Christmas dinner ideas and tips

[Mark M]

I’ve made Christmas Dinner for the last few years and while it’s all been good (if I do say so myself) I feel like it’s lacking something...

I see it as the best meal of the year so looking to smash this years out the park! I make Sunday lunch quite often and want it to be a good step up in quality and variety.

Has anyone got any tips or ideas to try? I only usually do turkey but thinking of doing a second meat this year.

 

[Mark M]

How do you do your potatoes? sprouts? Gravy?

Potatoes I par boil and then coat in flour, always come out pretty good but as previouly mentioned I want best roaties ever quality this year! Possibly thinking of using Goose fat rather than oil to roast them? Might have a trial run but does cooling the potatoes or even putting them in the fridge for a day make any difference?

Sprouts just steam them but might try pan frying them with some bacon and some garlic this year.

Gravy, I used the Jamie Oliver recipe from his Christmas tv show (not the one linked above) and it was pretty good but will try his alternate method.

 

[Mark M]

Im deep frying my turkey, look it up, its a thing.

Ive heard of it before actually and Im sure there was a post on these forums where someone crazy was trying to make their own huge deep fryer out of a camping stove!

 

[Mark M]

Check out "smashed roast potatoes"

I had some as a side in a deli recently and they were amazing.

Suppose it all depends on the people, i like roasties with fresh rosemary and thyme but that's not for everyone.

I don't bother with flour, i think par boiling and then giving a good shake around to break them up a little works brilliantly though for getting lots of lovely crispiness. Goose Fat is good, but i like to roll them around in the tray i've roasted the meat in.

Will check it out thanks. Whats the best potatoes to use for roasting?

 

[Mark M]

Tried doing roasties with rapeseed oil and the cameout great so will be doing them on Christmas Day.

Bit of a daft question but how do you rest meat? I noticed someone above say that you can rest it for 2 hours but wont it get cold? I tend to loosely cover with foil and then put a couple of tea towels over but if there a "proper" way pf doing it?