Top tips for preparing the perfect Christmas dinner!

STEP ONE — SOURCING YOUR MEAT

If you’re a meat-eating family, you will likely need a turkey or something similar for the centrepiece of your meal. It is also best to order your turkey in advance, but not until you know how many people you are cooking for. You can then either arrange for it to be picked up or delivered ready for Christmas Eve. You can even get turkey or other meats on a budget, speak to your local butchers or check out supermarkets and online suppliers to get the best deal. If you don’t want turkey, you can use chicken, duck, pork, beef or any other meat you like. There are also some amazing meat free options on the market these days for those of you who want a vegetarian or vegan Christmas. For those of you doing turkey, make sure to know exactly how many people you are cooking for — that way you’ll have enough to go around and no excess waste.

Here’s an idea of what size you’ll need depending on the number of guests.

4-6 people – 3kg

8-10 people – 4kg

10-12 people – 5kg

12-14 – 6kg

16-18 people – 8kg

Some shops also sell smaller cuts of meat that weigh between 1 and 2kg — ideal for smaller gatherings.

While it is important to take the number of guests into account, make sure whatever you choose will also fit inside your oven and check how much storage you have. Some places offer frozen turkeys or other meat joints which are usually more economical, so make sure you have enough room in your freezer! If you’re having a fresh bird or cut of meat, you will need to store it in the fridge, so keep enough space available! Making Christmas dinner can be one of the most stressful aspects of the day, especially when it is your time to cook or you’re in charge of the turkey for the first time. Here are some top tips for a memorable meal this Christmas.

STEP TWO — PREPARING THE MEAT

If you go for a turkey, when you get it home or choose to defrost it, make sure to remove the giblets if they haven’t already been taken out and wash the cavity before starting to cook. To calculate the exact time you’ll need to cook your meat you need to know the exact weight, for instance, for those cooking turkey in a preheated oven, you will require 20 minutes cooking time per kg plus an extra 70 minutes. So, a 5kg turkey will need to cook for around 2 hrs and 50 minutes and then be left to rest before serving.

Everyone likes to cook in different ways so make sure to take these processes into account when getting ready. For instance, those that want to marinate their meat will need to allow a different amount of time to those that are cooking with bacon or vegetables on top. Also remember what time you are planning to serve dinner to know when to get started.

When it comes to creating something as large as a Christmas dinner, you will need to cook it for the correct time for its size. Too little and the meat is inedible, too much and it will be dry and tough.

STEP THREE — COOKING

Once you’ve figured out how long you need to cook for be sure to keep an eye on it. Test the internal temperature with a probe thermometer if you have one. You’ll know its cooked when it reaches 60 degrees. Don’t worry though, the meat will continue to cook itself when you rest it.

STEP FOUR — SERVING

Once your meat is cooked, you will need to figure out how to serve it. Some people like to carve at the table, others like to do it in the kitchen and plate up. However you do it, here are some tips on how to carve a turkey: • Start with the drumsticks, then the wings. • Cut off the dark meat, following the direction of the bone. • Remove the breast meat and slice. • Carve the white meat in downward slices. • Once carved, don’t forget to remove the stuffing!

STEP FIVE — LEFTOVERS

If you have any leftovers, allow it to cool and then wrap in foil and refrigerate. You can use the leftovers throughout the following days, for instance in sandwiches or curries.