Christmas entertaining

[mr_tony]

So usually the Mrs and I now host an annual Christmas shindig for friends. Figure a lot of us will be doing likewise in only a few weeks so now's a good time to share ideas for what to serve...

For us usually it's a 3 course dinner plus cheese etc, but this year it's going to be 20 adults and now 15 kids. As a sit down I have hit my limit, so this year it's buffet style. (Our lot all chip in on cost so it's not a case of being too lavish, just good food)...

Plan is pulled turkey in homemade sourdough rolls. . Planning a sprout and chestnut slaw, roast veg on skewers and pigs in blankets with a gravy on the side..

Starters will be canapés in a Christmas theme (eg Brie + cranberry tarts, mini prawn cocktails, soup shots) not decided on them yet...

Dessert will be a Christmas pud baked cheesecake and a Christmas cake and minced pies...

So anyone else planning christmas as meals? Share your menus, starters, canapés, tricks etc. we might pick up some ideas...

Edited by mr_tony on Sunday 2nd November 18:18

[Sharted]

Good excuse to spend a lot of money on a big piece of sirloin, roasted rare and people can cut a few slices themselves.

[Pferdestarke]

How are you planning on pulling turkey? Are you cooking legs only, or shredding breast also? If so I'd cook the two separately and consider brining the breasts for a few days before cooking.

Leg meat is very dark on a turkey and the tendons are like thick rubber bands.

Still, a tasty bird if done well which I'm sure it will be.

[Mobile Chicane]

I'm planning on a 'Caribbean Christmas': BBQd jerk chicken cooked looong and looow, rice an' peas, Red Stripe, Kraken spiced rum, ginger beer, coke.

No 'people', other than ourselves.

I'll be pulling up the drawbridge some time on the 21st December. After that, no interaction with the outside world will be sought, or required, until Boxing Day at least.

[Wadeski]

Having just got back from the USVIs, you wont find islanders drinking spiced rum!

get some Mount Gay or Appletons in there - or my favorite, El Dorado...

[dmitsi]

Mobile Chicane said:

I'm planning on a 'Caribbean Christmas': BBQd jerk chicken cooked looong and looow, rice an' peas, Red Stripe, Kraken spiced rum, ginger beer, coke.

We are also having a Caribbean Christmas. All I know so fair is it will involve lobster and a ham. Also requires the use of Grenada and hopefully about 28degC. Rum will be involved, and a lot of cocktails. I can't wait for Christmas in the sun.

[mattdaniels]

Wadeski said:

get some Mount Gay

But not the boggo Eclipse rough stuff which is available everywhere, get XO. Selfridges sell it, I think you can get it in Waitrose too. Much smoother and nicer either straight or mixed.

[mr_tony]

Caribbean christmas sounds pretty fine to me. If I can't get the pulling to work on the turkey then I might go this route...

Plenty of pulled turkey recipes out there, but as usual the only way is some practice so the kids are going to be sick of turkey well before Christmas...

[Pferdestarke]

mattdaniels said:

Wadeski said:

get some Mount Gay

But not the boggo Eclipse rough stuff which is available everywhere, get XO. Selfridges sell it, I think you can get it in Waitrose too. Much smoother and nicer either straight or mixed.

Woods Navy 57% is the nicest I've had. Nothing to do with the ABV, just the flavour.

[mattdaniels]

Mobile Chicane said:

I'm planning on a 'Caribbean Christmas': BBQd jerk chicken cooked looong and looow, rice an' peas, Red Stripe, Kraken spiced rum, ginger beer, coke.

One of the nicest BBQ nibbles I've ever eaten was in Barbados - chunks of plantain wrapped in bacon. BBQd until the bacon crisps up. More-ish like you would not believe.

[mr_tony]

Test run on pulled Turkey last night. It's actually hard to find turkey right now, which is surprising given the level of christmas crap in the supermarket otherwise...

Used this http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-ki...

Tweaked it a bit with molasses rather than sugar, and a bit more vinegar and some smoked paprika and a drop of water to ensure turkey drumsticks (rather than thighs) were covered about a third...

In the oven at around 130 in a big pot for around 4.5 hours.

Meat falls off the bones, I used a spoon to break it up...tendons too.

Next experiment will be to add some christmas flavours to the sauce - so orange zest and cranberries here we come.

[RizzoTheRat]

I did a pheaturducken (or is it a turduckenant? Pheasant breasts inside a chicken in a duck in a turkey) a couple of years ago and thinking of giving it another go this Christmas. This time I'll cut it in half and start carving from the centre though as last time we didn't get as far as the pheasant of Christmas day

[Hoover.]

Pferdestarke said:

mattdaniels said:

Wadeski said:

get some Mount Gay

But not the boggo Eclipse rough stuff which is available everywhere, get XO. Selfridges sell it, I think you can get it in Waitrose too. Much smoother and nicer either straight or mixed.

Woods Navy 57% is the nicest I've had. Nothing to do with the ABV, just the flavour.

I've got a bottle of Old Salt Rum hidden away for Xmas, the only rum made in UK apparently.... never tried it, but am resisting the temptation.

[Craikeybaby]

There's some great inspiration here, although I'm not too sure how far away from "normal" we will be able to deviate. The plan is to get a turkey and a ham from the local farm shop and maybe a pork pie for the evening too.

It will be our first Christmas entertaining - my family will be coming round for lunch, then the in laws etc will be coming round in the evening - we must be gluttons for punishment.

Oh, and the dining room currently looks like this:

Dining room walls rendered by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Edited by Craikeybaby on Wednesday 5th November 13:44