The great Christmas dinner thread

The great Christmas dinner thread

Author
Discussion

CB07

525 posts

232 months

Friday 30th November 2018
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I actually agree with the poster above about cooking it whole perfectly. It makes more sense to go over the top and do a full deconstruction job!

Last year I had two turkeys. One which I deboned and saved the breast rolled for a rainy day, then whipped off the legs, confit them with the wings (you can use olive oil, but goose fat seems sensible at Xmas), used the carcass and other scrap bones for turkey gravy.

On the other bird, Take off the legs. Debone one of them and stuff with one confit leg, and choice of stuffing, roll tie and cook in foil and brown to serve.

The other leg roast separately so you have brown meat for those who choose it. The crown cook on its own covered in butter and bacon.

Use the other of the confit legs to make confit leg croquettes (and I made black pudding ones as well) as beer snacks before hand.

Then assemble and eat!

A turkey extravaganza

spikeyhead

17,224 posts

196 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
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I'm going for goose, far better bird than turkey if there's only half a dozen people.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
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anyone attempting turkey in mayo, the latest fad.

Sticks.

8,707 posts

250 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
quotequote all
spikeyhead said:
I'm going for goose, far better bird than turkey if there's only half a dozen people.
I've done rolled turkey crown before for 5 which was easy and (iirc) 25mins/lb. Moist and no unwanted leftovers.

48Valves

1,926 posts

208 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
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WilliamWoollard said:
48Valves said:
.....I do inject a flavored brine the day before I cook it....
Tell me more
Basically. 24hrs before I cook it I inject a pint of brine into the bird. Last year I did maple syrup. Previously I've done orange and thyme.

WilliamWoollard

2,339 posts

192 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
quotequote all
48Valves said:
WilliamWoollard said:
48Valves said:
.....I do inject a flavored brine the day before I cook it....
Tell me more
Basically. 24hrs before I cook it I inject a pint of brine into the bird. Last year I did maple syrup. Previously I've done orange and thyme.
Thanks, I might give that a try.

h0b0

7,558 posts

195 months

Saturday 1st December 2018
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hondafanatic said:
illmonkey said:
Sprouts are a token and none are to be consumed. Those tiny little cabbage bds.
Brother!? Is that you!?

The devils food!
My mother killed all vegetables when I was a kid by boiling them. Sprouts were evil. But, roast them right and they are fantastic. Crispy leaves and nice flavor.

I’ve done Christmas dinner twice already this year. Once for thanksgiving and once the week before as a dry run/excuse to drink. The secrete is a $40 turkey oven. Plug it in a 26lb turkey is cooked in 2.5 hours. Rub butter under the skin and do the first 30 minutes at 450 followed by 2 hours at 350F and the skin is crispy and no need for basting. The speed it cooks can catch you out hence our dry run to test.

The result is moist perfectly cooked turkey and an oven you can use for roast sprouts.

sc0tt

18,032 posts

200 months

Sunday 2nd December 2018
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I’ve got my mum over for christmas day, have a 2kg turkey crown for 3 and the following day I have the inlaws. I’ll be serving fillet of beef and leftover turkey.

Can’t wait biggrin

markymarkthree

2,236 posts

170 months

Sunday 2nd December 2018
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Hopefully Tesco will look after us again with this tasty gem.






carinatauk

1,408 posts

251 months

Sunday 2nd December 2018
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markymarkthree said:
Hopefully Tesco will look after us again with this tasty gem.
I haven't seen those before, how much were they? Mind you it seems the only part for two is the crackers wink

markymarkthree

2,236 posts

170 months

Sunday 2nd December 2018
quotequote all
carinatauk said:
markymarkthree said:
Hopefully Tesco will look after us again with this tasty gem.
I haven't seen those before, how much were they? Mind you it seems the only part for two is the crackers wink
We got these last year really for a bit of a laugh but other than "a couple more spuds would have been nice" they were spot on, cost I think was £40 or £45.

ambuletz

10,690 posts

180 months

Sunday 2nd December 2018
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hold my hand up and say I've never really roasted anything. (well i did roast some beef joint once,, but that was ridiculously tough).

never been keen on turkey or chicken for xmas, always preferred either beef, pork or lamb. something you can then wouldn't even know where to start but i do know i wouldn't want to have to buy an expensive cut to start off with. wouldn't mind doing reverse searing. also the days after i usually cut up the meat into strips/fine/pulled style and shove them in sandwiches or put into a stir fry or noodles.

HTTPies

8,842 posts

186 months

Friday 7th December 2018
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Reading this thread makes me glad I hate Christmas. Will take me all of 5 minutes to make my corned beef sandwiches for work Christmas Day smile

illmonkey

Original Poster:

18,112 posts

197 months

Friday 7th December 2018
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HTTPies said:
Reading this thread makes me glad I hate Christmas. Will take me all of 5 minutes to make my corned beef sandwiches for work Christmas Day smile
If it works for you! I on the other hand can’t wait to get merry and feed all of our guests, ensure they’re stuffed and play games all evening.

Planning is getting serious, I’ll do an update tomorrow. A big Ocado order will be placed this weekend too. They may need an other van for pigs in blankets...

Birdster

2,529 posts

142 months

Monday 10th December 2018
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Does anyone here pick up a turkey from a local farm?

I normally pick up a refrigerated one from M&S or somewhere similar. Have used frozen also, but thinking of purchasing local this time. Is it worth the effort? Or any recommendations for online delivery if it’s good?

singlecoil

33,313 posts

245 months

Monday 10th December 2018
quotequote all
Birdster said:
Does anyone here pick up a turkey from a local farm?

I normally pick up a refrigerated one from M&S or somewhere similar. Have used frozen also, but thinking of purchasing local this time. Is it worth the effort? Or any recommendations for online delivery if it’s good?
We had one from a local farm and it was awful. I have never seen so much fat/grease on an item of poultry before or since.


This year the two of us will each be having one of these filled with a layer of corned beef, a layer of baked beans and a layer of textured mashed potatoes with a generous topping of melted cheese.



h0b0

7,558 posts

195 months

Tuesday 11th December 2018
quotequote all
Birdster said:
Does anyone here pick up a turkey from a local farm?

I normally pick up a refrigerated one from M&S or somewhere similar. Have used frozen also, but thinking of purchasing local this time. Is it worth the effort? Or any recommendations for online delivery if it’s good?
Traditionally, we have bought the happy organic turkey that costs the earth. We experimented with differing levels of turkey this year and found a well prepared and cooked frozen Turkey tasted just as good. Strangely, it was easier to carve due to a more uniform shape.

illmonkey

Original Poster:

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 11th December 2018
quotequote all
Our turkey is from the local (award winning, don't they all win awards!?) butchers. We've ended up with a crown, rather than a whole turkey, 3Kg and a 2Kg bit of topside beef.

I'm struggling with oven trays that allow 2 per shelf, but I think with the turkey out for an hour, that'll free up space for spuds and other stuff. I've edited the timesheet, got times from several sites that all say the same time for the turkey.

Order has been placed, with placeholders of wine so we can amend. Although I imagine the vino will just stay in the basket and we'll add to it! hehe


tribalsurfer

1,136 posts

118 months

Tuesday 11th December 2018
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I'll unashamedly put my hand up as a fraud and an imposter. Having struggled for years to get the Turkey to be moist and perfectly timed with the veg I have now given up and get a couple of large rolled breasts. Takes about 1hr 45 in the oven on Xmas Day.

Traditionally have a roast Duck around now (had it last night) fat removed and saved for the spuds and parsnips.

On a side note about 10 years ago I did a run of Xmas dinners where each year I added another veg, got to 13 when it all became a bit ridiculous and now limit it to :-

Spuds
parsnips
Brussels
Cauli
Broccoli
Cabbage
Braised Leeks
Peas
Carrots

Due to religious reasons don't do pigs in blankets but love doing cows in leather (beef sausages wrapped in salt beef).

illmonkey

Original Poster:

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 11th December 2018
quotequote all
tribalsurfer said:
I'll unashamedly put my hand up as a fraud and an imposter. Having struggled for years to get the Turkey to be moist and perfectly timed with the veg I have now given up and get a couple of large rolled breasts. Takes about 1hr 45 in the oven on Xmas Day.

Traditionally have a roast Duck around now (had it last night) fat removed and saved for the spuds and parsnips.

On a side note about 10 years ago I did a run of Xmas dinners where each year I added another veg, got to 13 when it all became a bit ridiculous and now limit it to :-

Spuds
parsnips
Brussels
Cauli
Broccoli
Cabbage
Braised Leeks
Peas
Carrots

Due to religious reasons don't do pigs in blankets but love doing cows in leather (beef sausages wrapped in salt beef).
rofl