Xmas dinner preparation

Mark M

Mark M

Mark M

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2006
Posts
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Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
Oooh Im so excited :D Just recentley moved into a new house which is much much bigger than my last one so we have decided to have the families over for xmas lunch :D

Both sets are exceptionally good cooks so I really need to make sure everything runs to plan so Ive started the preparations early!!

A few things I was wondering if anyone can give me any tips on however;

1) I have a double oven so the turkey will be in the main oven and the roasties and the the parsnips in another. However this means that there isnt going to be much room for the stuffing or the pigs in blankets. Any suggestions on how to get everything ready at the same time? I thought about microwaving the stuffing and pigs in blankets perhaps?

2) Plates. Most people coming like having a really hot plate so this is going to be a problem inlight of the above point. I had thought about putting them in a dish of boiling water perhaps?

3) Gravy. Any tips on how to make proper gravy would be much appreciated, Ive only ever made instant but I know that wont cut it.

I will be undergoing a test run in the next few weeks but obviously on a smaller scale but I want to make sure I replicate the same conditions that I will encounter on Xmas day. So I will be going out the day before and having 20 pints :p

Thanks, Mark
 
It's november. And the middle of november at that.

Start worrying about these things on the 23rd December.
 
Mark M said:
A few things I was wondering if anyone can give me any tips on however;


2) Plates. Most people coming like having a really hot plate so this is going to be a problem inlight of the above point. I had thought about putting them in a dish of boiling water perhaps?


Thanks, Mark
Click to expand...

Microwave them!
 
How do you stuff a turkey? Perhaps a stupid question but do you just put the stuffing in the middle? And how do you then get it out?

Microwave the plates? Will that work?
 
im sorry but Christmas is getting a joke, ive seen houses with decorations up as early as late october, shops sell decorations then aswell. All this for one day and you are worry about a meal that will take place more than a month away, relax its x-mas more about family being together and having a lauf than stressing about are the dishes warm geez!

sorry rant over.
 
When the turkey is standing after cooking, just chuck the plates in the oven, done.
 
Yeah plates in the microwave for 20-30 secs per plate will do fine, i do it and works.

You usually take turkey/chicken out and let it stay for 10 mins to let the meat rest and stuff. Use the time to do things that dont take long. Like stuffing balls etc.

Worst comes to worst just cook stuffing and pigs n blankets early and just reheat them near the end for 5 mins while meats resting out of the oven after its done.

Gravy hmm whats wrong with bisto instant?
 
SkeeterPSA said:
Yeah plates in the microwave for 20-30 secs per plate will do fine, i do it and works.

You usually take turkey/chicken out and let it stay for 10 mins to let the meat rest and stuff. Use the time to do things that dont take long. Like stuffing balls etc.

Worst comes to worst just cook stuffing and pigs n blankets early and just reheat them near the end for 5 mins while meats resting out of the oven after its done.

Gravy hmm whats wrong with bisto instant?
Click to expand...

I could be wrong but I do believe you make proper gravy by boiling down the giblets in a turkey. I'm probably wrong and someone like Jonny69 or JodieG will come along and bitchslap me with their cookery skills.
 
Well i have never heard that before i figured jiblets is for the family pet for xmas lol usually i mean who really wants to eat the guts of a turkey etc especially when their reproductive bits are in the jiblets as well. Urgh...

Real gravy from what i know is just vegetable and meat juices and u thicken it up somehow probably with butter and flour.

Instant is fine for everyone i know and tastes nice when u have the meat juice from say steak or chicken and pour it in the instant gravy.
 
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Not too keen on the giblets idea but I suppose I have probably eaten far worse without knowing it haha

Think I will try using instant with the juice from the meat. If that isnt good enough for them then they can go and swing!!
 
Put the pigs in blankets and/or stuffing balls on the tray in the spaces around the turkey.


Getting everything cooked in time?

Open Microsoft Project and make a Ghantt chart from the first veg you peel to putting the plates on the table, taking into account cooking time, prep time and all the other little tasks :p Once you have a critical path and a total duration you can work backwards to find what time you should start on Xmas morning.

although I'm not completely serious it is actually a good idea :) *goes to make a Xmas dinner planner to sell on the bay*
 
melt the juices from the baking tray, whack them in a saucepan with some plain flour, add some strong chicken stock slowly to combine the mixtures and then a tin of creamy mushroom soup.
Thats what I usually do, lovely creamy gravy.
 
Also if a family member who is coming to xmas dinner lives near you, give them somit to do for xmas dinner like to cook somit and bring over for you somit thats easy to transfer.
 
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