things up as I type.

@Pagerty I was also looking at the Mary Berry’s double roasted potatoes recipe, would love to know if anyone has tried this?

I have turnip in the freezer , cubed and steamed ready to do as a puree .
Parsnips part cooked and in the freezer .

Carrots and sprouts will be peeled , cut , have the crosses put in (why I do the crosses I don't know but it's theraputic and keeps Satan out of the sprouts )

I did the parboil/roll in oil and freeze potatoes when it was the first Lockdown Easter as I wasn't sure I could even get potatoes again, but they are much nicer done fresh . Peel, steam, rough the edges and leave to cool in the morning .

I've got frozen red cabbage .
Not doing bread sauce, no-one eats it .Lots of vegetable gravy though.

Par roasted spuds are a must here! Mine are in freezer now along with my Jamie Oliver chicken wing gravy, rest of time looks something like this.

23rd - prep pigs in blankets, collect turkey, collect ham. Cook ham (nigella ham in coke); ice Xmas cake, make dessert (Jamie O winter bombe, put in freezer)
24th - cook stuffing (more like meatloaf!); infuse milk for bread sauce), par boil parsnips), prep carrots and sprouts, leave spuds and gravy to defrost overnight
big day - turkey goes in first thing,

If I had known about it a few weeks ago I would have had a test run.

I was planning on leaving peeled and chopped carrots and prepared Brussels in saucepans of water overnight ready to cook on Christmas Day. But I've noticed a few posts mentioning leaving them in the fridge in a food bag instead. Is that the better option?