Whether you're a first-timer cooking Christmas dinner or a seasoned veteran of the kitchen, chances are you'll be a touch anxious about preparing and serving your turkey this weekend. After all, it is the star of the show.
While roasties and pigs in blankets can be packed with flavour, it all counts for nought if your bird is dry and chewy.
However, that is a substantial risk that comes with roasting a turkey for a long time, unless you know exactly what you're doing.
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You need not fear though, as The Mirror reports one top chef's handy hack to prevent a sub par meal come Christmas day - dubbing the technique for turkey an absolute 'game-changer'. Oliver Marlowe, the owner and chef director at Ganymede, a restaurant in London, says that you just need to do one thing on Christmas Eve that will make all the difference the next day.
Speaking to The Mirror, he said: "To make sure you don’t end up with a dry turkey on the big day, I’d recommend brining your bird in a 10% salt to water liquid mix overnight prior to cooking. The salt dissolves some of the muscle proteins, meaning the meat contracts less while in the oven so therefore it loses less moisture.
"It gives a game-changing depth of flavour, making it very difficult to overcook so there’s one less thing to worry about on the big day!"
He went on to share his other top tips for cooking Christmas dinner, including a way to pimp up your Brussels sprouts. The chef added: "For leftover sprouts, cut them into quarters and fry them with some onions, garlics and chestnut. To finish, deglaze the pan with a little white wine and a knob of butter.
"This dish makes for a cracking addition to Boxing Day lunch – serve with Christmas cold cuts, leftover turkey and all the condiments you can get your hands on."
So there you have it, a nice and simple hack to stop you from having to salvage Christmas dinner at the last minute.
Do you have any cooking hacks? Let us know in the comments below.
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