crowd for Christmas. Did you ever make ahead your roasties and mash?

Spanish Eyes

Hi all,

As the title says, got 10 for dinner Christmas Day.

I am NOT an organised person. So, could I make roasties half way the day before... you know, par poil and shake, drain and then put in the oven with butter/oil for say ten minutes or so? Then I could put them in the fridge to cook out the next day. Don't know. Would they be OK?

And also, steam the spuds for mash, up to the mashing stage without cream/milk butter, then chill and refrigerate till next day. When I could add the butter and cream and reheat.

Would just save so much time on the morn. But I accept that it might not be too successful!

I suppose I could peel the spuds and leave them in the fridge til next day, it's just that there is so much going on, I would love to have the minimum effort!

I am prepping the cauli and broccoli cheese bake, have done it before and frozen, fine, Will roast the root veg from Aldi on the day. Sorted.

Spuds, not too sure of! thanks.

Dizzyblonde

Last year someone posted a tip about boiling your potatoes the day before, coating them in the or duck goose fat/oil and keeping them in the fridge. I was afraid to do it at Christmas but have done it lots of times since and it works! I'll do it this year.
I always make my mashed potato the day before and reheat it on the day, and I usually make carrot and parsnip or carrot and turnip mash a week or two in advance and freeze it.

Spanish Eyes

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Last year someone posted a tip about boiling your potatoes the day before, coating them in the or duck goose fat/oil and keeping them in the fridge. I was afraid to do it at Christmas but have done it lots of times since and it works! I'll do it this year.
I always make my mashed potato the day before and reheat it on the day, and I usually make carrot and parsnip or carrot and turnip mash a week or two in advance and freeze it.

Hi, thanks. So you don't par roast them before putting in the fridge, just boil and toss in fat? That sounds great!

Do they go black or anything? I seem to remember that happening when I experimented with par boiled spuds before, I didn't coat them in fat so maybe that's the key!

Another Q..... Do you mash the spud with butter and milk before chilling, or just mash and add the butter etc after reheating?

This will really help my bad organisational skills! Cheers

amtw

You could also try frozen roast potatoes, if you buy the expensive ones in duck fat no one will know the difference. I have had 16 to Christmas dinner and the frozen roasties were perfect.
As for the mash I wouldn't add the milk and butter until you were reheating them.

Good luck.

Spanish Eyes

amtw wrote: »

You could also try frozen roast potatoes, if you buy the expensive ones in duck fat no one will know the difference. I have had 16 to Christmas dinner and the frozen roasties were perfect.
As for the mash I wouldn't add the milk and butter until you were reheating them.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Where did you buy the frozen roasties, if I may be so bold?

I got frozen in Aldi before, but I wasn't mad about them. Not crispy enough! But they were ok just the same. I think they do goose fat ones coming up to Christmas. Might try them at dinner before the big day!

Great idea!

Cheshire Cat

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Thank you.

Where did you buy the frozen roasties, if I may be so bold?

I got frozen in Aldi before, but I wasn't mad about them. Not crispy enough! But they were ok just the same. I think they do goose fat ones coming up to Christmas. Might try them at dinner before the big day!

Great idea!

The Aldi goose fat potatoes are gorgeous. Much better than the ordinary ones!

amtw

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Thank you.

Where did you buy the frozen roasties, if I may be so bold?

I got frozen in Aldi before, but I wasn't mad about them. Not crispy enough! But they were ok just the same. I think they do goose fat ones coming up to Christmas. Might try them at dinner before the big day!

Great idea!

The McCain ones in the silver bag are a bit more expensive but they are worth it for special occasions, there are probably other brands also.

To ensure that they are crispy make sure the oven is hot and I usually put the roasting tray into the oven to have it very hot before I put the frozen roasties on it.

Spanish Eyes

Thanks for all the tips. Much appreciated.

Whistlejacket

Jamie Oliver has some excellent tips on his website on cooking ahead for Christmas dinner and the jobs you can have done beforehand. It can make a big difference as you want to be able to sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else without being completely wrecked.

I am NOT an organised person

I'm impressed that you're having a few trial runs, you sound very organised to me!

Spanish Eyes

Whistlejacket wrote: »

Jamie Oliver has some excellent tips on his website on cooking ahead for Christmas dinner and the jobs you can have done beforehand. It can make a big difference as you want to be able to sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone else without being completely wrecked.



I'm impressed that you're having a few trial runs, you sound very organised to me!

Oh dear, if only I was organised! But I am trying to avoid the disasters of previous years, when many an item was forgotten about and found lurking in the fridge the next day.... and undercooked roasties, and me sweating and flustered on the day. Glasses of vino for the cook whilst doing the dinner probably didn't help either!

I do get help alright, mostly of the wrong variety, although the intentions are good, don't get me wrong!

The biggest help I ever got was to use disposable foil trays for everything, doubled up. Then squeeze and throw in the bin after. Magic. Might cost a few bob, but sooo worth it!

I will try the pre made mash and the frozen roasties on a day when there is just the two of us!

cheers.

Dizzyblonde

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Hi, thanks. So you don't par roast them before putting in the fridge, just boil and toss in fat? That sounds great!

Do they go black or anything? I seem to remember that happening when I experimented with par boiled spuds before, I didn't coat them in fat so maybe that's the key!

Another Q..... Do you mash the spud with butter and milk before chilling, or just mash and add the butter etc after reheating?

This will really help my bad organisational skills! Cheers

I didn't par roast them first although I'm sure you could. Mine didn't go black, although Roosters are prone to it if you're using them.

I mash my potatoes with butter and milk and whip them with a fork to make them nice and fluffy, and they reheat very well.

catho_monster

I did my roasters weeks ahead of time and stuck them in the freezer, then cooked them from frozen. Were gorgeous!

Can't remember what I did though! I'm pretty sure I posted all the details here though so I'll have to go back and double check!

Spanish Eyes

catho_monster wrote: »

I did my roasters weeks ahead of time and stuck them in the freezer, then cooked them from frozen. Were gorgeous!

Can't remember what I did though! I'm pretty sure I posted all the details here though so I'll have to go back and double check!

Ah thanks if you can find the information!

People are so generous here.

catho_monster

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Ah thanks if you can find the information!

People are so generous here.

Found it!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=88260547&postcount=325

Spanish Eyes

catho_monster wrote: »

Found it!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=88260547&postcount=325

Wow, thank you so much!

That is one amazing post. I'm going to pinch some ideas... the roasties being one.. of course!

Thanks for your generosity in sharing. And for searching for it too. Much appreciated.

fussyonion

Jaysus you'd swear roasties and mash were SO difficult to make! :rolleyes:

Faith

fussyonion wrote: »

Jaysus you'd swear roasties and mash were SO difficult to make! :rolleyes:

They're not difficult. The poster is asking advice about saving time. If you can't give a helpful reply, then refrain from posting on this thread, thanks.

Vala

Cook your potatoes through, up to 1week before, bang the pot off your counter (this fluffs them up) and drizzle them in butter. Wrap the potatoes in a sheet of waxed baking paper and place in a freezer bag. They will absorbed the butter to give a deep crispy coating and won't have any taste of being frozen. I do it every year and they are delicious :-)

Make sure whatever you freeze them in is air and water proof. It makes the difference. Same for the mash.

All your veg and stuffing can be frozen this way.

braddun

just make mashed

Vala

braddun wrote: »

just make mashed

No roasters for Christmas dinner? You mad?

MissFlitworth

Vala wrote: »

No roasters for Christmas dinner? You mad?

There would be an uprising in our house if roast potatoes didn't make an appearance. We're very addicted