Christmas dinner is a joyous occasion - that is unless you’re the chef! Serving up festive meals for a large number of guests is no easy feat; timings can be complex, recipes hard to get right and there can be other added pressures involved too. Here are 10 tips to help you save time cooking, spice up your dishes and make your Christmas dinner slightly more bearable.
1 - If you’re worried about burning your turkey then cool down the breasts with some ice packs or cubes before you put it in the oven. The breasts tend to cook quicker than other areas so by cooling them first you lessen the chance of burning them. If you want to achieve a golden look but want to avoid dryness then cook your turkey on a low temperature for longer than you normally would and apply some aluminium foil.
2 – You can save yourself lots of time by preparing your roast potatoes in advance. Boil them in salted water until they are on the brink of falling apart, and then let them cool on a baking tray before popping them in the freezer. On Christmas day, they can go straight into hot oil from the freezer.
3 – Other vegetables like carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts can also be prepared as early as you’d like. When you find yourself with a spare half hour, select your veg, chop it up and store away ready for heating up on the day.
4 – Although microwaving elements of your Christmas dinner is sometimes frowned upon, it will save you precious time, and after all no one needs to know. You can heat up some of your vegetables, trimmings and even the Christmas pudding with the addition of some grease-proof paper to protect the edges.
5 – Saving time doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on quality. You can still be creative with your cooking methods; try roasting your Brussels sprouts with salt, black pepper and olive oil, add spices and seasoning to your vegetables and honey glaze to your meat.
6 – There is nothing wrong with buying some items of your Christmas dinner pre-made. Even the most cool headed of chef’s is likely to find cooking an entire dinner from scratch somewhat stressful. Give yourself a fighting chance by purchasing items like pigs in blankets, puddings and sauces from the supermarket.
7 – Everyone enjoys eating from a warm plate but often heating them in the oven can make them way too hot, so put them on a short rinse in your dishwasher and then wipe them down ready to go just before you begin serving.
8 – The fridge can get pretty full at Christmas time and no one likes a warm beer. If you’re stuck for space then you can make the most of the winter weather by leaving them outside in the garden to chill, or alternatively place them in a bucket with some cold water and ice.
9 – Once you’ve all finished eating there’ll be a mountain of washing up to rival Mount Everest. If you’ve been the one to handle the meal preparations then make sure your guests all chip in with their fair share of the chores.
10 – Our eyes are always bigger than our bellies at Christmas time and there are bound to be plenty of leftovers. Store them away and make some simple turkey and cranberry sandwiches come Boxing Day, or even later on Christmas Day if people get peckish!
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