We all love to sit down and eat a magnificent Christmas dinner with our favourite people. What many of us don’t enjoy is the stress that cooking the dinner can bring. Today, we’re sharing 5 tips to help ensure your Christmas dinner is a success and that your day isn’t full of stress.
- Pick a few recipes to follow (but don’t be afraid to experiment to make it your own) and write a full shopping list to ensure nothing is missed in the shops. Do your shopping in advance of Christmas Eve; you don’t want to spend your Christmas Eve rushing around the shops looking for hard to find ingredients.
- Don’t drink any alcohol until the dinner has been cooked, or at least stick to just one or two glasses at the most. Getting too merry is often a reason why roasts burn or why the Yorkshire puddings are forgotten. Stick to the soft drinks and let your hair down while the rest of the family is cleaning the kitchen.
- Consider the welfare of the animal when selecting the meat you choose. Buy the best meat you can afford with your budget. When buying beef choose a dark red joint that has been raised on grass. Remember, Hereford beef is so tender thanks to how it is raised and the natural marbling.
- Create a clear plan of action for each part of the meal and work out your timings. Prepare anything you can one or two days before Christmas to save you some time on the big day. Taking the time to plan will be worthwhile and you’ll find yourself with some extra time to spend with the family, or relaxing in front of your favourite Christmas movies.
- Don’t forget to leave the meat to rest. Resting the joint will allow the meat to relax and to get nice and juicy. Add the stuffing and the Yorkshire Puddings once you’ve taken the meat out of the oven. This is a good time to lock the cats and dogs out of the kitchen because it gets a bit busy!
Do you have any Christmas Day survival tips? Share them with us on our Facebook page.
Merry Christmas!