The Christmas Dinner 2014 Thread

pampootie

foodaholic wrote: »

Do you just use all stout or do you use stock as well ?

Half and half usually. I have such a craving for it now!

Lingua Franca

We're getting Christmas dinner catered for the very first time, thank you Groupon! 132 euro that we added an extra 35 to for upgrades, 5 courses for 7 people, it's an excellent deal. It meant we could let everyone choose what they wanted so it's all over the place, especially the starters, but most everyone went for the clear oxtail soup for the soup course, and guinea fowl stuffed with hare and wrapped in smoked duck bacon and pancetta for the meat course.

GrahamThomas

Went to the butchers today to order our turkey and ham - Decided to order a small piece of spiced beef too. I've never had it before, looking forward to trying it!

Loire

Lingua Franca wrote: »

We're getting Christmas dinner catered for the very first time, thank you Groupon! 132 euro that we added an extra 35 to for upgrades, 5 courses for 7 people, it's an excellent deal. It meant we could let everyone choose what they wanted so it's all over the place, especially the starters, but most everyone went for the clear oxtail soup for the soup course, and guinea fowl stuffed with hare and wrapped in smoked duck bacon and pancetta for the meat course.

How does that work....do they deliver to you and do you microwave the courses or something?

Loire

Made my gravy for Christmas today. Followed a Jamie recipe. End to end it took about 2 hours...left with what just tastes like chicken soup

Gravy to me seems like a black art. A bit lost really. Not giving up or anything, but it's kinda like the holy grail (along with stock (which I can make)) for anyone who loves food.

Tonight I made really good, rare venison fillets with curly kale. The mash were really really good. Mrs Loire was ohhing and ahhing, and all I was thinking of was the chicken soup / gravy in the fridge!!!

Anyway, just working on our 2nd bottle of Beaujolais so Bon Nuit

Lingua Franca

Loire wrote: »

How does that work....do they deliver to you and do you microwave the courses or something?

Pretty much, yeah. Everything will come prepared and ready to cook in containers to be roasted or otherwise cooked (we don't own a microwave but are thinking of getting one in case it's required for any of this stuff) and we get it delivered on the 23rd.

We do absolutely love to cook but one guest is a vegetarian, another is a glutenphobe, and then we have picky teens who dislike fish etc... this is just easier all round. It also means I can get smashed on Christmas day without worrying about prep or clean up. I'm sure this will be a one off but I'm really looking forward to it as a pleasant change.

Faith

Wow, it turns out that I have no idea how much turkey people eat! We have 7 diners for Christmas dinner, so I figured an 8lb turkey would do. The local butchers' recommended 12-16lbs, depending on whether we want leftovers!

I'm thinking of brining the turkey this year. I've never done it before. What kind of container do you use?

Out of curiosity, what kind of price is fresh, free range turkey in Ireland?

Lingua Franca

I've brined a turkey with excellent results, use any big container like a bucket.

Dizzyblonde

Faith wrote: »

Wow, it turns out that I have no idea how much turkey people eat! We have 7 diners for Christmas dinner, so I figured an 8lb turkey would do. The local butchers' recommended 12-16lbs, depending on whether we want leftovers!

I'm thinking of brining the turkey this year. I've never done it before. What kind of container do you use?

Out of curiosity, what kind of price is fresh, free range turkey in Ireland?

As a general rule you allow half a pound of uncooked roast meat per person, but with turkey you have to factor in the weight of the bones so that's probably why you have to buy a much heavier bird than you'd expect.

The Black Oil

I've not decided on brining - fridge space is an issue. Though I suppose you could do the container and ice pack approach.

Mrs Fox

The Black Oil wrote: »

I've not decided on brining - fridge space is an issue. Though I suppose you could do the container and ice pack approach.

Ice box, bags of ice, outdoor. That'll do it.

the beer revolu

how come everyone complains about bacon having brine added to it but everyone wants to do this to your their turkey?
It really is just adding salt and water to the bird.

There are so many tricks out there that people swear by but I'm convinced that it really is as :

Overcooked turkey = dry
Perfectly cooked turkey =moist

I always poach a turkey crown but if overcooked, it will be dry.

I thought this made for very interesting reading.

9st n 09

Afternoon all, long term reader of this thread and love it

This was emailed to me from the Huff post during week and thought I'd share it:

http://blog.kj.com/results-of-the-harold-mcgee-turkey-experiment/

T x

PS should have said it's about putting an ice pack on breast of your Turkey before cooking so the legs and breast cook to same temp and same time

Soilse

Apologies in advance for the stupid questions anyway here goes
Volunteered to cook the turkey this year for 7 hungry adults

Can I get a fresh one anywhere and when do I get it sunday?
Size 6kg turkey is this okay
stuffing -was thinking the neck part

was going to brine as per nigella recipe
when do you brine and for how long
cooking turkey: is it done upside down then flipped around at last hour?
Also can you just stick it it oven and not look at it again till done

Turkey will then need to be transported to home place an hours drive away any suggestions how this could be done without causing a mess?

nosietoes

Em... why would someone complain about 'brined' bacon... Bacon and Ham are salt cured quite often dry-cured. If they weren't brined or dry cured then they would be pork so I'm pretty certain no one is complaining about it being either.

Having cooked perfect turkey both brine and unbrined I would prefer the brined version. Its not just about moistness but flavour and texture as well. When you brine a turkey you break down the protein before you even cook it. Its amazing how many cuts of meats benefit from a quick brine including pork chops, monkfish, lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, tongue of any variety etc etc.

the beer revolu

nosietoes wrote: »

Em... why would someone complain about 'brined' bacon... Bacon and Ham are salt cured quite often dry-cured. If they weren't brined or dry cured then they would be pork so I'm pretty certain no one is complaining about it being either.

Having cooked perfect turkey both brine and unbrined I would prefer the brined version. Its not just about moistness but flavour and texture as well. When you brine a turkey you break down the protein before you even cook it. Its amazing how many cuts of meats benefit from a quick brine including pork chops, monkfish, lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, tongue of any variety etc etc.

I was talking about how brine is injected into the meat in order to bring up the weight ( I didn't make that clear) . There is a current thread about it regarding rashers.
I understand how curing works and it doesn't necessarily add water to the meat.

Having said all that, I've never tried brining a turkey so what do I know?

nosietoes

Thanks for letting me know what you were referring to - I was rather confused.I have found that normally when people talk about brining a turkey it is without injecting it with the Brine. That's why you give it 24 hours in the solution.

I've actually just finished curing some pork and the bacon released loads of water through the process. The loin of pork was about 1 1/2 inches bigger then the finished piece of back bacon. It was the first time did it so it was rather interesting to see the result.

Loire

Well my Christmas cake didn't last long!

dinorebel

I see a few people saying that ham cooked in the slow cooker is great my question is do you still glaze it then roast for 30 mins?

the beer revolu

nosietoes wrote: »

Thanks for letting me know what you were referring to - I was rather confused.I have found that normally when people talk about brining a turkey it is without injecting it with the Brine. That's why you give it 24 hours in the solution.

I've actually just finished curing some pork and the bacon released loads of water through the process. The loin of pork was about 1 1/2 inches bigger then the finished piece of back bacon. It was the first time did it so it was rather interesting to see the result.

Again, I do realize that most people aren't injecting brine into the turkey but the brining process does add water to the meat. That's what puts me off the idea - particularly after reading the article I linked early
Maybe pork cures differently but brining turkey definitely adds water to the meat.
Was it a wet or dry cure you used?

nosietoes

The bacon is dried cured. The back rasher especially shrank loads.

The weight of the turkey doesn't change significantly before and after brining tho I haven't used a digital scales to verify that, just an old fashioned one. And it tastes wonderful except you must leave it out of the brine for 24 hours before cooking so you can get crispy skin.

9st n 09

dinorebel wrote: »

I see a few people saying that ham cooked in the slow cooker is great my question is do you still glaze it then roast for 30 mins?

Yes, works out lovely, have been doing it like this for the last four years works out perfectly every time.

Faith

Does anyone have a tried-and-tested recipe for cranberry sauce?

Gloomtastic!

Faith wrote: »

Does anyone have a tried-and-tested recipe for cranberry sauce?

Yes, buy a jar! :rolleyes:

GrahamThomas

I've used the following recipe from BBC Good Food the past few years for cranberry sauce:

Add 300ml port and 175g brown sugar to a pot, bring to a boil. Add 500g cranberries, and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened, and the berries are tender yet still holding their shape.

Loire

Loire wrote: »

Well my Christmas cake didn't last long!

Made 2 more last night

Dizzyblonde

Loire wrote: »

Made 2 more last night

You'll have to hide them

MissFlitworth

Loire wrote: »

Made 2 more last night

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

You'll have to hide them

I'll mind them for you. Very trustworthy around cake me.

bennyineire

I was thinking of brining my turkey this year, here is the river cottage method
http://www.rivercottage.net/christmas/five-weeks-to-go/?utm_campaign=Christmas+2014%3A+five+weeks+to+go&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=
What were other peoples experience with brining turkeys

Loire

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

You'll have to hide them

One's for work to be fair, but I wouldn't rule out another double!