Plans for the turkey, ham or something else.

VW 1 · 09-12-2019 7:53pm

Just myself the wife and 6 year old, so we go with turkey crown as herself doesn't feel it's Xmas without it and I'm not too pushed either way. Then a leg of lamb which is the real treat and we all love it. Plenty leftover to share when family visit for Stephens day dinner.

Love this time of year

SusieBlue · 10-12-2019 1:51pm

We are a family of turkey haters, so we're having boned and rolled chicken with sage, onion and sausage stuffing, honey & mustard baked ham & of course, the non-negotiable spiced beef.

It'll be served with creamed mash, golden roasties cooked in goose fat, & potato gratin. Veggies will be asparagus, brocolli & green beans in a very light pesto oil with parmesan flakes, mashed carrott & parsnip, brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze, yorkshire puddings, buttered baby carrots, & cranberry sauce.

Not sure what we're doing for dessert yet, we may well not bother because everyone was too full for it last year.

Princess Calla · 10-12-2019 2:11pm

SusieBlue wrote: »

We are a family of turkey haters, so we're having boned and rolled chicken with sage, onion and sausage stuffing, honey & mustard baked ham & of course, the non-negotiable spiced beef.

It'll be served with creamed mash, golden roasties cooked in goose fat, & potato gratin. Veggies will be asparagus, brocolli & green beans in a very light pesto oil with parmesan flakes, mashed carrott & parsnip, brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze, yorkshire puddings, buttered baby carrots, & cranberry sauce.

Not sure what we're doing for dessert yet, we may well not bother because everyone was too full for it last year.

I eat about 5% of all that but I still kinda want to come to yours for dinner sounds absolutely delish!

TRS30 · 10-12-2019 2:13pm

SusieBlue wrote: »

We are a family of turkey haters, so we're having boned and rolled chicken with sage, onion and sausage stuffing, honey & mustard baked ham & of course, the non-negotiable spiced beef.

It'll be served with creamed mash, golden roasties cooked in goose fat, & potato gratin. Veggies will be asparagus, brocolli & green beans in a very light pesto oil with parmesan flakes, mashed carrott & parsnip, brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze, yorkshire puddings, buttered baby carrots, & cranberry sauce.

Not sure what we're doing for dessert yet, we may well not bother because everyone was too full for it last year.

Room for one more??

CheerLouth · 10-12-2019 2:46pm

SusieBlue wrote: »

We are a family of turkey haters, so we're having boned and rolled chicken with sage, onion and sausage stuffing, honey & mustard baked ham & of course, the non-negotiable spiced beef.

It'll be served with creamed mash, golden roasties cooked in goose fat, & potato gratin. Veggies will be asparagus, brocolli & green beans in a very light pesto oil with parmesan flakes, mashed carrott & parsnip, brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze, yorkshire puddings, buttered baby carrots, & cranberry sauce.

Not sure what we're doing for dessert yet, we may well not bother because everyone was too full for it last year.

Sounds like an amazing dinner! Love a good yorkshire pudding!

I find that we always end up doing the dishes and then have dessert - time to allow the dinner to start digesting first!

TRS30 · 10-12-2019 3:11pm

CheerLouth wrote: »

Sounds like an amazing dinner! Love a good yorkshire pudding!

I find that we always end up doing the dishes and then have dessert - time to allow the dinner to start digesting first!

Last year we had about 45 minutes between courses. Tidied up a bit, opened presents etc. Seemed to go down well so will most likely do the same this year.

SusieBlue · 11-12-2019 11:49am

Princess Calla wrote: »

I eat about 5% of all that but I still kinda want to come to yours for dinner sounds absolutely delish!

TRS30 wrote: »

Room for one more??

CheerLouth wrote: »

Sounds like an amazing dinner! Love a good yorkshire pudding!

I find that we always end up doing the dishes and then have dessert - time to allow the dinner to start digesting first!

Thanks gang! I can't take credit for the meats as I won't be cooking them, but I'll be doing the potatos and sides.
I eat a clean diet all year round, and I'd have brocolli/asparagus etc. twice a day during a normal week.
Thats why I have to make the veggies differently and more decadently for the big day, otherwise it feels like the bog standard lunch/dinner I have 5 days a week!
The greens with parmesan in particular are divine, my mouth is already watering thinking about it

CheerLouth · 11-12-2019 12:07pm

Went into my butchers last night & he has convinced me to forgo a full turkey and just go with the breast. Hoping it doesn't go terribly wrong!

TRS30 · 11-12-2019 2:14pm

CheerLouth wrote: »

Went into my butchers last night & he has convinced me to forgo a full turkey and just go with the breast. Hoping it doesn't go terribly wrong!

Was at a turkey demo in a high street butchers (fund raiser for school) and he recommended a bronze turkey. Said it was tastier (subjective I know) and cooked quicker. Also said to cook it upside down, i.e. breast down. He also showed how they take the legs off, clean them out and wrap them round some stuff to cook separately.

My Mum orders the meats so have suggested all the above to her so will see what she goes with!

Posy · 11-12-2019 3:27pm

Does cooking it breast down not make it flat? :pac:

TRS30 · 11-12-2019 3:29pm

Posy wrote: »

Does cooking it breast down not make it flat? :pac:

Don't think anyone asked him that however hope not as planning to try it

Graces7 · 14-12-2019 12:49pm

freshpopcorn wrote: »

We generally get a large 6kg - 7kg smoked ham.

We're really unsure about the turkey this year. We might get two crowns and have one cold or one hot.
We went for the free range bronze turkey last year and it was nothing special.
We might try a Supervalu turkey this year using turkey tokens.(I don't think it's a great offer tough). However I think you pre order it and they just hand you one and you might get stuck with something you don't like the look of.

Plans for the turkey, ham or something else.

I only have access to Supervalu now and am deeply impressed with the quality of meat etc these days. They have really risen to the challenge of the "big 4" and are no longer "superbadvalu"!

I was offered a fresh turkey E20 half price
Boned and rolled. but I have cats who love turkey raw..

. Cannot accept it as they do nto get them in until 21st and no one will be going over that near Christmas. Except one neighbour who has to get her turkey cooked ( small oven!) and gets a taxi from the ferry!

But I would not worry re the quality and ask re choice? They have really moved forward of late.

Previously I have bought a frozen one in Dunnes late November; cut it up and used the breast for me.

The kind manager at SV is trying to get me a frozen bird for my last shopping, ie 19th so we shall see.. else PLAN B; extract the turkey and ham from a ready meal I have in the freezer! I do have a ham hock frozen also so variations on a theme,

My preferred is to make a kind of breast meat "sandwich" with stuffing, cranberry, apple, foil then roast. mmmmmm! Open for the last half hour

Calibos · 14-12-2019 4:57pm

We're sick of the same old Turkey and Ham and Stuffing we have once a year so this year we have decided to........

.......LOL.......only kidding.

Never ceases to amaze me hearing that line from others though. Whatever about other Fowl instead of Turkey at Christmas, the folks who moan about the same ol Turkey,Ham & Stuffing they have once a year and instead cook a Roast of Beef or Lamb instead just to be different that they probably have every bloody Sunday (hence why its often called Sunday Roast). I'm convinced they are just incapable of cooking Turkey, Ham and Stuffing well and resort to something they know they can cook decently because they do it the other 51 weeks of the year, and just make pretentious excuses for not doing Turkey.

Toots · 15-12-2019 1:26am

I'm always surprised how few people seem to like the turkey legs! If I had my way I'd be getting some sort of mutant octo-turkey - the more legs the better! The white meat makes nice sambos but for the dinner I definitely prefer the dark meat.

Graces7 · 15-12-2019 6:25am

Posy wrote: »

Does cooking it breast down not make it flat? :pac:

er no lol!

You cook it bottoms up for maybe an hour, then flip it right way up for the rest of the time. It works very well indeed and ensures it is cooked all through. With a big bird, especially if stuffed, it can be hard to be sure it is safely done all through. A great idea. Done it many times with total success.

Toots · 15-12-2019 6:46pm

Toots wrote: »

It's the Scarlet Heiffer in Leopardstown (Ballyogan)

I haven't ordered this year's turkey yet so I hope he still does it!

I was in there today and the girl told me it's not available anymore. All their bundles seemed to have boned and rolled turkey, which I don't want. Ordered a 6kg turkey and half ham but I'd say it's going to come in at over €100 this year. They do seem to have the deal online, so might be better off looking there.

15-12-2019 6:49pm

Will boil the ham (about 10lb) the night before and finish it in the oven with a glaze Christmas Day.
Normally get an 18lb turkey and take the legs off. Stuff the neck of the turkey and cook it in a bag Christmas Eve and cook the legs Christmas Day while doing the rest of the dinner.
Turkey is always a frozen one from Dunnes Stores and I’ll know the ham when I see it.

.

caviardreams · 15-12-2019 7:52pm

Toots wrote: »

I was in there today and the girl told me it's not available anymore. All their bundles seemed to have boned and rolled turkey, which I don't want. Ordered a 6kg turkey and half ham but I'd say it's going to come in at over €100 this year. They do seem to have the deal online, so might be better off looking there.

Dublin meat company have a 14lb oven ready turkey and a half a ham for €65 - seems good enough value. Never tried it from there though!
https://www.facebook.com/dublin.meat.company/photos/pcb.3223775967649234/3223775770982587/?type=3&theater

RentDayBlues · 15-12-2019 8:04pm

caviardreams wrote: »

Dublin meat company have a 14lb oven ready turkey and a half a ham for €65 - seems good enough value. Never tried it from there though!
https://www.facebook.com/dublin.meat.company/photos/pcb.3223775967649234/3223775770982587/?type=3&theater

We get all our meat from there and have got their €45 offer the last 2 years. Their ham is just so tasty!

Toots · 16-12-2019 12:39am

caviardreams wrote: »

Dublin meat company have a 14lb oven ready turkey and a half a ham for €65 - seems good enough value. Never tried it from there though!
https://www.facebook.com/dublin.meat.company/photos/pcb.3223775967649234/3223775770982587/?type=3&theater

Feck. Wish I’d seen that before putting down a deposit in Scarlet Heifer

Hoboo · 16-12-2019 1:02am

Calibos wrote: »

We're sick of the same old Turkey and Ham and Stuffing we have once a year so this year we have decided to........

.......LOL.......only kidding.

Never ceases to amaze me hearing that line from others though. Whatever about other Fowl instead of Turkey at Christmas, the folks who moan about the same ol Turkey,Ham & Stuffing they have once a year and instead cook a Roast of Beef or Lamb instead just to be different that they probably have every bloody Sunday (hence why its often called Sunday Roast). I'm convinced they are just incapable of cooking Turkey, Ham and Stuffing well and resort to something they know they can cook decently because they do it the other 51 weeks of the year, and just make pretentious excuses for not doing Turkey.

I do turkey and ham about 6 times a year. My favourite dinner is lamb. I'm doing lamb this Christmas. Why? Because I prefer it. Can't see what the issue is, celebrate with your favourite food, not what society and British custom
dictate.

Graces7 · 16-12-2019 6:49am

About to email my "final list " to the lovely manager at my local Supervalu; crossing fingers he has managed to get me a frozen turkey as he suggested. But happy with what I can put together...

Their online shopping website is awesome. And pineapples and melons at 49 cents... Utter luxury this way of shopping!

drunkmonkey · 16-12-2019 10:48am

I see Aldi are doing turkey on the 20th. Kinda like the sound of the organic bronze Tipperary turkey but worried about buying and putting in the fridge, 4/5 days seems like a long time to leave it in the fridge, I don't want to freeze it.

freshpopcorn · 16-12-2019 11:18am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I see Aldi are doing turkey on the 20th. Kinda like the sound of the organic bronze Tipperary turkey but worried about buying and putting in the fridge, 4/5 days seems like a long time to leave it in the fridge, I don't want to freeze it.

All supermarkets for the past few years seem to stock turkeys on the 20th and I haven't heard many issues!

drunkmonkey · 16-12-2019 11:23am

freshpopcorn wrote: »

All supermarkets for the past few years seem to stock turkeys on the 20th and I haven't heard many issues!

2 days would be enough for me, don't think I'd fancy it laying there any longer, plenty of stuff online about bad turkeys from supermarkets.

jam_mac_jam · 16-12-2019 11:28am

Calibos wrote: »

We're sick of the same old Turkey and Ham and Stuffing we have once a year so this year we have decided to........

.......LOL.......only kidding.

Never ceases to amaze me hearing that line from others though. Whatever about other Fowl instead of Turkey at Christmas, the folks who moan about the same ol Turkey,Ham & Stuffing they have once a year and instead cook a Roast of Beef or Lamb instead just to be different that they probably have every bloody Sunday (hence why its often called Sunday Roast). I'm convinced they are just incapable of cooking Turkey, Ham and Stuffing well and resort to something they know they can cook decently because they do it the other 51 weeks of the year, and just make pretentious excuses for not doing Turkey.

Why is it pretentious to not like Turkey.

I am having fillet steak, not to be different just because I like it better. There is only two of us for dinner and neither of us like Turkey.

Graces7 · 16-12-2019 11:29am

Sorted! Took a couple of emails but a frozen whole turkey will be here on Thursday... Perfect as I can let it defrost just enough to dissect it, then freeze the breasts fast and feed the rest to the cats …..

One of my best ever Christmas memories was watching the neglected collie I took in dealing with a fresh turkey back! Magic...

Have always done this as always the last decade and more lived in remote places. Up to last year I was able to shop over the water so this year is a learning curve for me.

Their fresh ones come in on 21st, and there is no connecting ferry/bus after this Thursday.

16-12-2019 11:30am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

2 days would be enough for me, don't think I'd fancy it laying there any longer, plenty of stuff online about bad turkeys from supermarkets.

It’s the same turkeys that’ll be there on 24th!

Princess Calla · 16-12-2019 11:33am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

2 days would be enough for me, don't think I'd fancy it laying there any longer, plenty of stuff online about bad turkeys from supermarkets.

To be fair, supermarkets are not going to get deliveries of Turkey everyday. So it will either be kept in their refrigerator or yours.

Granted they will have great big walk in refrigerators (fantastic if you are hungover) but the temperature will be the same

16-12-2019 11:35am

Princess Calla wrote: »

To be fair, supermarkets are not going to get deliveries of Turkey everyday. So it will either be kept in their refrigerator or yours.

Granted they will have great big walk in refrigerators (fantastic if you are hungover) but the temperature will be the same

THAT brings back a memory!

Postgrad10 · 16-12-2019 11:42am

The non Turkey eaters in our house have voted to go with Chicken for Christmas instead.

drunkmonkey · 16-12-2019 11:49am

Princess Calla wrote: »

To be fair, supermarkets are not going to get deliveries of Turkey everyday. So it will either be kept in their refrigerator or yours.

Granted they will have great big walk in refrigerators (fantastic if you are hungover) but the temperature will be the same

Thought i'd be too late for the local guys, bronze organic ordered, pick up xmas eve, can sleep a bit easier now.

freshpopcorn · 16-12-2019 1:09pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

2 days would be enough for me, don't think I'd fancy it laying there any longer, plenty of stuff online about bad turkeys from supermarkets.

Even with butchers they'll have Turkeys hanging around with a few days.
Once you keep it in a fridge at the correct temperature and cook it correctly you shouldn't have issues.

CheerLouth · 16-12-2019 1:15pm

I'm leaving mine in the butchers until Christmas Eve Eve - just to be on the safe side. I'd be afraid I'd bugger it up storage wise.

Toots · 16-12-2019 2:38pm

Same, I've no idea where to store it. It'll go in the brine on Christmas Eve but before then I'm hoping it'll be freezing out and I can put either the turkey or the other contents of my fridge into the shed.

16-12-2019 2:44pm

Toots wrote: »

Same, I've no idea where to store it. It'll go in the brine on Christmas Eve but before then I'm hoping it'll be freezing out and I can put either the turkey or the other contents of my fridge into the shed.

My mother hung the home grown, free range turkey in the shed after killing, plucking and gutting. Father forgot to close door after collecting fuel. In comes Spot, his gundog and helped himself to the head and was attempting to reach the juicy breast when my mother discovered him. Thankfully, for dear father, mother burst into tears at the sight. We still ate what was left. We had nothing else!

Princess Calla · 16-12-2019 2:47pm

Was there a thread on here a few years ago about Christmas dinner disasters?? Like that, popped into neighbours to arrive home and finding dog in the kitchen passed out in a food coma after eating the turkey.... And other such stories?

L1011 · 16-12-2019 9:20pm

Princess Calla wrote: »

Was there a thread on here a few years ago about Christmas dinner disasters?? Like that, popped into neighbours to arrive home and finding dog in the passed out in food coma after eating the turkey.... And other such stories?

One of my families Christmases before I was born had a "hrm, this turkey doesn't smell quite right..." moment on the 25th morning. Which then turned in to realising the fridge had died at some point early on the 24th or earlier... quite how it hadn't been noticed with warm milk and so on I dunno.

They didn't even trust the ham, which was probably fine due to the amount of salt in it; and my Dad was dispatched on his motorbike to try find if anything at all was open other than maybe Hector Grey flogging batteries on the Ha'penny Bridge.

He returned home with the makings of the largest Full Irish in the world including some slightly ratty looking minute steaks, having found probably the only 24h shop there was in Dublin in the mid 80s! And everyone found it better than my mothers' turkey cooking :pac: New fridge bought in the sales on the 27th, no 26th opening then.

Actually wonder when food shops opening on the 25th became in any way normal. There has always been at least one where I live for over 25 years, has changed up to 3 at peak and the one that's open now is not the same one as the mid 90s, which now closes at midnight on Christmas Eve.

trashcan · 16-12-2019 9:57pm

Toots wrote: »

I'm always surprised how few people seem to like the turkey legs! If I had my way I'd be getting some sort of mutant octo-turkey - the more legs the better! The white meat makes nice sambos but for the dinner I definitely prefer the dark meat.

Yeah, much prefer the leg meat. Last year I got a large turkey leg boned in the butchers, and stuffed it. Was lovely. This year I'm doing a whole salmon, which I want to stuff - any recipes welcome ! ( first non turkey Christmas dinner ever !)

16-12-2019 10:04pm

trashcan wrote: »

Yeah, much prefer the leg meat. Last year I got a large turkey leg boned in the butchers, and stuffed it. Was lovely. This year I'm doing a whole salmon, which I want to stuff - any recipes welcome ! ( first non turkey Christmas dinner ever !)

Actually, I used bone the leg, remove the sinews and stuff with sausage meat and sage and onion stuffing. Himself loved it, but I wasn’t too keen. I don’t bother any more. Too much trouble.

trashcan · 16-12-2019 10:17pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually, I used bone the leg, remove the sinews and stuff with sausage meat and sage and onion stuffing. Himself loved it, but I wasn’t too keen. I don’t bother any more. Too much trouble.

That's why I got the butcher to do it :cool:

Graces7 · 19-12-2019 7:56am

Frozen turkey "should" be over today. Weather permitting.. He had forgotten as I suspected but all is now well... such a good man the manager here...Along with all the fruit and vegetables and other Christmas goodies... Could not run to a Christmas cake . Not well enough to cook one so ordered a choc Yule log..

Very "laid back " (!ie perforce abed much of each day ) these days so after this afternoon closing the doors on the outside world.... All the cleaning done gradually so all is well; will put outside decorations and lights up nearer the time. MUCH nearer the time..

Not seen ANY lights etc and it is rather refreshing and meaningful . Never thought i would think like this! lol.... Age brings wisdom.

It is so very intensely dark out here

19-12-2019 10:26am

Graces7 wrote: »

Frozen turkey "should" be over today. Weather permitting.. He had forgotten as I suspected but all is now well... such a good man the manager here...Along with all the fruit and vegetables and other Christmas goodies... Could not run to a Christmas cake . Not well enough to cook one so ordered a choc Yule log..

Very "laid back " (!ie perforce abed much of each day ) these days so after this afternoon closing the doors on the outside world.... All the cleaning done gradually so all is well; will put outside decorations and lights up nearer the time. MUCH nearer the time..

Not seen ANY lights etc and it is rather refreshing and meaningful . Never thought i would think like this! lol.... Age brings wisdom.

It is so very intensely dark out here

I hope Elsa doesn’t scupper your delivery.

Graces7 · 19-12-2019 12:56pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I hope Elsa doesn’t scupper your delivery.

That was last night! Millpond calm now...ferry is on etc...

Graces7 · 19-12-2019 5:16pm

Turkey now in residence; poor critter is frozen solid!

Some things missing from list eg Roses, and I ordered 2 pots of cream one for trifle the other for Irish cream liqueur with the recipe given by the chef at the dingle Skellig... only one pot came and really there is no contest is there

exhausted so sleep. have a grand evening …

19-12-2019 5:34pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Turkey now in residence; poor critter is frozen solid!

Some things missing from list eg Roses, and I ordered 2 pots of cream one for trifle the other for Irish cream liqueur with the recipe given by the chef at the dingle Skellig... only one pot came and really there is no contest is there

exhausted so sleep. have a grand evening …

Great news. I don’t think that you’ll be missing too much in the Roses! They ain’t what they used be!

Graces7 · 19-12-2019 6:23pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Great news. I don’t think that you’ll be missing too much in the Roses! They ain’t what they used be!

I still love them! They have been my Christmas treat since sweets came off ration after the War! Ah well! Lots of fruit and vegetables on special. Even got my prescription renewed and a bag of coal... now I can start decorating the dwelling.. tomorrow..

Local_Chap · 21-12-2019 1:52pm

Going with a boned and rolled turkey this year, anyone have any tried and tested recipes?

beertons · 21-12-2019 2:31pm

I'm having my uncle in for Christmas dinner today. Just chopping the veg. Put the ham in the slow cooker this morning with coke. Boned and rolled turkey is brined in buttermilk, with carrots, onions, celery and garlic. It's out in the shed. Will roast it soon, and use the drippings and chicken stock to make a kind of white gravy sauce. Sprouts, diced carrots and mash, with little sage & onion stuffing balls from Tesco. Yum.

drunkmonkey · 21-12-2019 8:52pm

Are you using nigellas recepie for the ham?, i doubt we'll make it until Xmas morning.

Plans for the turkey, ham or something else.

Comments