Posted by Chris Randle on 5th Dec 2019
The Beginners Guide To Christmas Dinner Preparation
There is so much to prepare for the perfect Christmas dinner and everyone adds their own twist. That twist comes with experience and you are unlikely to pick that up from any cookery book. But, if this is your first time cooking for your family or friends then don't panic because there are plenty of recipes to see you through.
First up for the Christmas diner preparation is a nice Mulled Wine Recipe. Cooking can get stressful so a nice tipple will help offset the stress of all that prep!
Ingredients
1 Bottle Red Wine
1 Stick of Cinnamon
1 Orange (Rind)
200g Caster Sugar
6 Cloves
1 Whole Nutmeg
Method
Step one: Put sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange rind, and about 10 gratings of nutmeg in a pan
Step two: Add in just enough red wine to cover the sugar and let simmer until the sugar has dissolved and a thick syrup has formed
Step 3: Turn the heat down and add in the rest of the wine, continue to heat until the wine is warm. Strain and serve.
Turkey
Preparing the turkey for Christmas has often received a bad reputation over the years. This element of the meal can lead to overthinking. Will it be dry or undercooked? Relax and follow these steps for succulent turkey meat on Christmas day.
Herb Butter
The herb butter is going to be used throughout the whole process of preparing the turkey so you need to ensure it's as flavourful as can be.
Ingredients:
375g Room Temperature Butter
2 Lemons (Juice & Zest)
3 Cloves of Garlic
Small Bunch of Parsely
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Crush the cloves of garlic, juice and zest the lemons, and chop the parsely. Add the butter to a large bowl, season with the salt and pepper and mix with the oil. Add in the lemon juice and zest, garlic, and parsley and mix well.
Whether you decide to prepare your turkey on Christmas Day morning or the night before is completely your choice. You may find it easier the night before if you have lots of excited children running around, but the steps remain the same.
Ingredients
Turkey around 5kg
Salt & Pepper
2 Onions
1 Lemon
1 Bulb of Garlic
Pack of Streaky Bacon
6 Bay Leaves
Olive Oil
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220C either before you start preparing, or before you put the turkey in the next day.
Step 2: Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Remove the skin from the onion and half it along with the lemon and garlic bulb; stuff these into the turkey along with 2 bay leaves.
Step 3: Loosen the skin around the whole bird by sliding your hand between the skin and the meat. Be sure not to break the skin and don't forget about the skin on the legs.
Step 4 : Smooth half of the herb butter under the loosened skin and even out from outside the skin. Put the remaining bay leaves under the skin.
Step 5: Place the turkey into a large roasting dish and spread over the second half of the herb butter, season, and drizzle over some olive oil. (If preparing for the next day, cover with foil and refrigerate.)
Step 6: Place the turkey in the hot oven and baste after 15 minutes, laying over the bacon rashers to cover the breast. Baste again and turn the heat down to 180C. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, 30 minutes for every kg and baste occasionally.
Step 7: 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, stick a skewer in the largest part of the leg, if the juices are pink, cook for a further 15 minutes and test again until juices are clear. This is to ensure you don't overcook the bird when the juices run clear remove and leave it to rest for 45 minutes.
Pigs in Blankets can vary depending on your favourite type of sausage. Chipolatas are most commonly used due to their thin shape but any of your favourites can be used.
Make sure you make plenty of these nation favourites as they are sure to go fast.
All you have to do is wrap them in your favourite choice of bacon, be that smokey, streaky, or regular, and you are good to cook.
Place them on a baking tray and cook until thoroughly cooked and crispy. For extra flavour, you can add in some woody herbs to the pan such as rosemary. You won't need to season with salt as the bacon will provide this for you. As well as serving these alongside your Christmas Dinner, they also make great snacks, simply dot around the dining room with some cocktail sticks for everyone to nibble on.
Mulled Wine Recipe
Ingredients
1 Bottle Red Wine
1 Stick of Cinnamon
1 Orange (Rind)
200g Caster Sugar
6 Cloves
1 Whole Nutmeg
Method
Step one: Put sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange rind, and about 10 gratings of nutmeg in a pan
Step two: Add in just enough red wine to cover the sugar and let simmer until the sugar has dissolved and a thick syrup has formed
Step 3: Turn the heat down and add in the rest of the wine, continue to heat until the wine is warm. Strain and serve.
Christmas Dinner Preparation Necessities - Starters
A nice way to frame a traditional turkey dinner is to offer a simple but effective starter. This will look nice, satisfy hunger while you prepare the big meal and can be prepared well before if you go for a cold option. Here are some ideas: Prawn Cocktail Spicy Parsnip Soup Chestnut and Butternut Squash Soup Stuffed Mushrooms Chicken Liver Pate Cheese Soufflés Pigs in Blankets Cranberry Filo Parcels Lobster Bisque Ricotta and Spinach Tartlets Goat Cheese and Cranberry Strudel Cheese and garapes served on a nice cheese bord Crispy Garlic Mushrooms You don't have to do a starter but it can just make the meal that little bit more exceptional.Preparing The Turkey
Turkey
Preparing the turkey for Christmas has often received a bad reputation over the years. This element of the meal can lead to overthinking. Will it be dry or undercooked? Relax and follow these steps for succulent turkey meat on Christmas day.
Herb Butter
The herb butter is going to be used throughout the whole process of preparing the turkey so you need to ensure it's as flavourful as can be.
Ingredients:
375g Room Temperature Butter
2 Lemons (Juice & Zest)
3 Cloves of Garlic
Small Bunch of Parsely
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Crush the cloves of garlic, juice and zest the lemons, and chop the parsely. Add the butter to a large bowl, season with the salt and pepper and mix with the oil. Add in the lemon juice and zest, garlic, and parsley and mix well.
Whether you decide to prepare your turkey on Christmas Day morning or the night before is completely your choice. You may find it easier the night before if you have lots of excited children running around, but the steps remain the same.
Ingredients
Turkey around 5kg
Salt & Pepper
2 Onions
1 Lemon
1 Bulb of Garlic
Pack of Streaky Bacon
6 Bay Leaves
Olive Oil
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220C either before you start preparing, or before you put the turkey in the next day.
Step 2: Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Remove the skin from the onion and half it along with the lemon and garlic bulb; stuff these into the turkey along with 2 bay leaves.
Step 3: Loosen the skin around the whole bird by sliding your hand between the skin and the meat. Be sure not to break the skin and don't forget about the skin on the legs.
Step 4 : Smooth half of the herb butter under the loosened skin and even out from outside the skin. Put the remaining bay leaves under the skin.
Step 5: Place the turkey into a large roasting dish and spread over the second half of the herb butter, season, and drizzle over some olive oil. (If preparing for the next day, cover with foil and refrigerate.)
Step 6: Place the turkey in the hot oven and baste after 15 minutes, laying over the bacon rashers to cover the breast. Baste again and turn the heat down to 180C. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, 30 minutes for every kg and baste occasionally.
Step 7: 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, stick a skewer in the largest part of the leg, if the juices are pink, cook for a further 15 minutes and test again until juices are clear. This is to ensure you don't overcook the bird when the juices run clear remove and leave it to rest for 45 minutes.
Crispy Roast Potatoes
For the ultimate roast potatoes on Christmas Day, goose fat is the secret. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside; roast potatoes anyone can make. All you will need for these extra special roast potatoes is the standard potatoes you would usually use, we recommend Maris Piper, a tablespoon of flour, and 2 tablespoons of duck or goose fat. It is important to part boil your potatoes, so peel and chop them and boil in a large pan for around 5 minutes. Whilst this is happening, put your fat into a roasting tin and into a hot oven. Drain your potatoes and toss in the colander to create coarser edges. Lightly coat the potatoes in the flour and pour them into the roasting tin. Be careful of the fat spitting and roll the potatoes around to be sure they are fully coated in the fat. If you want added flavour you can add in a couple of crushed garlic cloves, some rosemary, or a simple seasoning of salt. Cook for around 45 minutes, taking them out occasionally to shake. Once they are golden and crisp, they are ready to be served.Vegetables - Brussels Sprouts with Smokey Bacon
Brussel Sprouts are essential. The rest of the vegetables are down to preference but Brussels rest on a heavy history of tradition. Whether you like them or not they have to feature. A lot of people don't eat them but will add one to their plate during Christmas. All you will need for these delicious brussel sprouts is a pack of ordinary sprouts, smokey bacon, and seasoning. Boil your sprouts as usual for around 4 minutes in salted water. Cool and thinly slice while you cook your smokey bacon until crispy. Once cooked, add the sliced sprouts and the bacon into a bowl and season well with crushed black pepper. You can add in some crushed walnuts for some added crunch if that takes your fancy.Pigs in Blankets
Pigs in Blankets can vary depending on your favourite type of sausage. Chipolatas are most commonly used due to their thin shape but any of your favourites can be used.
Make sure you make plenty of these nation favourites as they are sure to go fast.
All you have to do is wrap them in your favourite choice of bacon, be that smokey, streaky, or regular, and you are good to cook.
Place them on a baking tray and cook until thoroughly cooked and crispy. For extra flavour, you can add in some woody herbs to the pan such as rosemary. You won't need to season with salt as the bacon will provide this for you. As well as serving these alongside your Christmas Dinner, they also make great snacks, simply dot around the dining room with some cocktail sticks for everyone to nibble on.