Christmas Dinner 2016

Repetto

This thread is making my mouth water! On the stuffing front, I tried cranberry and chestnut last year, absolutely delicious so will be doing that again. +1 for semolina-dusted roasties. Someone mentioned a lobster starter up thread... can you elaborate on that please?

the beer revolu

Regarding stuffing.
I like a traditional breadcrumb and herb stuffing but I find that some lemon zest brings it to another level - also, don't scrimp on the herbs, always use fresh, fry your onions and don't forget to season.

I've done a nice christmasy version with chestnuts, dried cranberry and orange zest.

Oh, and a bit of chopped, fried streaky bacon never hurts a stuffing.

dub_skav

Malari wrote: »

I always par-boil and use goose or duck fat, but I'll be trying semolina this weekend! Thanks for the tip

As an alternative to the semolina you can sprinkle a bit of mustard powder over the top after rolling in the goose fat.
Similar effect of browning the edges, the mustard flavour doesn't come through strong, but adds a little something.

Probably one to try out before the big day just in case.

BuffyBot

Some nice advice and ideas here:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/dec/03/top-10-christmas-cooking-cheats-felicity-cloake

The Black Oil

Are chestnuts widely available?

BuffyBot

The Black Oil wrote: »

Are chestnuts widely available?

Lidl have fresh ones (which need to be cooked/shelled). In the last few years Aldi stocked vac packed/canned prepared ones which save on a lot of work but I haven't seen them yet this year. Tesco, I'm sure had canned/vac packed ones too, but I haven't looked of late.

mosi

I'll be cooking for three this Christmas out at my parents. My uncle who used to live with them has gone into a home, and my Mum isn't well enough to be cooking a Christmas dinner, so I'm taking the reins. As there will only be the three of us, I'll do a chicken and the usual Christmas sides (roast spuds, root veg, sprouts etc.) I would love to do a small glazed ham as it makes the Christmas dinner, and will make for some nice leftovers. The thing is, all the recipes I've seen for that are specific to large joints. I know it was mentioned earlier on that smaller hams don't turn out as well, but if anyone has any suggestions on how to go about it with a smaller piece, that would be great.

BuffyBot

Having done large and small joints it's just a case of reducing the cooking time in proportion to the joint size (and adjusting the glaze recipe/timing if you plan to do it) IMHO.

dee_mc

A small piece of ham or bacon is lovely roasted - I think the cut we use is usually an eye loin joint? I score the fat and massage a mixture of honey, mustard, a drop of whiskey and ground cloves into the whole joint, then roast in a tinfoil lined dish at 175 or so for 50 minutes to an hour and a quarter, covered after the first 40 minutes or so if it's colouring too much.
I wouldn't worry too much about having leftover ham or bacon cooked this way - it's delicious cold in a sandwich or whatever, and it reheats very nicely, keeps in the fridge for a few days too.

pwurple

I glazed a small piece of ham yesterday.

Boiled the ham for the usual... 45 mins per kg and 20mins extra. Let it cool. Glaze and into oven for 20 mins.

I never measure my glaze.. just make up how much i need. For my 2kg ham, it was 2 heaped dessert spoons of mustard, same of briwn sugar and a splash of whiskey to bring it together,

Repetto

Also agree re smaller hams. I do a small one fairly regularly during the week, boil the night before and glaze and bake next day as described by others: honey, brown sugar, cloves, bit of mustard powder. I followed Delia's method the first time I did it and it's failsafe and delicious. Re chestnuts, I think I just got mine vacuum packed and ready to use in Tesco or Dunnes.

Spanish Eyes

mosi wrote: »

I'll be cooking for three this Christmas out at my parents. My uncle who used to live with them has gone into a home, and my Mum isn't well enough to be cooking a Christmas dinner, so I'm taking the reins. As there will only be the three of us, I'll do a chicken and the usual Christmas sides (roast spuds, root veg, sprouts etc.) I would love to do a small glazed ham as it makes the Christmas dinner, and will make for some nice leftovers. The thing is, all the recipes I've seen for that are specific to large joints. I know it was mentioned earlier on that smaller hams don't turn out as well, but if anyone has any suggestions on how to go about it with a smaller piece, that would be great.

If you can get to Marks and Spencer, they do a great loin bacon joint with honey glaze. Small or large, they will feed your crew. Delicious and so easy.

RasTa

Big fan of doing ham in coke

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/ham-in-coca-cola

Kajemo

The Black Oil wrote: »

Are chestnuts widely available?

Marks and Spencers have vac packed chestnuts, got them in there myself the other day and they are three for two.

Whispered

Interested to know what people do with the chestnuts. And silly question but do they taste nutty. I've had them once, roasted, at a christmas fair and they didn't taste remotely like nuts. I didn't like them at all. But then I tried mulled wine there for the first time too and was unimpressed until I tried home mulled.

pwurple

Chestnuts, I have chucked them into the pan if I'm frying the chopped sprouts and bits of bacon. Just another texture really. They are soft witha  bit of bite. I don't think they taste of much to be honest. Kinda of like a dense small spud.
I've put them in desserts as well. puree and add sugar or maple syrup, they are a good thickener for mousses or layered desserts.

To be honest, I don't think they are worth what they cost in shops, it's just novelty factor only. If I had a tree full of them, different story.

Here's a link with some recipies for using chestnuts
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/cracking-chestnuts

leahyl

I actually did a "Christmas Dinner" on Monday evening for the family for my mums 70th bday - it was my first time doing it but it all went off very well thank God! I did turkey breast and a ham, stuffing, sprouts panfried with bacon, garlic cheesy potato, mash, roasties and celery/carrots/cauliflower and gravy - it was delicious and I was very proud of myself...:D At least I know I can do it now.....although it was fecking stressful getting the timing right! Also, it wasn't the full turkey I cooked but I'm sure I'd be able to manage that sometime!

jmauel

BuffyBot wrote: »

A wheat product. It's used in many ways. Many years ago folks used to make semolina pudding out of it, by cooking it in milk until it got thick - basically a sweetened wheat porridge (if you were lucky, you got a tablespoon of jam to stir into it :P)

In roast potatoes, it is used to help form a coaching which becomes crispy and crunchy during the roasting process.

I can confirm this as I did a trial run at the weekend with semolina tossed roast spuds.. A success, very crispy and tasty

dee_mc

I saw chestnuts in Lidl today in the veg section, if anyone is still looking for them.

Redpunto

Quick question?
What difference to the outcome of stuffing does it make if pre-fry onions before putting them in? Is one way nicer than the other?

Dizzyblonde

Redpunto wrote: »

Quick question?
What difference to the outcome of stuffing does it make if pre-fry onions before putting them in? Is one way nicer than the other?

They're much nicer if you cook them first. I do mine in a big bowl in the microwave with butter, just for a minute or two. Then I throw in the breadcrumbs etc - it means there's only one bowl to be washed

the beer revolu

Redpunto wrote: »

Quick question?
What difference to the outcome of stuffing does it make if pre-fry onions before putting them in? Is one way nicer than the other?

I think it makes a huge difference.
My parents never did this but they both really like raw onions.
It's more mellow flavoured and the onions blend into the stuffing more, if that makes sense.

If you do it, fry them slowly and gently til translucent or more if you want that camarelised flavour.

pwurple

Massive difference. Allowing the time for onions to cook properly produces a huge amount of flavour. Browning the onions gives you umami... that deep savoury flavour... the one you need to get off the bottom of your pan. And it lets the pungent chemicals convert down to sugars slightly, giving you more sweetness and less of the acrid pong flavour of raw onion.

shoutman

Will be doing the Turkey for the fourth year in a row this year. Thinking of following the lead of others on here and going with the Buttermilk brine.

We've expanded this year so will be cooking for 11 and will be cooking a full turkey as opposed to a crown.

Where would I be able to pick up a brining bag? Or am I better off buying a big bucket and lid - giving it a good clean and clearing out the fridge?

now online

shoutman wrote: »

Will be doing the Turkey for the fourth year in a row this year. Thinking of following the lead of others on here and going with the Buttermilk brine.

We've expanded this year so will be cooking for 11 and will be cooking a full turkey as opposed to a crown.

Where would I be able to pick up a brining bag? Or am I better off buying a big bucket and lid - giving it a good clean and clearing out the fridge?

Would you consider trying basting it in butter, just loosen the skin and stick a butter mountain under there? Cover in streaky bacon to lock in the moisture and cover the whole bird in in tin foil. Towards the end take off the streaky bacon and tin foil to allow the skin to brown.

I find this to be just as moist and tasty and much less hassle!

BetsyEllen

shoutman wrote: »

Will be doing the Turkey for the fourth year in a row this year. Thinking of following the lead of others on here and going with the Buttermilk brine.

We've expanded this year so will be cooking for 11 and will be cooking a full turkey as opposed to a crown.

Where would I be able to pick up a brining bag? Or am I better off buying a big bucket and lid - giving it a good clean and clearing out the fridge?

I can't remember which chef it was - possibly Jamie Oliver - but they brined theirs in a clean bucket overnight and left it in the garden!
Obviously well covered.

shoutman

now online wrote: »

Would you consider trying basting it in butter, just loosen the skin and stick a butter mountain under there? Cover in streaky bacon to lock in the moisture and cover the whole bird in in tin foil. Towards the end take off the streaky bacon and tin foil to allow the skin to brown.

I find this to be just as moist and tasty and much less hassle!

That is step two!

leahyl

BetsyEllen wrote: »

I can't remember which chef it was - possibly Jamie Oliver - but they brined theirs in a clean bucket overnight and left it in the garden!
Obviously well covered.

That was Nigella, I think - remember watching the show

Dizzyblonde

shoutman wrote: »

Will be doing the Turkey for the fourth year in a row this year. Thinking of following the lead of others on here and going with the Buttermilk brine.

We've expanded this year so will be cooking for 11 and will be cooking a full turkey as opposed to a crown.

Where would I be able to pick up a brining bag? Or am I better off buying a big bucket and lid - giving it a good clean and clearing out the fridge?

I used a turkey roasting bag and it was really handy. You could double up if you were afraid it might leak, but mine didn't. I took the vegetable drawers out of the fridge and sat it in there on a tray.

BetsyEllen

leahyl wrote: »

That was Nigella, I think - remember watching the show

No it was definitely a guy, so that's 2 big chefs that do it then!
And if it's good enough for Nigella and Jamie...