The Christmas Dinner Thread
Discussion
I thought this thread would be a great way to share any hints and tips you have for cooking the Christmas Dinner.
With 10 days to go, I have already got my meat (Pork Belly) and some excellent sausages in. Will be buying the rest this week. I will also make two different types of stuffing: chilli and Apple, and, Sage & Onion.
This follows on from my Roast Potato Thread last year: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=2&a...
With 10 days to go, I have already got my meat (Pork Belly) and some excellent sausages in. Will be buying the rest this week. I will also make two different types of stuffing: chilli and Apple, and, Sage & Onion.
This follows on from my Roast Potato Thread last year: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=2&a...
Well after much thought I've decided to make life easy and go with this;
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/basket/
No shopping, no prep, good quality, hassle free meal...and there'll be enough Turkey left over for sandwiches!
Arranged to collect on 23rd December and very much looking forward to it
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/basket/
No shopping, no prep, good quality, hassle free meal...and there'll be enough Turkey left over for sandwiches!
Arranged to collect on 23rd December and very much looking forward to it
lambysdad said:
Well after much thought I've decided to make life easy and go with this;
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/basket/
No shopping, no prep, good quality, hassle free meal...and there'll be enough Turkey left over for sandwiches!
Arranged to collect on 23rd December and very much looking forward to it
That link takes me to your basket.... I think you'll need to post the address for the actual item. http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/basket/
No shopping, no prep, good quality, hassle free meal...and there'll be enough Turkey left over for sandwiches!
Arranged to collect on 23rd December and very much looking forward to it
extraT said:
That link takes me to your basket.... I think you'll need to post the address for the actual item.
Try this;http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/listing/m...
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/listing/s...
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/listing/s...
http://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/listing/s...
some of the things from M&S do look interesting (pigs in blankets mmmmmmmmmmm drool).
I have one mate who will make a curry-roast for xmas! He says he will make a roast as normal, only as well as rubbing salt etc... to get crispy skin, he will also add a mit of curry powder! Sounds interesting.
I have one mate who will make a curry-roast for xmas! He says he will make a roast as normal, only as well as rubbing salt etc... to get crispy skin, he will also add a mit of curry powder! Sounds interesting.
At the in laws for Christmas day, but as there is 10 of us and their oven is quite small, I'm helping out with some bits as they are only a minute or two away.
Roast potatoes - put potatoes in cold water, bring to boil for 10 minutes, drain and shake in colander to give a nice floury outer. Cover with a 50/50 mix of olive oil and butter, put in oven at 190C for 30 mins, take out and add some rosemary and thyme, then back in for another 30 mins.
Cabbage - slice fairly finely, put in dry saucepan. Add a small amount of fairly strong chicken stock and bring it up to the boil. Stir the cabbage in the stock and let the stock boil off (adding small amounts more if necessary until the cabbage is cooked), then add a little butter while the cabbage is still hot.
Stuffing - take some stale french stick (smallish one), some stale soda bread and a pack of fresh sage in the blender and turn to breadcrumbs. Put that aside, then a red onion into the blender before mixing it with the breadcrumbs, plenty of salt and pepper, a little garlic, dried cranberries and a few crushed cashews. Add a pack of sausagemeat and mix thoroughly. I guess that takes about half an hour to cook, but it's in the freezer now.
Roast potatoes - put potatoes in cold water, bring to boil for 10 minutes, drain and shake in colander to give a nice floury outer. Cover with a 50/50 mix of olive oil and butter, put in oven at 190C for 30 mins, take out and add some rosemary and thyme, then back in for another 30 mins.
Cabbage - slice fairly finely, put in dry saucepan. Add a small amount of fairly strong chicken stock and bring it up to the boil. Stir the cabbage in the stock and let the stock boil off (adding small amounts more if necessary until the cabbage is cooked), then add a little butter while the cabbage is still hot.
Stuffing - take some stale french stick (smallish one), some stale soda bread and a pack of fresh sage in the blender and turn to breadcrumbs. Put that aside, then a red onion into the blender before mixing it with the breadcrumbs, plenty of salt and pepper, a little garlic, dried cranberries and a few crushed cashews. Add a pack of sausagemeat and mix thoroughly. I guess that takes about half an hour to cook, but it's in the freezer now.
I'll be doing my usual far to much food. Got a turkey, double rib of beef, bacon, sausage meat and sausages on order from the butchers to pick up on the 23rd. Will grab all the veg from the greengrocer a couple of days beforehand and will grab things like horseradish, cranberry sauce and stuffing from the local deli this weekend.
It will be a boring traditional affair, roast the turkey covered in bacon and stuffed with oranges and onions to keep it moist on Christmas eve. Do roast beef, pigs in blankets, selection of stuffings, some with sausage meat, some without. Roasted heritage carrots, braised red cabbage, roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes, broccoli and probably spinach fried in garlic and butter.
All washed down with my wife's favourite sparking red wine from South africa. Any space left over will be filled with her devilishly alcoholic mince pies.
All this and only 2 adults and a toddler to enjoy it!
It will be a boring traditional affair, roast the turkey covered in bacon and stuffed with oranges and onions to keep it moist on Christmas eve. Do roast beef, pigs in blankets, selection of stuffings, some with sausage meat, some without. Roasted heritage carrots, braised red cabbage, roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes, broccoli and probably spinach fried in garlic and butter.
All washed down with my wife's favourite sparking red wine from South africa. Any space left over will be filled with her devilishly alcoholic mince pies.
All this and only 2 adults and a toddler to enjoy it!
Chicken and Turkey ordered from the butchers, and I'll pick up a supermarket duck as the butcher only does small ones and I want the duck between the chicken and the turkey as it's a darker meat. As my mother, who's allergic to pork, isn't coming to us this year I'll be going for a sausage meat and chestnut stuffing I think.
Got a large turkey crown ordered from a decent butchers. Comes with 20 pigs in blankets. Going to cook that alongside a 5 rib rib of beef too.
Had a dry run this Sunday with just me and the girlfriend. Aldi's dried stuffing is surprisingly good. They also have some tinned of vacuum packed chectnuts in a tin. I cooked the chestnuts with sprouts, broccoli and bacon lardons with some garlic. Lovely.
Had a dry run this Sunday with just me and the girlfriend. Aldi's dried stuffing is surprisingly good. They also have some tinned of vacuum packed chectnuts in a tin. I cooked the chestnuts with sprouts, broccoli and bacon lardons with some garlic. Lovely.
theshrew said:
So for some reason I decided to cook Christmas lunch this year. The thing is I've never roasted meat before 
I want to try and do a real good job for the family.
So have you chaps got any top tips on how to cook a Turkey ?
Check out sorted food if your a beginner (I think Jamie is a PH'er) I want to try and do a real good job for the family. So have you chaps got any top tips on how to cook a Turkey ?
They recommend cooking it upside down to keep the juices in the breast, then turn it over at the end to crisp up the skin. Interesting thoughts.
Cooking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrhOtVIKzI
Carving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQuZKT3Fsw
Also cook your turkey an hour in advance to free up the oven for the other bits. Let the turkey cool slightly to release some heat, then cover in foil and clothes to keep it slightly warm whilst everything else is cooking. It will keep the breast juicy without retaining so much residual heat to overcook and dry out the meat.
Warm it all up with hot gravy. Lob loads of sausage, bacon and stuffing on the plate and your done.
Also saw this from Jamie Olivers Food Tube last night - DJ BBQ & Paul Kelly tips on carving a turkey. Plus Turkey Crackling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtQzVWdSiGo
Nick Grant said:
I'm cooking a rib of beef on the BBQ
Sir, I like your style. Have bbq'd joints of beef, lamb and duck before, but never on Christmas. I one day would like to deep fry my turkey. Alas this year I shall be roasting a couple of rolled Turkey breasts and a duck. Wife is Jewish so instead of pigs in blankets have my own twist of beef sausages wrapped in shaved salt beef, i call it Cows in Leather and works ridiculously well.
7 adults and 2 under 2 for me this year which is the most ever so it will all be as easy as possible although I am going for 3 stuffings all shop bought of course there will be a meat one a traditional Sage and Onion and I found a Cranberry and Hazlenut the other day.
The rest:
No sit down starters instead 2 or 3 bitesized nibbles around the house to have with some fizz probably Smoked Salmon based one and a pate I will make my own bread the day before.
Turkey Crown.
Pigs in Blankets
Roast veg: Spuds, Parsnip and Carrots roasted in Rapeseed Oil and some Rosemary.
Sprouts shreaded with parma ham and kept warm at the bottom of the oven.
Other Veg boiled.
Red Cabbage braised the day before and heated up on the day.
Gravy shop bought.
Desert is traditional Christmas pud and something else. I quite fancy going down the sticky toffee pud route why not throw tradition out of the window.
Wine - A couple of Reds, White and ofcourse fizz on arrival.
The rest:
No sit down starters instead 2 or 3 bitesized nibbles around the house to have with some fizz probably Smoked Salmon based one and a pate I will make my own bread the day before.
Turkey Crown.
Pigs in Blankets
Roast veg: Spuds, Parsnip and Carrots roasted in Rapeseed Oil and some Rosemary.
Sprouts shreaded with parma ham and kept warm at the bottom of the oven.
Other Veg boiled.
Red Cabbage braised the day before and heated up on the day.
Gravy shop bought.
Desert is traditional Christmas pud and something else. I quite fancy going down the sticky toffee pud route why not throw tradition out of the window.
Wine - A couple of Reds, White and ofcourse fizz on arrival.
Merp said:
Check out sorted food if your a beginner (I think Jamie is a PH'er)
They recommend cooking it upside down to keep the juices in the breast, then turn it over at the end to crisp up the skin. Interesting thoughts.
Cooking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrhOtVIKzI
Carving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQuZKT3Fsw
Also cook your turkey an hour in advance to free up the oven for the other bits. Let the turkey cool slightly to release some heat, then cover in foil and clothes to keep it slightly warm whilst everything else is cooking. It will keep the breast juicy without retaining so much residual heat to overcook and dry out the meat.
Warm it all up with hot gravy. Lob loads of sausage, bacon and stuffing on the plate and your done.
Also saw this from Jamie Olivers Food Tube last night - DJ BBQ & Paul Kelly tips on carving a turkey. Plus Turkey Crackling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtQzVWdSiGo
Thanks for that I will have a look at that :-) They recommend cooking it upside down to keep the juices in the breast, then turn it over at the end to crisp up the skin. Interesting thoughts.
Cooking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrhOtVIKzI
Carving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQuZKT3Fsw
Also cook your turkey an hour in advance to free up the oven for the other bits. Let the turkey cool slightly to release some heat, then cover in foil and clothes to keep it slightly warm whilst everything else is cooking. It will keep the breast juicy without retaining so much residual heat to overcook and dry out the meat.
Warm it all up with hot gravy. Lob loads of sausage, bacon and stuffing on the plate and your done.
Also saw this from Jamie Olivers Food Tube last night - DJ BBQ & Paul Kelly tips on carving a turkey. Plus Turkey Crackling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtQzVWdSiGo
Merp said:
Check out sorted food if your a beginner (I think Jamie is a PH'er)
They recommend cooking it upside down to keep the juices in the breast, then turn it over at the end to crisp up the skin. Interesting thoughts.
Cooking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrhOtVIKzI
Carving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQuZKT3Fsw
Also cook your turkey an hour in advance to free up the oven for the other bits. Let the turkey cool slightly to release some heat, then cover in foil and clothes to keep it slightly warm whilst everything else is cooking. It will keep the breast juicy without retaining so much residual heat to overcook and dry out the meat.
Warm it all up with hot gravy. Lob loads of sausage, bacon and stuffing on the plate and your done.
Also saw this from Jamie Olivers Food Tube last night - DJ BBQ & Paul Kelly tips on carving a turkey. Plus Turkey Crackling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtQzVWdSiGo
Thanks for the tips. They recommend cooking it upside down to keep the juices in the breast, then turn it over at the end to crisp up the skin. Interesting thoughts.
Cooking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrhOtVIKzI
Carving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQuZKT3Fsw
Also cook your turkey an hour in advance to free up the oven for the other bits. Let the turkey cool slightly to release some heat, then cover in foil and clothes to keep it slightly warm whilst everything else is cooking. It will keep the breast juicy without retaining so much residual heat to overcook and dry out the meat.
Warm it all up with hot gravy. Lob loads of sausage, bacon and stuffing on the plate and your done.
Also saw this from Jamie Olivers Food Tube last night - DJ BBQ & Paul Kelly tips on carving a turkey. Plus Turkey Crackling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtQzVWdSiGo
Virgin Turkey cooker and I absolutely nailed it today. I've never had Turkey so moist ever it was fantastic.
Really shocked myself and the rest of the family how well it went, im a well happy bunny thanks again
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