HOW TO COOK CHRISTMAS DINNER LIKE A PRO

Christmas dinner is considered by many (including us!) to be the best thing about Christmas. But for the home chef, it’s arguably the most daunting meal of the year. There’s a turkey to roast, potatoes to mash, pudding to steam and wine to pour. Yes, this roast with the most can be a daunting prospect.

Luckily, Sean Smith, Executive Chef at CLIFF, has shared his top tips for creating the perfect Christmas dinner. From ways to get ahead before Christmas Day so you can spend more time with family than you do in the kitchen to a step-by-step guide and the secret to cooking the perfect roast potatoes, here’s how to cook Christmas dinner like a pro…

PLAN A MENU

“Write out a full menu on paper and determine everything that needs to be done,” advises Sean. “Christmas dinner in my house is always very classical. To start, I’ll serve seafood: prawns, scallops and some mussels. I follow this up with a traditional turkey and ham with duck fat potatoes, roasted root vegetables, stuffing, gravy and parsley sauce. For dessert, I prepare two different tarts: classic apple and a Bakewell with my homemade ice cream.”

INVEST IN QUALITY EQUIPMENT

“Before you do anything, make sure you have all the essentials,” advises Sean. “In my opinion, the key to a stress-free day in the kitchen on Christmas is having a good oven, a thermometer or probe, a sharp knife and of course, a glass of wine!”

PREPARATION IS KEY

“Try to cook everything in the days before and do as much prep as possible. In the days leading up to Christmas, go out and get your ingredients so you avoid running around looking for that one vegetable or spice on Christmas Eve - that’s a stress you don’t need,” tells Sean. “Christmas Day should be spent with your family, not stuck in the kitchen.”

TOP TURKEY TIP

“Turkey is an essential part of Christmas dinner but people always overcook the turkey, leaving it roast for hours,” explains Sean. “I can’t recommend investing in a good digital probe enough! Cook the core temperature to above 63 degrees and your turkey will be cooked perfectly.”

THE PERFECT ROASTS

“The secret to the perfect roast potatoes is the potato itself. I always choose rooster potatoes as they are the best for roasting,” reveals Sean. “Peel and boil them in salted water until just cooked. In fact, slightly under. Heat a tray in the oven with duck fat at 250 degrees and then toss the potatoes in and roast until crispy. Season sparingly.”

FOLLOW A SCHEDULE

23rd December

• Get your ingredients into the house to avoid running around looking for that one ingredient on Christmas Eve. It’s definitely a stress you don’t need.
• Write a full menu out on paper and figure out everything that needs to be done.
• Prep as much as you can to free up time on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so you can spend more time with the family.
• Soak the ham in cold water.

Christmas Eve

• Cook the ham.
• Prep all the starters, meat, sauces, and vegetables.
• Make the turkey oven ready – seasoning, stuffing, and bacon.
• Prep your desserts.

Christmas Day

• Cook the turkey after breakfast – make sure it gets to 63 degrees.
• While the turkey is cooking, cook all the vegetables and potatoes.
• Once everything is ready, it’s just a matter of serving and enjoying!

INDULGE IN LEFTOVERS

“If you’re faced with a tonne of leftovers, sandwiches are always a good idea,” says Sean. “Enjoy that perfectly cooked turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and brie cheese on crisp white bread. If you are still in the mood to cook, you can’t go wrong with a good turkey curry.”

SHOP KITCHEN ESSENTIALS:

MORE TO READ

Now that you know all there is to cooking the ultimate Christmas feast, all that’s left to impress your guests is a marvellous gift. Find just the thing in Christmas Gifts For Absolutely Everyone On Your List.