starting to panic re my turkey now

[nailpolish]

ive never done xmas lunch and there are 13 mouths to feed - ie a 14lb turkey

mum says ill have to get up at 7am to cook it (!)

i thought maybe i could cook it xmas eve and slice it and then reheat it - is this possible?

and hows best to store and reheat

ta v much xxx

I usually cook for 14 on Christmas day, our turkey goes in at about 8amish and we aim to eat about 1.30ish (the ish's in the timing are crucial )

I aim to get the turkey cooked and out of the oven as I find everything else takes forever while it's still in. Keep it covered with foil and it will be fine for the time it takes to cook the roasties - oh and away from the cat - freshly cooked turkey is our cat's favourite food!!

Oh and a large G&T and no loiterers in the kitchen helps!! Good Luck, roll on Boxing Day!

Easily! as long as it's not out in the garden! In fact it will probably be still too hot to carve nicely after half an hour!

Yep mine too, it I dared to serve any stuffing other than Paxo Sage and onion then it would be commented on and one guest (who-shall-remain-nameless-fil) insists on covering my carefully seasoned veg with salt - but it's Christmas so I ahve to smile nicely. It would also be nice if everone waited for me to sit down at the table before they started stuffing their faces - but ho hum!

I do like Christmas Day - honest

thanks for that good post lucy, still havent decided what to do but a bit reassured the turkey stays nice and warm for a good while

No problem np!

The other thing that always gets me is how long it takes for a pan, with enough frozen peas in it for 14 people, to come up to the boil! HOURS!!!

i boil the kettle and add the peas to the boiling water in the pan

actually might micro them this year

but even with boiling kettle water they just sit there looking green and unboily at me!!

i HATE peas!

me too!!! but the dd's like them and the oldies wouldn't think it was Christmas if we didn't have them - there would be grumblimgs all round - d'you think i could cook a few for the dd's and leave everyone else's frozen, just pour the gravy on?

naily you can hack the legs off and cook them seperately if it doesn't fit

and do your stuffing separately too no need to put it in the bird itself

please cook it on the day

I think reheating it sounds horrible and personally I would find worrying about poisoning everyone more stressful than cooking

you've always got boxing day to relax

agree with Enid. Only takes about 3 hours, people really over cook turkey's according to the Oracle That Is Nigella. You cook it breast down most of the time and flip it up at the end. Bit flatter but much juicier.

dont worry, im not cooking it on the day. have decided for definite

i have ordered stuffing from same butcher - how do i cook it seperately?????

or what i really want to say

does anyone have the number for the local chinese? im sure they still have available places for a party of 13 on xmas day...