The Christmas Dinner Thread

Matt_C

At my mums this year, so hopefully all the bits will be present and correct - should be the usual turkey (probably a crown rather than a whole bird), roast pots and snips, carrots, peas, sweetcorn, broccoli, cauliflower cheese (maybe), at least two types of stuffing (homemade, although I think I'll bring a sausage meat one with me as I really like those), pigs in blankets, yorkshires, gravy, quite possibly either mashed or roasted cubed butternut squash - don't think I'm missing anything? I won't have the broccoli or cauliflower, but I'll smash the rest for sure.

I'd love it if we got a goose, but too many fussy eaters would probably object. Same as I'd love the beef to be pink when we have a roast joint of beef, but again the fussy easters claim they can't eat it because it's not cooked. Heathens.

Ste7en

I had to Google 'mimosa'

When I was alive these used to be called Bucks Fizz.

nabby

Ours will be organic turkey, brined for about 10 hours, then cooked on the BBQ motorised spit, with beef dripping Yorkshire puddings, spiced red cabbage and apple, cavolo nero cabbage with pancetta, organic pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing, petit pois, sweetcorn and goose fat roast potatoes. Extra gravy for all

Then Christmas pudding with custard or brandy sauce, then later on some cheese and biscuits and home made mince pies.

Drinks will be bucks fizz in the morning (with wild smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagels), a nice Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon with the main meal, a dessert wine with the pudding, then some chilled white port with the cheese and a single malt whisky or spiced rum with the mince pies.

Greg Hook

Whilst Turkey has to be with a Christmas dinner, I find it to be very dry and not that tasty. I'd much rather have sausage meat than turkey.

nabby

The trick with turkey, I've found, is to
(a) not stuff it as it has to cook for longer and can get dry,
(b) in the oven, cook it breast-side down for the first hour, as the back is much fattier so the effect of gravity pushes more fat into the breast,
(c) use a meat thermometer and stop cooking as soon as it reaches the right temperature, then leave to to rest properly,
(d) spit-roast it as the constant rotation means it cooks quicker, goes crispier on the outside but doesn't lose moisture as fast as in the oven

IronGiant

Just measured up my big roasting tin and it's too big for the new oven .

nabby

Oh man! That's a problem! Can you use it on the bbq instead?

Greg Hook

The problem is that there is so many other things going on at the same time it often gets left too long or not given the treatment it deserves.

Barbs77

Roast bags perfect every time..

IronGiant

Possibly, or I have a rotisserie on the BBQ

BTW, what brine do you use?