Need Christmas Dinner Advice? Ask Here...

Mrs Fox

the beer revolu wrote: »

To all the people looking for tips on a moist turkey or anyone looking to try something a bit different :
Poach the turkey crown.
Trust me!
I've posted the recipe in this thread.
Imagine having your oven free for all the veg and spuds you like?!

It's very hard to convince the rest of them. Even when I mentioned I was going to brine the turkey, they all looked at me like I have two heads.

the beer revolu

Mrs Fox wrote: »

It's very hard to convince the rest of them. Even when I mentioned I was going to brine the turkey, they all looked at me like I have two heads.

My family were sceptical at first but we're converted when they tasted the meat.
Last year my brother thought I was joking about poaching it - he hadn't realised he'd been eating poached turkey for three years!
You still have a little stuffing in the legs and my prosciutto ham stuffing yokes go down a treat.

Animord

I'd love to try poaching the turkey, but in our house part of the whole 'thing' is for the turkey to be carried out all hot and steaming and golden and with his legs up in the air and placed at the head of the table for carving - I can't see that working with a bunch of bits of turkey.:mad:

nosietoes

For anyone who is brining - try and do it the night before Christmas Eve so you can leave the turkey out of the brine, uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours in order to dry out the skin a bit so you don't have to compromise your crispy skin.

Edit: although this is only relevant if you're brining and roasting obviously.

the beer revolu

Animord wrote: »

I'd love to try poaching the turkey, but in our house part of the whole 'thing' is for the turkey to be carried out all hot and steaming and golden and with his legs up in the air and placed at the head of the table for carving - I can't see that working with a bunch of bits of turkey.:mad:

A poached turkey crown (if nicely browned in the pan) presents and carves beautifully (albeit without legs sticking up in the air). Nothing like a bunch of bits of turkey.

Mrs Fox

That does looks beautiful, beer. I make a killer stuffing separately in a round tin though (it'll be cut into wedges to serve), but I like the idea of stuffing the legs too.

twerg_85

I did my thanksgiving/practice turkey this way after reading about it here.

Can confirm it was moist, well received, browned and looked great.

F.

the beer revolu

Mrs Fox wrote: »

That does looks beautiful, beer. I make a killer stuffing separately in a round tin though (it'll be cut into wedges to serve), but I like the idea of stuffing the legs too.

That's not actually my pic:(
But if you do it right it will look similar.

The rolled and stuffed legs are fantastic - I much prefer them to the breast meat.

Animord

the beer revolu wrote: »

A poached turkey crown (if nicely browned in the pan) presents and carves beautifully (albeit without legs sticking up in the air). Nothing like a bunch of bits of turkey.

Sorry, I didn't meant that to sound rude! It just meant that although it certainly looks great in that picture, there is something about having the whole bird out on the table and having just the crown doesn't seem right to me. I might try it next year sometime. I am just too traditional!

the beer revolu

twerg_85 wrote: »

I did my thanksgiving/practice turkey this way after reading about it here.

Can confirm it was moist, well received, browned and looked great.

F.

Horray, a convert!!!!:D:D:D:D
I've tried to convince so many people to try this and you're the first I know of who did!!;)

loadsofham

Can you please post a link to the poaching recipe, the only one I can find is an old one for Rte which is no longer a valid URL


Thanks

the beer revolu

loadsofham wrote: »

Can you please post a link to the poaching recipe, the only one I can find is an old one for Rte which is no longer a valid URL


Thanks

go back to post# 41 in this thread

homemadecider

the beer revolu wrote: »

Horray, a convert!!!!:D:D:D:D
I've tried to convince so many people to try this and you're the first I know of who did!!;)

You've sold me - I'm going to try it this year. Do you brine it the night before and then poach it on Xmas day? Do you need to wash it well post-brine to get rid of excess saltiness?

the beer revolu

homemadecider wrote: »

You've sold me - I'm going to try it this year. Do you brine it the night before and then poach it on Xmas day? Do you need to wash it well post-brine to get rid of excess saltiness?

I've never brined it.

silly

got onto a local meat company and they quoted me e32.50 for a 7.50kg turkey - i thought they would eb alot more expensive than that!! am i missing something - is it going to be a ****e turkey. A large ham is e28...

Animord

homemadecider wrote: »

You've sold me - I'm going to try it this year. Do you brine it the night before and then poach it on Xmas day? Do you need to wash it well post-brine to get rid of excess saltiness?

I think I might brine this year too. I was just looking at Martha Stewart's recipe. It looks good.

Faith

Alright, I think I'm sold on the poaching too .

the beer revolu

homemadecider wrote: »

You've sold me - I'm going to try it this year.

Faith wrote: »

Alright, I think I'm sold on the poaching too .

I feel a bit under pressure now:eek: but confident you'll be happy!
If you don't like it blame Richard Corrigan, not me!

Mrs Fox

the beer revolu wrote: »

I feel a bit under pressure now:eek: but confident you'll be happy!
If you don't like it blame Richard Corrigan, not me!

I've only ever poached whole chicken for Hainanese Chicken Rice and yes it does produce the juiciest of meat, absolutely. So I can see how this would work for turkey too.
I'll see if I can do a trial this weekend, without the trimmings, I'm saving them for the big day.

nosietoes

I've banished dry turkey from my life for good by switching to lovely organically reared bronze turkeys. They tend to wander about a lot more, develop more muscles and much more flavour.

My boyfriend's mum bought my family our first one about 4 or 5 years ago and we've never gone back... That and we began to ignore Delia Smith's cooking times in our Christmas book and taking it when the thermometer reads 10 degrees less than the official cooked temperature.

Whistlejacket

I totally agree, there is way more flavour and texture in a turkey that has spent 5-6 months slowly growing while scratching around outside than a bird that spent 12-14 weeks in a commercial poultry house just eating meal and sitting around.

The slow reared ones are more expensive but it's the only day of the year I eat turkey so I think it's worth it. Plus I prefer to eat meat that I feel had a good life while it was alive. The fact that a good life usually equates with more flavour in the end product is an added bonus :-)

RasTa

What to do for starter? Might just skip it

the beer revolu

nosietoes wrote: »

I've banished dry turkey from my life for good by switching to lovely organically reared bronze turkeys. They tend to wander about a lot more, develop more muscles and much more flavour.

My boyfriend's mum bought my family our first one about 4 or 5 years ago and we've never gone back... That and we began to ignore Delia Smith's cooking times in our Christmas book and taking it when the thermometer reads 10 degrees less than the official cooked temperature.

Whistlejacket wrote: »

I totally agree, there is way more flavour and texture in a turkey that has spent 5-6 months slowly growing while scratching around outside than a bird that spent 12-14 weeks in a commercial poultry house just eating meal and sitting around.

The slow reared ones are more expensive but it's the only day of the year I eat turkey so I think it's worth it. Plus I prefer to eat meat that I feel had a good life while it was alive. The fact that a good life usually equates with more flavour in the end product is an added bonus :-)

I would also advocate a bronze free range or organic turkey - much better flavour - but if you overcook it, it will still be dry.
So, nosietoes, just switching to organic bronze turkey wasn't what banished dry turkey, it was switching turkey and not overcooking it!

twerg_85

RasTa wrote: »

What to do for starter? Might just skip it

An easy recipe that looks good is salmon mousse.

Smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese/greek yoghurt/sour cream and lemon juice blended together with seasoning (dill, salt,pepper,nutmeg are nice).
Serve in a small glass bowl or espresso cup with a slice of cucumber or mandarin segment on top and a sprinkling of dill and paprika (more for looks than taste).

Takes minutes to prepare and tastes good (if you like salmon of course !)
F.

Mrs Fox

RasTa wrote: »

What to do for starter? Might just skip it

At ours we either do a make-ahead chicken liver pate in a bowl so everyone can help themselves with toasts, or gambas ajillo, another dish where everyone can help themselves and mop with crusty bread.
My SIL is bringing starters this year and I'm sure she'll be making some sort of salmon trout mousse parcel thingy.

MurdyWurdy

I am so excited for Christmas dinner. I was supposed to cook it last year but was pregnant and spent the day vomiting and not eating anything instead - so this year, I'm back baby!

I think we're doing a turkey crown and I'll do a ham on Christmas Eve. I can't decide whether or not to glaze and bake it or do it in the slow cooker. Hmm...

My favourite stuffing is made with prunes and pistachios so I think I'll do that too. I like the idea of rolling it up in serrano ham!

My question is, does anyone have any nice recipes for trifle? My Dad and husband have requested trifle for dessert but I wanted to see is anyone knew any "fancy" trifle recipes so I could surprise them with something a little different.

I want to do a more chocolatey type dessert as well and after reading this thread Toblerone cheesecake is standing out

Animord

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I am so excited for Christmas dinner. I was supposed to cook it last year but was pregnant and spent the day vomiting and not eating anything instead - so this year, I'm back baby!

I think we're doing a turkey crown and I'll do a ham on Christmas Eve. I can't decide whether or not to glaze and bake it or do it in the slow cooker. Hmm...

My favourite stuffing is made with prunes and pistachios so I think I'll do that too. I like the idea of rolling it up in serrano ham!

My question is, does anyone have any nice recipes for trifle? My Dad and husband have requested trifle for dessert but I wanted to see is anyone knew any "fancy" trifle recipes so I could surprise them with something a little different.

I want to do a more chocolatey type dessert as well and after reading this thread Toblerone cheesecake is standing out

A good trifle is a thing of wonder and beauty I think. I do two different ones, but the whole thing, I think is to make proper custard using vanilla pods so you can see the seeds in it. I use a fatless sponge, actually I make swiss roll and roll it up with homemade raspberry jam. I cut the swiss roll into slices and place it round the sides of a glass bowl so you can see the beauty of it, lots of custard over it and whipped cream on top. That is the ordinary one for the kids and non-alcohol drinkers.

I also make one that is similar but I use amaretti biscuits with amaretto poured over them and then the custard and cream. Boozy, almondy and delicious!

PS I'd love the prune and pistachio stuffing recipe if you felt like posting it? It sounds great.

MurdyWurdy

My Dad is a Swiss Roll aficionado so it would be lovely to make it for the trifle and an extra one for him to eat!

Animord

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

My Dad is a Swiss Roll aficionado so it would be lovely to make it for the trifle and an extra one for him to eat!

OMG. Starving for trifle now...:p

MurdyWurdy

Animord wrote: »

OMG. Starving for trifle now...:p

You could make one over the weekend!

I really like how the Swiss roll looks in the bowl. I'm not a big trifle fan but I'm looking forward to making one now