Cook turkey the evening before

[Carol52]

Just asking how many people cook their turkey the night before. I have for years and it eases there’s on the day

Why on earth would you serve it cold with hot gravy?

I put it in the bottom of the aga when I come back from midnight mass and cook it slow until about 12. Then it sits for a good hour or so until it's time to eat it

How many are you cooking for? Sounds like you’re feeding an army! Personally don’t understand the concept of re heating meat would rather have it freshly cooked on the day

I remember watching a Christmas cookery programme years ago – I think it was Gordon Ramsay – who said that you should rest your meat for as long as you have cooked it. I usually have a turkey that takes around two hours to cook, so as soon as I get up I sort the turkey, then wrap it in foil and tea towels and leave it to rest whilst I sort out the rest of the meal. It’s always been hot and delicious.

That's what I think. If you get everything ready the night before, then you still have to reheat it all next day. Twice as much work but doesn't taste as fresh and there's a risk of food poisoning with reheating.

Horrifying! I would not have been able to bite my tongue!

But more generally I would never roast meat the day before I was serving it. Lots of things can be done in advance that make the day easier where the texture and flavour would not be affected by cooking and reheating, but roast meat is not one of them.

I do this. Cook it on Christmas Eve and also make the gravy. On Christmas Day I heat it up in the oven covered in the gravy. It’s moist and delicious.

Hope r to es turkey turned out ok. Mine was nice. Merry Christmas

Absolutely do this. To serve just warm slightly and serve on hot plates with hot gravy. No one ever has noticed.

Only 364 days till the next Turkey thread! I hood all your meat ( or non meat ) dishes turned out ok.

My turkey which I cooked Christmas Eve turned out beautifully moist! And it's still moist on boxing day!

I’ll reheat it today in gravy and it is just so nice and hot.

Just finished my turkey from Christmas Eve. Heated up and made lovely sandwiches

I cook my turkey and ham Christmas Eve night , I portion it up once cool for dinners , sandwiches, pie etc , part of the ham will be used in carbonara. The legs are frozen for curry sometime. I boil the carcass with veg for stock. My mother in law is from a hotel background and she advised me the best way to reheat the meat is in a pan with a little stock , slice of ham on the bottom , portion of stuffing resting on the ham slice of turkey on top lid on steam for 10 min , always lovely and moist and can do wonders if meat is tough!!

We do this. It’s gorgeous.

I also cook another turkey on the 23rd overnight for a charity lunch on Xmas day. They reheat it and say it’s lovely

Gordon Ramsey actually encourages cooking the turkey the day before then "reheating" it by pouring the gravy over it when you're about to eat it. I can't believe thd gravy would heat it sufficiently though