The 2018 Christmas Dinner thread!!

bolgbui41 · 23-12-2018 4:19pm

We'll have 14 for dinner - no children, but plenty of fussy eaters so we'll keep it relatively simple. No starters, but a little bit of home made brown bread to nibble on if people are early/really hungry. We have a ham that'll be boiled tomorrow, and then roasted Tuesday with a mustard, honey, clove, and allspice glaze. We'll roast the turkey and make gravy tomorrow; both will be reheated on Christmas day. Veg are boiled carrots and steamed sprouts and green beans. I'm allergic to onions and everyone else loves them, so we'll have two stuffings: a block with sausage meat, apples, herbs, and garlic wrapped in streaky smoked rashers for me, and Bazmo's stuffing balls for everyone else. Then pavlova for desert.

I was persuaded by the butcher to buy a bit of spiced beef for the dinner with the other side of the family on Stephens' day. I've never cooked it before - any tips?

goat2 · 23-12-2018 5:20pm

vicwatson wrote: »

If I prepare carrots/parsnips/sprouts day before whats the best way to keep them fresh - in cold water in a pot or...?

I usually put them in cold water outside in shed in covered pot, the good thing this time of yr, weather cold and they will stay nice and fresh that way, have done it every year this way, without bother

Mad_maxx · 23-12-2018 9:01pm

My fiancé came home an hour ago with a 6kg turkey which cost 25 euro, its just myself, herself and her mother for Christmas dinner.

Madness but she is not happy unless we are eating turkey for a week afterwards, put me off the thing already

L1011 · 24-12-2018 12:34am

Going to the OHs parents on rotation this year so need to do zero for the day itself. But we've always done big dinners both days in my family. And this is going to be one of the strangest menus on the thread.

For Stephens Day, there won't be any leftovers from my parents as they've decided not to do any traditional Christmas food at all - think its steak they're doing. Also, my sister is vegetarian and my father, my partner and myself would be on the flex side so my mother is sorting food for her and my brother - pork steak and roast spuds I believe. I'm doing the bulk of the rest.

My main vegetarian food style would Indian so I've cooked and frozen a fruity dhal (tamarind; lemon, lime and pineapple juice; coriander - no actual fruit in it) and a pea sauce for paneer and have frozen them now. Intending to do some veg pakora after work tomorrow but need to decide what fillings. Will get to use my mandoline in anger for the first time anyway. Partner will fry off paneer cubes tomorrow and we'll merge them on re-heating.

My sister is contributing the house to host it in, some suitably done potatoes that will go well with the curry, and the rice - I'll bring over the rice cooker myself! Will serve with fresh coriander, sliced chillis and naans.

I'm now going to have a Meat Feast pizza from the freezer to reinstate my meat-eating credentials briefly :pac:

Recliner · 24-12-2018 3:59am

L1011 wrote: »

Going to the OHs parents on rotation this year so need to do zero for the day itself. But we've always done big dinners both days in my family. And this is going to be one of the strangest menus on the thread.

For Stephens Day, there won't be any leftovers from my parents as they've decided not to do any traditional Christmas food at all - think its steak they're doing. Also, my sister is vegetarian and my father, my partner and myself would be on the flex side so my mother is sorting food for her and my brother - pork steak and roast spuds I believe. I'm doing the bulk of the rest.

My main vegetarian food style would Indian so I've cooked and frozen a fruity dhal (tamarind; lemon, lime and pineapple juice; coriander - no actual fruit in it) and a pea sauce for paneer and have frozen them now. Intending to do some veg pakora after work tomorrow but need to decide what fillings. Will get to use my mandoline in anger for the first time anyway. Partner will fry off paneer cubes tomorrow and we'll merge them on re-heating.

My sister is contributing the house to host it in, some suitably done potatoes that will go well with the curry, and the rice - I'll bring over the rice cooker myself! Will serve with fresh coriander, sliced chillis and naans.

I'm now going to have a Meat Feast pizza from the freezer to reinstate my meat-eating credentials briefly :pac:

In fairness that all sounds amazing. As a non traditional Christmas dinner person myself, I love hearing about alternative menus.

Rubberchikken · 24-12-2018 4:08am

we get the potatoes carrots and sprouts ready tonight and leave in saucepans of water. theyll be perfect tomorrow as always. ham is being cooked today and turkey cooked tomorrow morning. plum pudding to follow. all very traditional on our home

Dave_The_Sheep · 24-12-2018 5:46am

My aul lad was always the chef in my family, he had it down to a damn tee. He stressed, we all just ate it. In later years, now I'm into food, I would try and sub in for the veg dishes and help out to give him a hand, but now the family situation is ****ed due to a seperation and a death, turns out I'm the main chef this year. I'm doing the roasties, the various veg and the stuffing this year. My mother is doing the ham, I'm doing everything else.

First time doing a white sauce (I practised doing a roux and sauce for a cauliflower and cheese a week or two ago, and it was delicious) but I can nail roast spuds no problem, proper burney/roast bits and soft insides. Veg: (Carrots in orange/honey, sprouts with bacon/almonds, peas and mint, sausage meat stuffing (again a new thing for me, but I nailed it two weeks ago for my friends) ... no reason I can't do it justice. Still. I'm cacking myself.

Why? First time doing a prawn cocktail starter. It's simple. Prawns, don't over do them. Bit of leaf, lettuce, bit of avocado, bit of onion for those who I know like it, ignore for those who don't. The sauce though. Making a solid marie rose is simple, but that's the key to the whole thing and I'm fully sure I'm going to cack it up.

Ketchup. Mayo. Lemon juice. Paprika. Bit of Worchester sauce. More paprika. Can't **** that up, right?

Graces7 · 24-12-2018 8:00am

Rubberchikken wrote: »

we get the potatoes carrots and sprouts ready tonight and leave in saucepans of water. theyll be perfect tomorrow as always. ham is being cooked today and turkey cooked tomorrow morning. plum pudding to follow. all very traditional on our home

I parboil the potatoes and roots that are to be roasted on Christmas Eve, My physical abiliites are limited so else I get too tired to eat. May also cook roots to mash in the same way as I bought in abundance .

Then all I have to do tomorrow is roast them; will also at some stage today prepare my lovely turkey breast "sandwich" to roast...

So deeply thankflu that my wonderful neighbour the ferryman went out of his way by many miles to get me the replacement gas bottle connector after mine failed. And to the shop who did not have one in but got one and kept it for him to collect....

kylith · 24-12-2018 8:19am

With himself being an Ovo-vegetarian there’ll be no meat this year.

I’m planning on Timpano; a baked pasta shell filled with tomato sauce, vegan cheese stuffed pasta shells, mushrooms, and veggie sausage. Dessert will be tropical mess. Meringue, whipped coconut cream, mango, kiwi, and pineapple.

BaZmO* · 24-12-2018 1:03pm

Having Christmas dinner at my sisters tomorrow but I’m in the middle of making a mini Christmas dinner at home.

No turkey (not really worth the hassle for 2 adults and 2 kids). Instead we’ll be having a ham as we’re all big fans here, plus we get to have ham & eggs for breakfast! Roast & mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, brussel sprouts (not usually a fan but I had some in Marco Pierre Whites at our Christmas party and they were amazing. Cooked with pancetta/bacon. So I decided to give them one last go). Stuffing balls (of course!) and lots of gravy!

BaZmO* · 24-12-2018 5:23pm

So that was a great success. Beautiful dinner, especially the ham. Now it’s time to kick back and watch some Christmas tv with the kids.

Best of luck to all the cooks tomorrow!

L1011 · 24-12-2018 9:55pm

So the pakora mix (spiced gram flour batter; par-boiled potato, scallions, onion, green chilli, coriander leaf and spinach all chopped or torn fine) is in the fridge; was going to fry it but my sister reminded me she has a deep fryer and I don't - cleaner to do it there. The paneer is diced and fried and in the fridge. The naans are pre-made ones bought in Eurasia, Taza brand, which take a minute or two in the oven only.

Think that's me done now, except for reheating and merging the paneer curry. Now off to have the traditional turkey, ham etc cooked by someone else tomorrow! And we have the fryup ingredients for the morning as well, to stave off the vegeterianism of the 26th, and today coincidentally.

Recliner · 24-12-2018 11:05pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

So that was a great success. Beautiful dinner, especially the ham. Now it’s time to kick back and watch some Christmas tv with the kids.

Best of luck to all the cooks tomorrow!

Biggest achievement so far..my stuffing balls look like yours. Followed your recipe exactly and got 16 balls. Now just can't wait to eat them on St. Stephen's Day.

goat2 · 24-12-2018 11:13pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

Having Christmas dinner at my sisters tomorrow but I’m in the middle of making a mini Christmas dinner at home.

No turkey (not really worth the hassle for 2 adults and 2 kids). Instead we’ll be having a ham as we’re all big fans here, plus we get to have ham & eggs for breakfast! Roast & mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, brussel sprouts (not usually a fan but I had some in Marco Pierre Whites at our Christmas party and they were amazing. Cooked with pancetta/bacon. So I decided to give them one last go). Stuffing balls (of course!) and lots of gravy!

Brussel sprouts are supposed to be beautiful with chorizo I will be trying this out, frying the chorizo and tossing in the brussel sprouts, should be nice

Ryath · 24-12-2018 11:20pm

goat2 wrote: »

Brussel sprouts are supposed to be beautiful with chorizo I will be trying this out, frying the chorizo and tossing in the brussel sprouts, should be nice

Must try that sometime have my pancetta and walnuts bought now though!

Nearly finished prep just make to sausage rolls for morning and prep veg for a huge pot of chicken soup. Well ahead of where I am most years got a few things done yesterday too which helped a lot. I'm usually up half the night I nearly fell asleep in the middle of dinner one year and had to go have a nap!

BaZmO* · 24-12-2018 11:22pm

Recliner wrote: »

Biggest achievement so far..my stuffing balls look like yours. Followed your recipe exactly and got 16 balls. Now just can't wait to eat them on St. Stephen's Day.

Cool. Hope you enjoy them.

goat2 wrote: »

Brussel sprouts are supposed to be beautiful with chorizo I will be trying this out, frying the chorizo and tossing in the brussel sprouts, should be nice

I actually had a bit of chorizo that I was considering using up but I just went with the pancetta. They were really nice but I think I was too stuffed with all the other stuff to really enjoy them.

24-12-2018 11:47pm

Hi folks!
First post on boards!
I have a vacuum packed turkey breast (bronze, if it makes a difference!) & am wondering how to cook it?? The instructions are very lacking on the label....roast for 1hr at 180oC....
Do i leave it in the vacuum pack or remove?? If i leave vacuum pack on, is it into a baking tray with a little water ??
Thanks in advance!!

Gloomtastic! · 24-12-2018 11:51pm

Came home from our traditional Christmas Eve meal out with the family to discover the ham had turned to over-cooked mush! :eek:

Where to get a ham at 8:30pm on Christmas Eve? Thank f@ck for Tesco Express!!

goat2 · 24-12-2018 11:51pm

24122018 wrote: »

Hi folks!
First post on boards!
I have a vacuum packed turkey breast (bronze, if it makes a difference!) & am wondering how to cook it?? The instructions are very lacking on the label....roast for 1hr at 180oC....
Do i leave it in the vacuum pack or remove?? If i leave vacuum pack on, is it into a baking tray with a little water ??
Thanks in advance!!

I only ever once used something vacuum packed, a side of ham, it was horrible, nothing like the usual ones I would prepare myself,
Let me know how this works out.

24-12-2018 11:57pm

goat2 wrote: »

I only ever once used something vacuum packed, a side of ham, it was horrible, nothing like the usual ones I would prepare myself,
Let me know how this works out.

Hey Goat.....bit nervous tbh, just not sure whether to leave in plastic or take out?!

goat2 · 25-12-2018 12:03am

24122018 wrote: »

Hey Goat.....bit nervous tbh, just not sure whether to leave in plastic or take out?!

You might be ok, but I did follow instructions, and it did not taste good,
I am guessing it is your first time trying this, I cannot advise, because I always roast whole turkey that I have buttered well under and over skin with plenty smoked rashers on top to add taste, then covered in tinfoil, with tinfoil taken off for last hour of cooking to make sure it is crisp on top,
I would be nervous of trying something different on Christmas day, would have tried it on a different day of yr, just to find out if it comes out like normal

Gloomtastic! · 25-12-2018 12:07am

24122018 wrote: »

Hi folks!
First post on boards!
I have a vacuum packed turkey breast (bronze, if it makes a difference!) & am wondering how to cook it?? The instructions are very lacking on the label....roast for 1hr at 180oC....
Do i leave it in the vacuum pack or remove?? If i leave vacuum pack on, is it into a baking tray with a little water ??
Thanks in advance!!

I would take it out of the vacuum pack and let it breath, uncovered, on a plate in the fridge overnight.

Tomorrow, if you have them, chop up a small onion, a stick of celery and a carrot and place them in a tasting tin. Place the breast on top.

Preheat the oven to 180c (or 160c fan oven). Drizzle olive oil over the top of the breast and then season with salt & pepper. Put it in the oven for an hour. Stick a sharp knife into the thickest part of the breast and if the juice runs clear (as opposed to pink), then it is cooked. Remove the breast to a plate and cover with tinfoil for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Use the veg and juices under the turkey to make your gravy by blitzing with a hand blender.

Good luck!

25-12-2018 12:30am

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I would take it out of the vacuum pack and let it breath, uncovered, on a plate in the fridge overnight.

Tomorrow, if you have them, chop up a small onion, a stick of celery and a carrot and place them in a tasting tin. Place the breast on top.

Preheat the oven to 180c (or 160c fan oven). Drizzle olive oil over the top of the breast and then season with salt & pepper. Put it in the oven for an hour. Stick a sharp knife into the thickest part of the breast and if the juice runs clear (as opposed to pink), then it is cooked. Remove the breast to a plate and cover with tinfoil for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Use the veg and juices under the turkey to make your gravy by blitzing with a hand blender.

Good luck!

Thank you so much! Gonna do this! Cant believe instructions were so scant on the label....anyway, thanks again!

LirW · 25-12-2018 2:28pm

I just put this baby into the oven, see you in 3 hours for some hot oil shower.

igCorcaigh · 25-12-2018 2:39pm

https://twitter.com/Ri_Science/status/1077556212282150913?s=19

Graces7 · 25-12-2018 4:17pm

Excellent meal... good chef here.

faceman · 25-12-2018 4:27pm

I always like to do scallops and chorizo as a starter but it’s so filling you have to give a nice break between it and mains. Of course I could eat less scallops but where’s the fun it that?

LirW · 25-12-2018 6:34pm

The Porchetta was divine, I'm so proud of myself!
The smashed roasties were perfect, I'm in a food coma now, no regrets.

OldMrBrennan83 · 25-12-2018 6:40pm

Had made potato croquettes and yorkshire puddings earlier in the week and cooked and froze them. Stuffing all made and ready to go in too. Turkey and ham was cooked last night so it was just a matter of doing the spuds, gravy, and veg today and heating the rest. All worked out perfectly.

I'd pre made a banoffee base on Saturday so just put the top on it after dinner and job done.

goat2 · 25-12-2018 8:29pm

24122018 wrote: »

Thank you so much! Gonna do this! Cant believe instructions were so scant on the label....anyway, thanks again!

How did it go for you

The 2018 Christmas Dinner thread!!

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