Christmas is just one day away, and if you're hosting dinner this year, you may be concerned about if it's going to run smoothly.
There are so many different elements to the festive meal, and the thought of getting everything bang-on can be daunting. Unfortunately, when you're stressed, this will only make the cooking harder and add to your frustration.
With so many things that can go wrong, it's important to be aware of any potential problems before they happen. Doing this will hopefully ensure you can still enjoy the festivities without worrying about disasters in the kitchen.
To help with this, we've rounded up some of the culinary problems you're likely to face on Christmas day - from oven space issues to overdone sprouts.
Turkey too big for your oven
If you've gone to put the turkey in and it won't fit, don't cram it in - this will make it cook unevenly and burn in places.
Simply removing the turkey’s legs will be enough to allow the bird to squeeze in, according to experts at Which?.
You can do this by following these steps:
- Pull the leg away from the body and cut between the leg and breast until you hit the thigh bone.
- Bend the leg away from the body until it pops out of the socket
- Cut through the joint and skin to remove the leg
- Cook the legs in a separate roasting tin. They can take a bit longer than the rest of the bird, so pop them in about half an hour earlier.
Forgot to defrost turkey
Frozen turkeys are handy if you're buying in advance, but it can be a disaster if you forget to take it out of the freezer in time.
You should leave them to defrost for ideally two days to ensure that no parts of it are still frozen as this could cause harmful bacteria to survive and spread.
The NHS has issued the following guidance on how you can defrost your turkey safely and as quick as possible:
- Remove the giblets and neck as soon as possible to speed up the thawing process. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any part of the raw turkey.
- Before cooking, make sure there are no ice crystals in the bird's cavity. Test the thicker parts of the turkey with a fork to check if the meat feels frozen.
- Turkey (and any other poultry) is best defrosted in a covered dish at the bottom of the fridge so that it cannot drip onto other foods.
- Pour away the liquid that comes out of the defrosting turkey regularly to stop it overflowing and spreading bacteria. Be careful not to splash the liquid onto worktops, dishes, clothes or other food.
If your turkey is too big to fit in the fridge, keep it in a cool room, shed or garage.
Broken oven
If Christmas Day rolls around and your oven won't switch on, fear not - you can actually use the barbecue to cook it instead.
You can cook your turkey on it and it takes roughly the same amount of time, but make sure your barbecue circulates the air properly.
Cook all your vegetables on the hob or in the microwave.
Mushy Brussels sprouts
Overcooking the controversial veg needn't be a disaster, as you can turn them into a delicious creamed sprouts dish instead.
Drain them well, then return to the pan with a knob of butter and mash, then add a generous splash of cream and plenty of seasoning and nutmeg.
Not enough oven space
Fitting everything in the oven at once may not be possible, so experts at BBC Good Food suggest cooking the turkey first.
Once it's out, well-wrapped and resting, stick everything else in.
Try to cook as many of the side dishes on the hob as you can. Vegetables can be boiled and potatoes can be pan-fried – you can even use your slow cooker to reheat the Christmas pudding.
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