Christmas Dinner (preparing in advance)

rachbc

i don't think so - my grans sprouts tasted like she's put them on in October!

Lippycow

I am going to do the get ahead gravy and freeze it till christmas,did this last year and it was yummy
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/other-recipes/get-ahead-gravy

lovesabargain123

rachbc wrote: »

i don't think so - my grans sprouts tasted like she's put them on in October!

That actually made me LOL

Put them on a piece of bread with a bit of black pepper...mmmm my favorite sandwich!


That gravy looks good for everyone else,I'm veggie :rotfl: but will make soon for them

Thankyou!!!

Pink.

Hi lovesabargain,

As your thread has dropped down the board I've added it to the existing one on preparing Christmas food in advance where you'll find lots of advice.

Pink

sandy2_2

Has anyone any suggestions for a pudding? Not Christmas pudding, but perhaps something incorporating pudding flavour or preferably mincemeat (not tarts/pies)
Menu so far is, arrival canapes and champagne, Pate or greek salad starter, Roast pork with all the christmas trimmings and veggies, Pudding.....who knows, cheese board, coffee, liqueurs and homemade sweeties......then sometime much later a slice of Christmas cake and cup of tea

I have fleetingly thought of a trio of puddings, sliver of pud, mincemeat tart and....... but couldn´t think of a 3rd Christmassy one

All suggestions gratefully recieved.

(mods please move if post is in the wrong place)

Sandy in Spain

Memory_Girl

Crumble up a portion of Christmas pudding and stir it through a good quality Vanilla ice-cream ( or an ordinary ice-cream with a shot of Ameretto / Bailies (that doesn't look right????) Freeze till firm enough to scoop again.

Mmmmmmm

MG

esmy

Hints and tips needed!
We are supposed to be going to relatives for Christmas so originally this was to be the first year in many that I would get my dinner cooked for me. However this trip involves a ferry crossing on Xmas eve. There has been a problem with the ferry after an accident and although the company have been reassuring, we think there's every chance we won't get further than the port on Xmas eve.
I want to prepare an 'insurance' Xmas dinner that can be frozen/stored so if this does happen we can still eat on Christmas Day. OH is talking in terms of getting a 'ready meal' dinner but I can't think of anything worse!
I've considered cooking the meat in advance and freezing it in the gravy - have done this before with roast beef and it worked well. Has anyone done this with turkey? I've also seen others freeze roast potatoes - does other roast veg freeze well?
Any other ideas most welcome.

Linda32

esmy wrote: »

I've considered cooking the meat in advance and freezing it in the gravy - have done this before with roast beef and it worked well. Has anyone done this with turkey?

I did this last year with turkey leftovers and it was fine, just as if it had been cooked fresh.

Not sure if chicken is the same as turkey, (in that turkey is perhaps a dryer meat IYSWIM) but I freeze chicken without any gravy at all, just pulled off the bone and in a freezer box.
Then we either have it cold in the summer or re-heated in gravy.

If you were to cook the turkey before and portion up. Then as long as you are home early on Christmas Eve I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be defrosted by Christmas Day.

You could freeze the roasts, but you could equally just do them on Christmas morning.

MandM90

You can buy (parboiled, I think?) root veg which you throw in the oven and roast from frozen. You could parboil, freeze then take out and toss in a little oil and honey and roast.

Butterfly_Brain

I always prepare veggies for Christmas Dinner, it makes life so much easier on the day,
I don't blanch veggies because it changes taste and texture,

• I prepare the brussels,and put into freezer bags and do the same with carrots
• For the parsnips I add some honey to a bag and give it a good smoosh around and then open freeze, before putting into a freezer bag.
• I parboil the potatoes and then roast until just beginning to colour and then open freeze in a foil tray
• stuffing balls are prepared and open frozen then put into bags
• Yorkshire puds are made and again open frozen, then put into bags
  You can prepare your sausages in blankets and freeze them too (You can even buy them ready prepared)
  
  Turkey can be cooked and sliced allowed to go coldy and then frozen, defrost overnight and reheat thoroughly in gravy until piping hot all the way through.