Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH what can i freeze in advance?

14 replies

andthenshewasdone · 13/12/2011 15:09

as above really! will be 8 adults and 4 children for christmas lunch and tea. So far I have made christmas cakes and am now thinking what else can i get ahead on.....
any ingenious ideas appreciated.

tia

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 13/12/2011 15:15

You could make gravy and freeze in advance. Jamie Oliver has a good recipe for that. Chestnuts can be cooked, peeled and frozen. I tend to take the view that lots of guests means lots of kitchen lackeys and no-one should be unemployed! Hand out the spud peelers, bowls, carrots and bags of sprouts etc.... keep your kitchen crew nicely oiled with drinks whilst supervising. Makes lunch more communal and festive.

vixsatis · 13/12/2011 17:10

stuffing
bread sauce
stock for gravy
mince pies
sausage rolls
braised red cabbage

louby78 · 15/12/2011 16:08

I'm going to do my cranberry sauce, stuffing and bread sauce and freeze.

Tinkerisdead · 15/12/2011 17:24

Ive frozen jamies gravy, stuffing, sausage rolls, sausages in bacon (raw), gonna attempt to freeze quiches but not sure how that will fare. I also want to freeze a ham hock terrine but google cant seem to tell me if its possible.

santastooearlymustdache · 15/12/2011 17:26

potatoes can be frozen, ready to roast

par boil and shake 'dry', brush in melted goose fat/oil and open freeze on a tray until solid, then bag up and use from frozen.
need about 30mins in a hot oven

MoreBeta · 15/12/2011 17:30

TheDoctors - definitley best to make, bake and freeze the quiche pastry cases unfilled. Then just take out, thaw and put in the filling in fresh and bake. It does not take much time to make the filling.

fatsatsuma · 15/12/2011 17:32

I've got Nigella's Christmas which is brilliant as every recipe has make ahead and freeze ahead tips (where possible).

I've already done stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, mince pies and the fantastic BBC Good Food Christmas Pie for Boxing Day. I love my freezer Grin

PotteringAlong · 15/12/2011 17:32

Red cabbage is fine frozen in advance too!

InTheZenGarden · 15/12/2011 17:39

I've parboiled and then frozen parsnips, they can go in the oven from frozen... didn't realise I could do potatoes too mustdache ... will try that, thanks :)

Not a freezing question, but can I prep all veg - carrots, sprouts, shallots, broccoli - the day before? Doesn't sound like much work, but it all adds up, and I want to enjoy the day with the kids, not be peeling veg!

Thanks :)

janx · 15/12/2011 21:31

Hi
That good food Christmas Pie sounds good....at what stage should I freeze it?

Tinkerisdead · 16/12/2011 09:19

I do all my veg the day before and leave it in cold water. Sprouts splay a bit if you are the tradional type that puts an x on the stalk. Thanks for the pastry tip morebeta. Off to check out christmas pie!

fatsatsuma · 16/12/2011 20:26

janx I freeze it after cooking, defrost overnight in the fridge and serve cold. We're having it with ham, baked potatoes and salad on Boxing Day. This must be the fifth year running I've made it.

janx · 18/12/2011 12:57

Thanks Fatsatsuma (love your name btw)

ChestnutsREASTIEingOnTheFire · 18/12/2011 16:37

inthe I've always prepped my veg and left them on the hob in saucepans covered in cold water for the night. It's always been fine for me Grin

New posts on this thread. Refresh page