Any food prep inspo

[AlwaysADramaHadEnough]

I'm thinking of prepping to make Xmas day easier as hosting for 10. Any tips ? Veg ? Stuffing etc? Which items have you found work well pre prepared

Follow Sam Nixon on Instagram. He’s done a whole series of prep steps that are v sensible and v popular. All his recipes are super good - flavourful, straightforward and tested. He’s known for kids TV rather than cheffing but has many excellent recipes - he’s doing a book for next year.

Stuffing and red cabbage can be made now and frozen. If you are having Yorkshires, they can be made now and frozen. Veg can be prepped on Christmas Eve (peel, chop etc and place in a freezer bag with a splash of water in the fridge). Don’t prepare any leafy greens in advance. If you are having swede, it can be prepared and cooked the day before and heated up in the microwave on the day. Plenty talk about doing potatoes in advance, but they are the one veg I don’t like to prep in advance.

Stuffing balls are really easy to prep now. I've already got my Christmas stuffing and pigs in blankets in the freezer as I like to choose my own sausages to use. They're simple to cook from frozen too.

I actually think red cabbage tastes better for being made in advance and again I microwave it from frozen.

You can make a very classic jus/gravy by putting half a bottle of red wine, 1.5 litres of chicken stock and a third of a block of butter into a saucepan and boiling it to reduce it down. The butter will float on top but then it will all emulsify once properly reduced. That can then be frozen and thawed and reheated in a pan on the day.

Thank you. Will do stuffing. Red cabbage, swede In advance. Didn't think to micro swede would definitely be quicker

I always do red cabbage, gravy and stuffing balls in advance. Cranberry sauce sometimes if I can be bothered, but mostly buy a jar.

if your budget stretches to a Kelly bronze turkey, the cooking time on the day is much shorter which I find means I spend a lot less time in the kitchen.

we usually have either soup or a festive terrine as a starter, both easy to prepare ahead.

Instead of dessert, we have a cheese board, Christmas cake and Nigella’s Christmas rocky toad. The Christmas cake is done and I’ll do the rocky road a few days in advance.

i peel potatoes and other veg on Christmas Eve. I’ve tried various methods of doing more in advance but never found it worth the effort.

on the day it’s turkey in the oven, get everything ready to go on, take turkey out, put potatoes in, then other veg. Heat up gravy in microwave, red cabbage on the hob and we are good to go.

https://www.instagram.com/deliciousandreal?igsh=Yng3b21vYW9idG1i

There's a whole series of prep here.

Also, there's someone else who has a recipe for clotted cream roast potatoes. Can't find her right now but I cut and paste it earlier -

Cut your potatoes the size you want them and parboil until soft (depending on how big you cut them - probably 15-20 mins unless you like them tiny). Drain them, with gusto, so the edges break up a little. Dump them back in the saucepan and add a dollop of clotted cream. Meanwhile heat your roasting tray (low sided, for maximum crunch) in your preheated oven (200°c). Remove it from the oven and add a dollop of clotted cream. Whizz it around the pan so it melts. Potatoes and cream into pan. Salt (Cornish Sea Salt, obviously) and return to oven. After 15 mins, turn them over. Return to oven for 40 minutes, without further chivvying. They’re delicious. Crisp, brown, delightful

ETA- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPgbmb9CO_X/?igsh=anhqdHA3b2tqYndt