Spill the beans... on cooking Xmas dinner for the first time

mummyyummy_2

anniemf2508 wrote: »

Carrots: Can be sliced and frozen.

so not cooked? OR sliced, cooked, cooled, frozen? sorry........then to re-heat? im such a novice at all this..thanks

esmy

Examine all turkey orifices carefully for the neck/giblets - my first Xmas dinner many years ago the turkey was cooked complete with giblets still in the plastic bag at the neck end. I'd assumed they'd be at the other end. I told no one and we ate the turkey!
Oh and boil up the neck and giblets in a pan and use the stock for your gravy - remove plastic bag first.........

DODO_2

Drink as you cook - and then even if its a total disaster you wont remember it!!!1

nearlyrich

DODO wrote: »

Drink as you cook - and then even if its a total disaster you wont remember it!!!1

LOL great advice

petshrink

snowedunderitall wrote: »

We made our own last year but I think theres nothing wrong with pre-done gravy and some is lovely (had an m&s turkey one that was divine)

i went in m&S today on the hunt for this gravey. couldnt find it. do you remember what is was like. i saw a jar of chicken gravy could that be similar? thanks

stick2000

lol - I remember drinking as I cooked sunday dinner once ... was drinking vodka and orange and never realised how much I was drinking as was so hot till it was time to serve up ..... potatoes all over the floor and the plates looked a mess cause I just chucked everything on :rotfl:

Suarez

Easy way for veg is to cook it the night before/first thing in the morning then put it into a glass oven proof dish. Like have carrots/peas half n half. Sprouts/swede etc etc.

Then place in the fridge with a knob of butter on each and cling wrapped. Half an hour before dinner change the cling wrap for foil and stick in the oven on about 150. Then just serve in the dishes (but warn people they are hot)

split_second

hi all hoping i can be cheeky and ask for help to, christmas dinner for 3 so doing beef instead of turkey, how soon before christmas should i buy it, not planning on freezing it just keeping it in the fridge

dancingfairy

Hi. Whilst cooking the turkey the night before sounds good. I don't think I'd leave it out overnight with a foil blanket on. The ways to minimise food poisoning are to:
1) make sure it is thoroughly defrosted beforecooking.
2) cook thoroughly
3) cool quickly
4) reheat thoroughly.

Bacteria/food poisoning occurs when food is left too long at warm temperatures so the food needs to be either piping hot (when eating it) or cold (in the fridge). I would try and cool the turkey (perhaps dejoiniting it to help it cool) and then as soon as possible after cooking (when cool enough to put in the fridge) get it in the fridge (covered with cling film).

Also you don't want to repeat a stage in cooking/storing so it's fine to go from raw to cooked, cooked to reheated or cooked to frozen to reheated but I wouldn't cook something, reheat it, then reheat it again. The less time it has going through the 'warm zone' from cold to hot or vice versa the better.
Perhaps I am over cautious but it has served me well so far.
df

mummyyummy_2

some great advice everyone, thankyou all