Holy moly - just realised that I have to cook a turkey to feed 36 next week!

[CantSleepWontSleep]

My post-natal group are having a Christmas party, and this year we're letting the dads come too. There are 12 of us, plus dads, plus 12 nearly 3 year olds (plus some younger babies, but none old enough to eat significant amounts).

How do I know how big a turkey to get, and how on earth do I then find one that big?!

I don't believe such a turkey exists. If it does, it will be in the oven for days. Does it have to be the full Christmas roast - could you not do a hot buffet thing instead?

Apart from the turkey issue, think of the quantities of potatoes/vegetables etc you'll be dealing with. I'm starting to get stressed about it just posting on the subject . I really wouldn't go there - you can have a Chrstmas party without doing the whole festive turkey thing.

How exciting! Get some turkey crowns, you'll never get a turkey that size in the oven.

isn't anyone helping you?! where will you all sit?

if you make lots of buffet style stuff to go around, people will only need a slice or 2. Do some sausages, do some chicken drumsticks earlier in the day. Work on 1-2lb turkey per person.

I'd do a cold Christmas lunch, as too many people to co-ordinate keeping the food warm, just whilst they queue for it!

So have all the christmas flavours, such as piccalilli, some stuffing is yum cold, cheeses, coleslaw, lots of chopped veg crudites like carrots and celery.

Have yum bread, french stick or some rolls.

Think of it as a cross between Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Kids will be hyper so won't eat much (from when I remember my many NCT parties!) they will just cruise around.

1 to 2lbs of turkey per person!!!!!!!

Are you catering for 36 in a normal domestic cooker?

I have a bigger (90cm wide?) oven, and I only have to do the turkey, as another sucker volunteered to do all the veg .

Seating etc not a problem as we're having it in a scout hut.

I'll cook it on Friday, then on Sat we'll carve it, and warm the slices in an oven with some gravy over. This worked well last year.

I'm sure you know what you are doing but here's a reminder re reheating turkey

The thought of cooking for 36 people makes me break out in a cold sweat!

Well in that case you could cook 2 turkeys if you wanted to!

I would definitely think about either cooking 2 turkeys, or cooking a turkey plus a chicken or 2, or also having a joint of roast ham cooked already.

You don't need a turkey, you need a small dinosaur. And a big oven.

Remembered seeing something in 'Delicious' magazine recently:
" Here's a trick that caterers use that can easily be adapted for the home. Cook the turkey so it's ready anything up to 2 or 3 hours before you sit down. Let it rest as usual, then carve (in the calm before the storm) and arrange ths slices in neat portions (with a little stuffing sandwiched between), spaced apart on shallow baking or roasting trays. Pour in enough water to form a film in the bottom of the tray. Cover tightly with foil and set aside. About 10 minutes before serving, warm through in a hot oven. The water turns to steam, leaving you with lovely moist hot portions of turkey that are ready to serve."

You need to butcher the turkey and cook wings and legs separately in a roasting tray.

You could even buy extra wings and legs and cook a smaller bird.

Why not buy some boneless turkey breast joints instead from the butcher? My sis used to do this when they cooked christmas lunches in their pub. They will be quicker to cook, easier to carve and no waste (unless you want to do a whole bird so that you have bones for stock at a later date??).

The leg meat is the best bit ladies, so what's with all these suggestions that exclude it?!

Anyone know a butcher that sells small dinosaurs ?

At least I only have to do dessert for 15 for my other group Christmas lunch. That does have to be dairy free, gluten free and nut free though, so am not sure it's any easier .

I would get at least 2 decent size turkeys around the 7kg mark cook and carve before hand then reheat thoroughly

I think my mum used to get a 32lb turkey for about 27 of us.

There was always some left over for the very important turkey sandwiches!

She does have a very large oven and would have to get up at the crack of dawn to switch it on.

I think two turkeys would be the way to go. Although, I doubt the children would eat much. Mine only have about one slice - it's the gravy and roasties they love!

How about doing a Ham with it?

My Mum and I help with a Christmas Meal for our Church cafe. Usually 40-50 people. We do turkey but also a ham. Very easy to cook days before and everyone's happy to have a slice of each. Also seems to be as festive as Turkey

I would worry about reheating it on Saturday if it was cooked the day before, even if it was OK last year. You don't all want to be laid low a couple of days before Christmas...

2 words:
POT LUCK.

my mom's family is HUGE (well over 30 people) but when everyone brings something it makes it much easier. Host does the turkey and that's it.

ok, sorry, just seen that the link above says it's ok to reheat turkey. I (paranoid) had got the idea you weren't supposed to at all, but people make hot things with leftover turkey, don't they.

You need boned rolled turkey, every good butcher will have them and advise how much you will need, some even have stuffing rolled into them. Put herb butter under the skin, and lots of steaky bacon over the top, and it will be self basting!

Herb butter would render it inedible by at least 2 of us!

I might just pop into a butcher and compare the price/hassle/flavour of rolled boned versus a whole turkey given the Nigella treatment though, so thanks.

It seems that we are down by 5 adults and 2 children from original numbers, so now it's only 19 adults and 10 children it will be a doddle .