Preparation, preparation, preparation. I could go on, but I think you get the general idea of how important it is to prep ahead of a party, dinner event, and special occasion. Today I will be talking about how to be as prepared as possible for Christmas dinner.

If this is your first time cooking Christmas dinner then you more than likely are scrambling around trying to figure out how long you should be cooking pigs in blankets or what to do with a turkey.

Fear not, I will hopefully be able to knock those worries out of your head, so when Christmas day rolls around you’ll be prepared and ready for whatever happens with your Christmas dinner.

Plan Ahead

Making dinner for the first time will be a daunting experience for anyone, but it will likely end well if you prepare in advance. Stock up on heating oil through the services available at hollenbachoil.com or a similar portal, and ensure that your stove and oven work fine. Shop for the necessary ingredients beforehand and marinate the food in time. Get in touch with your guests and find out if they have any dietary preferences. Once done, you need to prepare dinner, which can be a more seamless experience, now that everything is in place.

Who Are You Inviting?

Start by writing a list of all the people who will be coming to your Christmas dinner and write what they like/don’t like to eat. You can ask them beforehand and write it down. For instance, if a few people do not like turkey, you may want to go for other meat that would suit them better, e.g. chicken, beef, fish, and so on.

If they have any allergies or intolerances, then you will need to plan for that to ensure that any food you make is not cross-contaminating with others which could cause an issue down the line. I don’t think seeing someone swell up whilst eating their Christmas pudding because you forgot they are allergic to nuts is going to make your Christmas merry and bright.

Consider the Space You Have

If you are cooking for a large group of people, are you able to get everything done on the day or will you need to prepare some of it on Christmas Eve and then reheat it on Christmas Day. Check and see if you have enough pots and pans as well as a good-sized baking tray to put your vegetables on.

Measure your turkey and see if it will fit into your oven, you should ideally be doing this beforehand to find a turkey that fits into your oven, but if you have accidentally skipped this, then now is the time to wing it (pardon the pun).

You may want to ask to borrow a family member’s or a friend’s oven for the day and give them specific instructions, e.g. when to baste, what temperature it needs to be at, and how to make sure it is piping hot.

Do Not Just Use the Oven

As much as you want to throw everything into the oven, you may not be able to due to space issues. Now is the time to utilize your other electrical items like your stovetop, microwave, and air fryer (if you have one).

Cooking in the Microwave

Potatoes can take a while in the oven, so you may want to throw them into the microwave until they are soft, then you can throw them into the final stages of the turkey cooking, or just after you take it out (keep it warm with foil wrapped around it). You can then turn up the temperature to make sure they get all crispy without wasting time. Voilà, you have your roast potatoes.

Cooking on the Stovetop

Your veg like carrots, sprouts, and parsnips can be done using the stovetop. Make sure you have a big pan, wash and cut your vegetables, add the oil of your choice to your pan on medium to high heat, put in the veg when the pan is showing some smoke and turn it down to medium. Do not push them around but keep an eye on them. Once they have caramelized, then you can remove them and put them into a bowl.

Moreover, when cooking for a large gathering, it’s worth considering a more efficient method. Festive occasions often involve extensive cooking, and electric stovetops can significantly increase electricity consumption. In such instances, choosing propane over electricity can be a smart option, especially during holidays like Christmas. You can easily obtain a propane tank from companies similar to Dutch Oil and Propane. This can allow you to serve your guests delicious Christmas meals while also effectively reducing your electricity bill.

Cooking with the Air Fryer

An air fryer has multiple uses which are perfect for people who need that extra space for Christmas dinner. A traditional Christmas lunch does not mean completely oven based, so experiment with different ways you can cook dinner.

Did you know you can make mince pies in an air fryer? Beef Wellington? Now you do know and it is brilliant for an alternative Christmas dinner if you want to explore other options about what you want to cook.

Why it is Important to Change it Up

Whether you decide to boil your veggies or roast everything you can get your hands on, utilizing various electrical items can make the day a lot easier and save you time. When considering sustainable options that are friendly to both your wallet and the environment, you might want to look into stove tops that run on propane. These stoves require minimal maintenance and less frequent refilling, which can be conveniently managed through services like Sea Breeze LP Gas Company.

At the end of the day, whether you’re using an air fryer, microwave, or stove top, spreading your cooking tasks across multiple appliances can help you save time and money.

Additionally, a slow cooker is a great addition to your Christmas dinner; you can add all the ingredients and let it cook slowly throughout the day.

Pre-cook

You may want to pre-cook/pre-make some of your foods in advance, maybe a few days to a week, and then freeze them so you can have a stress free Christmas day without worrying about where you put the goose fat or if you have all the right ingredients to make stuffing from scratch.

Cut Some Corners

It is okay to cut a few corners when preparing your Christmas dinner. You can make gravy from granules and boiling water on the day, as well as buy store-bought cream for desserts instead of making it from scratch (now that would be extreme).

You do not need to make pigs in blankets from scratch either, as nice as it would be to pick up butcher sausages and streaky bacon to create your own, it is going to take up a lot of your time. Getting them from the supermarket is not going to have your guests storm out.

Fridge Space

Before you get all your ingredients, you need to make sure you have a free fridge for you to put everything in. Also, make sure that your fridge is working efficiently so that it can properly cool and preserve, even at full capacity. If it seems lacking, then it would be best to call a repairman from DCC London (www.dcclondon.co.uk) or a similar company and get it fixed before you start your preparations. I’m sure absolutely everything you are cooking and preparing is able to be refrigerated, so make that space. Just don’t forget to make some room for your butter and milk. Not being able to have a cup of tea and some toast first thing in the morning may make you a tad grumpy.

Delegation Station

If you have people helping you out (yay) then get them to help you out with the cooking and decorating. Get them to check on the roast potatoes and roast parsnips to ensure they are golden brown. Have them check the turkey to see if it is cooked through. Any of these things will be helpful and stop you from flying around the kitchen.

If they are just standing around, they can set the table by dressing it with the tablecloth and plates as well as some Christmas crackers and candles. The least they can do is put out the salt and pepper.

You Deserve the Help

The festive season is all about celebrating with family, but that doesn’t mean they have the right to be lazy. You have done a lot to prepare this food, following recipes that are completely new to you, and making carrots, sprouts, and potatoes exactly as others want them, so tell them what they can assist with, even if it is running out of the house for some more baking parchment.

How to Cook…

Here are a few “how-to’s” for people who feel inundated with timings. A time plan will always help.

How to Cook Turkey

BBC Good Food has said that with a turkey, you ideally need to put it into a roasting tin with the breast side of the turkey facing up, and then roast it for 40 minutes per 1kg for the first 4kg, then 45 minutes for every 1kg over that weight. The internal temperature should be between 65-70c. This is just a guideline, as it will depend on the power of your appliances and the recipe you are following.

How to Roast Vegetables

If you are roasting the veg in the oven, then you will need to spread your carrots, sprouts, parsnips, and any others you have, on a large roasting tray (assuming you are having a big dinner), and roast for around 30 minutes at about 200c, you may need longer, so check-in at intervals and take out the tray to shake them so they don’t stick to the paper. Some vegetables are harder to cook than others, so check this out beforehand as you do not want to be waiting on them.

How to Bake Christmas Pudding

This recipe may need to be started 24 hours in advance as you will need to soak raisins in rum, you will need to make sure that they get stirred throughout the day. Some people can start this weeks in advance, but you do not need to go to those lengths.

There is a recipe linked for those who need to go through it step by step, but when you have all your ingredients together you will want to put it in a pre-heated 300c oven which could take up to 2 hours, but it will depend on the size of the pan you are using.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have a bit more knowledge on how to prepare Christmas dinner for the first time and you do not feel so scared at tackling it head-on. Remember, it is your first Christmas dinner, you are going to get conflicting steps and tips, some of it is following your instincts and checking in every so often. It is a big day but you will do the best you can do.