Prepare ahead Christmas lunch?

[changychangy]

I'm a confident cook but have decided to get as much as possible done in advance this year.
Having never been one for freezing I've been googling and it seems that lots of components can be done well ahead. I'd love to know what works and what doesn't.

Gravy, Delia says you can freeze.
Parmesan parsnips
Par boiled potatoes
Sprouts, seems easier to do on the day
Trifle, on the day but any shortcuts welcome.

Has anyone else got the urge to get food organised?

theoretically, you can do everything, including plating up, then freeze. I've only every done a 'big' xmas meal (ie more than close family) a few times, and my only advice would be to get some of the more fiddly and time-consuming things done in advance, such as veg prep (& par-boil if needed), make up pigs-in-blankets, cranberry sauce etc. None of these need freezing if done the day before, just put into fridge. However, fridge space can be at a premium, so would ask around guests if they can keep some stuff for me.
if you have the space, you can set the table in advance as well.

Bread sauce can be frozen
Red cabbage can be done well ahead
Partly cooked roast potatoes can be frozen

Marinade olives in herbs and garlic.

I prepare all my vegetables the day before and put in water and keep in the garage. The meat is prepared and ready to put on the oven. Yorkshire mix done along with stuffing. Gravy is easiest to make a roast in December and make double up gravy freeze.

Table laid day before.

I have a table top hostess which I use for the vegetables and cook then for half the time normally needed and pop in hostess 60 minutes before serving meat, Yorkshire etc

Seems to work and very little to do but wait around drinking

I aim for minimum faffing about on the day so I can have a couple of drinks and not injure myself
Par boiled and frozen spuds can be roasted from frozen (google the Good Housekeeping instructions).
Pud goes in the slow cooker.
Trifle, prep the sponge and jelly in the bowl, then add fruit, custard, cream on the day.

Great tips, thank you.
I'm interested to know about freezing bread sauce, it would be nice to not faff about making breadcrumbs on the day.
Normally I make cranberry sauce the day before.

changychangy

BBC reckon you can freeze it for a month:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/893640/traditional-bread-sauce

Or just par boil the potatoes on Christmas eve and leave to go cold after you have shaken them. Then roast from cold.

I haven't got a very big freezer.

So far I have frozen, orange maple carrots and parsnips ( delia i think) cranberry sauce ( only because I can't always get cranberrys where I live and there were some in the supermarket this week). Cauliflower cheese, roasted sweet potato and celeraic. Will probably freeze delias sprouts with bacon. Must try and remember I am not feeding fourteen people this year!

Stuffing/stuffing balls can be frozen.
Cranberry sauce is stewed fruit so can be frozen, l'd add a splosh of port just before serving.

Good point Humph. A lot of recipes are for very big servings. My teens eat like horses but PIL sparrows.
Mind you, I enjoy eating left over lunch more than on the day.

I get all the meat components ready to point of putting them in the oven, wrap them in foil, label with weight and cooking time, then freeze. We could roast then freeze, but I think dh likes the drama and ritual of the actual cooking on the day.

I don't like freezing the roast veg, as I think it changes the texture. However prepping and part-roasting a day or two ahead not only saves time on the day, but IMO improves the texture.