The Great Xmas Eve Food Prep Thread!

[HolyFocacciaa]

Hey everyone!

Opening this thread out of curiosity - what are you prepping today ahead of your Christmas dinner/food tomorrow?

I’ll be making brownies, cauliflower cheese (assembling it but not baking), carrot and swede and peeling/cutting for the roasties and carrots/parsnips. Although, I’ve seen some people say don’t leave veg sitting in water overnight as it’ll go soggy…! That wasn’t a worry of mine until now 😂

Let’s share what we’re up to today, and vibe check 😂

So far today i've made a raspberry oanna cotta and black forest cheese cake. Foccacia is currently proving.

Was at m&s at 7:30 to collect our order so planning a relax and then veg prep after lunch.

Ham is in the slow cooker too!

I am planning to peel the potatoes and leave in cold water, prep a cauliflower cheese and put the game pie filling in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours. Was also going to peel/prep carrots, parsnips and sprouts and leave them in water too, but now you’ve got me worrying about soggy veg?!

Desserts are all bought in (Christmas pud and Arctic Colin for the kids), plus a neighbour gave me a tub of homemade Xmas biscuits yesterday, so no baking to do.

Might have a Buck’s Fizz….

Nothing to prep for tomorrow as my mam has gone gluten free late in the year and so I have a Cook Gluten Free xmas dinner for 4 of oven items ready to make - luckily remembered to get the turkey crown out to defrost last night!
We're doing pulled pork in the slow cooker and mongolian beef in the oven today ready for boxing day though - and DH cooked the extra turkey breast for sandwiches on boxing day, this morning.
We are going to attempt eggnog this afternoon.. yummm

Happy xmas everyone and enjoy your cooking and eating!

Very prepared!

I’m currently starting on a braised red cabbage so it’s all sorted and can just reheat - wasn’t in my OP but this was going to be my partner’s job as he’s the only one eating it… I thought I’d be festive and take it on while he’s out 😂 if anyone knows, would this be okay reheated in the microwave tomorrow? worried about hob space

Haha soggy veg is defo a first for me! I think I might just do it anyway tonight, it’s not like I’m cooking for many (just me, my partner and 15MO) but it’ll still be nice to have that done

I’ve never actually had eggnog before! It scares me 😂

Red cabbage should be absolutely fine reheated in the microwave, @HolyFocacciaa .

I’ve put a loaf of white bread in the breadmaker for bread sauce, marzipanned the cake (sadly didn’t have the energy for homemade marzipan) and am part way through making a Yule Log. Taking a break from whisking as my PIL’s electric hand whisk is feeling quite hot and an alarming smell is coming from it…
Later on I’ll make chestnut stuffing and red cabbage.
All other cooking can be done tomorrow!

I was going great guns. Made mashed potatoes, cauliflower cheese , pigs in blankets. Then my disabled child decided to poo in his special chair so it has taken an hour to clean that mess up and put covers in the wash.
there is now a lingering aroma of poop but I can do no more on that front.
Went to head back to food prep to find dh has decided today is the perfect day to tidy out the kitchen cupboards! ! There is random crap all over the worktops and he can't see why I am not thrilled about that I am off for a shower and to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol which is an annual Christmas Eve tradition.
Merry Christmas ,one and all.

I always prep veg on Christmas Eve (except parsnips) and have never noticed a problem.

The goose is arriving shortly and my lovely DP is rather nifty at jointing a bird so he’ll be doing that and then will slow-cook the legs and gravy today and just pan fry and roast the breasts tomorrow.

The roasties, red cabbage, parsnip and celeriac mash, stuffing, pigs in blankets and apple sauce are all in the freezer ready to go along with the canapés, whilst my lovely DM has been sorting a load of the other bits.

I guarantee there will be something I have forgotten but feeling fairly in control right now.

Only two of us, so most is done. Making cinnamon buns and sausage rolls this afternoon. Doing the dinner tomorrow, so no pressure -Muppet Christmas Carol also!

I'm a 2uafruple amputee but prior to my amputations it was a family tradition that my daughters and I prepared the vegetables on Christmas Eve and my husband did the cooking. This year I've managed to mostly peel the potatoes (we have a great gadget for this!) cut carrots into batons and slice leeks. Chicken (I'm the only meat eater this year) is ready stuffed and pigs in blankets are ready made.

I've made the Yorkshires and the gravy. Will peel the veg later

Is it DEFINITELY ok to peel the potatoes tonight and leave them in cold water overnight? I’m panicking now.

I've been googling as wondering the same. Everywhere says yes but keep in fridge..... I don't have room for bowls of peeled veg in fridge!
Can anyone confirm if it's ok to leave out in pans of water on the hob overnight.

I keep my fruit and veg outside at this time of year.

I've cooked the turkey and gammon. The pigs in blankets are defrosting as I bought them fresh a couple of weeks ago and froze them. The stuffing and gravy are made and I made home made Yorkshire puds I can quickly reheat tomorrow (we've got lazy and use frozen ones all the time these days). We'll prep the veg tonight or in the morning.

Guys, I have prepped my veg since I left home...potatoes,parsnips, sprouts, carrots etc every year since I left home, always left in cold water in the saucepans I use to cook them in. Straight onto the boil tomorrow morning. Never been soggy, always been lovely! Don't stress!!

Right I’m happy with that!! I’ll proceed as planned! Good luck everyone!

I often do veg the night before and leave in water. I saw something on tv this week that said carrots actually last longer if stored in water in an airtight jar (Whole mind you).

I have made a Parsnip, Chestnut and Cranberry Loaf for my vegetarian son's main course, and some veggie gravy from scratch (always been lazy and used granules previously)

I am about to peel and prep the carrots, parsnips, sprouts, cabbage and potatoes.

Christmas pudding is bought (only my husband eats it). Same with Christmas cake.

Everything else is courtesy of Tesco 😅

I have just finished work.
dh and I are about to get everything I have already prepared out of the freezer-
cauliflower cheese
braised red cabbage
carrot and sweet potato mash
yorkshIre pudding
gravy
sauSage meat stuffing balls
pigs in blankets
bread sauce

we will then peel the potatoes,parsnips and carrots for roasting and
butter and bacon the turkey and put it on a vegetable trivet
shred sprouts and some chestnuts
I hope to do very little tomorrow but cook the pre prepared lunch.
dh laid the table while I was at work
pizza for dinner tonight and then one of us will collect dd3 (20) from the pub when called and then we will collapse into bed.
Hope everyone is having a good day

Great thread! I love reading what others do for their Christmas food prep.

Out of the freezer defrosting-
PiB
B (Blankets. For my sausage hating child. I know.)
Stuffing
Sausage meat
Bread sauce
Red cabbage

Prepped today-
Green cabbage
Sprouts
Parsnips
Potatoes
Veg trivet and herb butter for chicken

In freezer ready to roast from frozen-
Rainbow carrots

Cooked a gammon yesterday. Kids assembled and decorated a gingerbread house today. Not got around to making a Christmas cake but have the ingredients in cupboard - might make in twixmas. Will bake mince pies later. Have bought desserts in fridge. Feel like I've forgotten something 🤔

I’m making 2 Mushroom, Chestnut and Red Wine En Croute, 1 GF, Rose Elliott’s recipe that I first saw in the Guardian 24 years ago! We’ve had this for Christmas Dinner every year since.
DW will make red cabbage and cauliflower cheese.
This evening we prepare all the vegetables, they don’t go soggy!

Merry Christmas everyone!