Cooking up a festive feast can be stressful (Picture: Getty Images)
Hosting at Christmas is all fun and games until the smoke alarm goes off and you realise you’ve forgotten about the turkey.
Even if you plan ahead of time, so many things can still go wrong on the day, bringing extra hassle and anxiety when all you want is to spend time with your loved ones.
Almost half of Brits stress over Christmas dinner, with a survey by Samsung finding that 27% find the cooking process the most challenging part of the festivities.
Try not to fear, though, as we’ve cooked up a little something too: a troubleshooting guide to resolve all the most common dining dilemmas you might encounter at this time of year.
So whether you need to make your meal stretch further after an unexpected guest turned up, you’ve run out of oven space or can’t get your roasties right, we’ve got you covered.
Salvage an undercooked or overcooked turkey
According to AEG, turkey is the most troublesome menu item for 22% of Brits, and Google Search data from the past four Christmases shows that Brits have searched for ‘how to cook a turkey’ almost 90,000 times.
But what about when you’ve already started the process and think you’ve messed things up?
If your bird has come out of the oven on the dry side, you just need to revive it with some hydration. Ina Garten recommends doing this by placing the sliced turkey on an ovenproof plate with a quarter of an inch of gravy. The Barefoot Contessa chef then puts the platter in the oven at 160°C for between 15 and 30 minutes, heating it up and allowing the moisture to soak into the meat. Make sure you make extra gravy for serving too, as it can hide a multitude of sins.
Alternatively, if parts of your turkey don’t seem cooked enough but you don’t want to risk putting it back into the oven and potentially drying out, you can cut off the underdone pieces and quickly boil them in a chicken or vegetable stock. Verify everything is safe to eat with a thermometer (it should measure up at 75°C) and you’re ready to go.
Turkey can be a big source of stress (Picture Getty Images)
Help turkey cook faster
Everyone is sat at the table but your turkey is nowhere near cooked? No dramas.
Simply wrap the bird in foil and turn the heat up to 230°C for around two minutes per lb, which should speed things up.
Alternatively, cut it in half or remove the legs and wings and lay them out on the oven tray, exposing as much of the meat’s surface to heat as possible – and don’t forget to temp check before you serve, as your guests would rather wait than get a nasty dose of festive food poisoning.
Properly carve a turkey
The showstopper (Picture: Getty Images)
Carving a turkey can be daunting, but it’s easy once you know what you’re doing.,
Zwilling and Staub’s resident chef, Paul Bough, recommends using a sharpened knife, carving fork, and a wooden or plastic board to catch the juices.
‘First remove the wishbone, legs and thighs, then carve each section at a time with the meat flat against the cutting board,’ he says.
‘A sharp knife is key here, as it will cut cleanly. It will also make it easier to keep the skin intact – perfect for those guests who will ask for some of the crispy skin on their plate, too!
‘Use the carving fork to hold the meat still and steady while cutting. Cut against or across the grain for tender slices and avoid flipping the turkey around. Angle the knife slightly for thinner slices. Remember to save the bones and juices for stock or gravy!’
No space in the oven? Use your air fryer
In partnership with Next, Sarah Manning-Ball suggests outsourcing certain dishes to the air fryer when space is in short supply.
She says: ‘Using an air fryer can be a godsend on Christmas Day as it frees up space in your oven.
‘It’s perfect for roast potatoes and stuffing as they come out crispy on the outside and juicy and succulent in the middle. It’s also great for parsnips; just make sure you use a liner if you’re coating them in honey for a quick clean!’
Crispy roast potatoes are a must (Picture: Getty Images)
Rescue soggy roast potatoes
Everybody loves crispy roasties on their Christmas plate, so they’ll likely not be happy with mushy spuds.
The trick is to ensure the oven is preheated to 220°C before you pop them in, but perhaps that ship has sailed, in which case HelloFresh Ireland’s cead of culinary, Hannah Duxbury, spills says: ‘If your potatoes have gone a bit lacklustre, drizzle extra oil or melted butter over them before reheating.
‘If they’re in need of an extra boost, place them on a wire rack and pop under the grill for a few minutes at the end. Make sure to regularly turn them to avoid burning.’
Thicken or add flavour to your gravy
Hannah also has some secrets for perfect gravy, including what to do if it just won’t thicken up.
She says: ‘There are a few of lesser-known ingredients you can add to your gravy to thicken at the last minute. If you have a handful of leftover roasted vegetables like potatoes or carrots puree and add gradually to your gravy. This adds a delicious earthy taste and packs your dinner with more nutrients.
‘For a more tried and tested method, make a quick roux with equal parts melted butter and flour. This can then be added to gravy to thicken for a delicious consistency.’
And what about gravy that needs a flavour hit? Hannah recommends the following: ‘Introducing a small amount of acidity with vinegar or lemon juice can help to balance saltiness or counteract sweetness. Fresh herbs, lemon juice and honey are also great additions to help salvage bland gravy.’
Stop the pigs escaping their blankets
Search data shows that ‘how to keep bacon on pigs in blankets’ is one of the most commonly asked questions around everyone’s favourite trimming.
If you find that your pigs just won’t stay cosy this Christmas, Hannah recommends turning to a couple of household items to keep them in line.
‘Uncooked spaghetti strands can be used as mini skewers for your pigs in blankets,’ she reveals, ‘Simply thread them through the bacon and around the sausage to create a lattice. The pasta will cook alongside the sausages and you can remove it before serving.’
Alternatively, tie chive stems around each end of your sausages – works a treat and looks great too.
Spaghetti and chives to the rescue (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Make the meal stretch further for unexpected guests
While the festive season is a case of ‘the more the merrier’, when a neighbour pops round or someone brings their partner to dinner without warning, you might need to switch up your plans.
According to One4All, 50% of Brits have had unexpected guests turning up on Christmas Day, which probably means making what you have in stock stretch further (the shops aren’t open, after all).
As a first line of defence, you can load up plates with more veggies and cut down on meat, or mash some potatoes as an extra side dish that’s nice and filling.
Also, consider asking guests which parts of the meal they like and leaving out the ones they don’t, avoiding waste and giving you more of certain items to give to the others. And if all else fails, lay out chocolates and nibbles to fill everyone up beforehand.
Calm indigestion without medication
There’s nothing worse than dealing with indigestion or heartburn and being all out of antacids – especially on Christmas day when you can’t pick more up.
One natural remedy to neutralise your stomach acid could be sitting in your fruit bowl, though: bananas. The fruit’s high pH helps offset excess acid, calming things down when you’re in a pinch.
Cold milk, water or ice cream should also help cool your throat after reflux, and chewing gum, sitting upright and wearing loose clothing can also offer relief.
Avoid and deal with fat blockages
You shouldn’t put your cooking juices down the sink, as this can lead to blockages and prompt a big bill if you need to call out a plumber.
Ideally, you should leave fat to cool and through it in the bin once it’s solid, but if you’ve already got a blockage on your hands, Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at Tap Warehouse, explains: ‘You can use a sturdy rod like instrument to break up the fatberg but it’s likely you’ll need to roll your sleeves up and dig out the mass yourself to ensure it’s completely free of debris.
‘Sometimes, the only way to clear this kind of blockage is to call a professional – and this is not going to be cheap around the festive period.’
Put everything in the fridge within two hours (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Safely store or get rid of leftovers
After all the festivities, if you’ve got leftovers galore, storing them quickly and correctly is key to getting them to Boxing Day.
Matt Ayres, appliance expert at RDO Kitchen and Appliances, says: ‘After enjoying your feast, refrigerate leftovers to prevent bacterial growth. Ideally, food should be put into closed containers and stored in the fridge within two hours. It’s also a good idea to label containers to keep track of how fresh they are.
‘If food has been stored correctly, it’s generally safe to eat cold leftovers. If food was left sitting out for longer than two hours, rather reheat the food until it’s steaming to kill any bacteria that might have developed.’
Any leftover veg that you don’t think will be eaten can go into the compost – just cut everything up and turn it regularly to aerate it.
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Easily clean up Christmas spills
Where food and family are concerned, mishaps are pretty much inevitable – they can be easily cleaned up, though, leaving you to get back to the important stuff.
On behalf of ScS, cleaning specialist Rosen Delchev from Fantastic Services advises blotting rather than wiping any stains on furniture or carpets.
For red wine, she says: ‘Blot the stain with a clean cloth to absorb the excess liquid. Mix a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, then continue with gently dabbing the stain with the solution using a clean cloth. After that, rinse with water and blot dry.’
A mixture of water and detergent is best for spilled Baileys, while water and ammonia will make light work of cranberry sauce.
Thicker liquids like gravy and custard are slightly different, though with Rosen saying: ‘Unlike the other stains, you need to scrape off the excess with a spoon. Next, mix a solution of warm water and dish soap, and once again blot the stain gently with the solution, before rinsing and blotting dry.’
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