Save seven hours on Christmas Day by freezing your dinner in advance — and follow tips from MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace for a hassle-free day
Here are some tips on how to make the entire dinner in advance, so you can spend more time with your presents
RADIO 2 DJ Chris Evans stunned listeners when he revealed Mrs E has already prepared the festive veg and popped them in the freezer.
But why stop at the carrots and sprouts?
Here we show you how to rustle up the entire meal in advance, with a few cracking tips from MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace, and rate each effort out of five.
Gregg says: “You can definitely prepare and freeze a lot, like your gravy, stuffing, sausages in bacon and vegetables.”
And while you can’t beat the smell of a turkey roasting on the big day, you can spend more time with your new gifts and less on the dishes.
Turkey
NO one wants to miss a leisurely breakfast to smother the bird with butter. And then duck out of a round of Pie Face to take the foil off for basting and resting.
Gregg says: “There’s nothing stopping you cooking it in advance, though I’ve never heard of anyone doing a whole turkey.
“To freeze it, slice it all up, put it in containers and cover it in gravy to stop it drying out. You’ve made a turkey dinner ready meal. Reheat in the oven or microwave.”
Nutritional chef Debbie Murphy adds that there are important food safety points to remember when freezing meat. She says: “After cooking, you must cool the turkey as quickly as possible.
Taking it off the bone and slicing it will speed this up.
“Then on Christmas Eve, take it out of the freezer and allow it to defrost in the fridge. Don’t put it next to any raw meat. Make sure it’s fully thawed and ensure it’s piping hot. Only reheat it once.”
TIME SAVED: Roughly three hours (depends on size of turkey).
VERDICT: 4/5 – Still lovely and moist, maybe even more so than eating it straight from the oven, thanks to the gravy.
Pigs in blankets
THEY are pretty simple to make so why risk missing any Toy Story 3 when you can get the prep done in advance?
Gregg says: “Try giving them just a little brush of honey before reheating.”
TIME SAVED: 45 minutes.
VERDICT: 3/5 – Honey glaze gives them a boost, but still prefer them fresh.
Stuffing
ACCORDING to Gregg, it is standard practice to make your own stuffing in advance, even if you don’t intend to freeze.
So why worry about getting your frock dirty when you can add the water and roll them into balls a few days earlier, freeze and reheat.
TIME SAVED: 30 minutes.
VERDICT: 4/5 – No need to worry about forgetting it on the day, it tastes just as good warmed up.
Gravy
MAKE the traditional way, using turkey juices, water from the vegetables and flour – then bang it in a bag in the freezer.
It’s less stressful doing this without a chorus of, “Is dinner ready yet?”. On the day, heat and pour.
TIME SAVED: 15 minutes.
VERDICT: 4/5 – No difference to fresh gravy – and there’s no roasting pan to wash up on Christmas Day.
Parsnips
UNLIKE potatoes, these are not meant to crisp up and so won’t risk going soggy with reheating.
Gregg says: “I like to sprinkle a little Parmesan over them. Not so much that they’re covered in a nest of cheese, but it just enhances the flavour.”
TIME SAVED: 40 minutes.
VERDICT: 3/5 – Pretty tasty. Couldn’t tell they had been reheated and it will prove far less hassle on the day.
Sprouts
COOK as normal but don’t season yet. When cool, divide into bags and freeze.
Gregg says: “I cut my sprouts in half, boil for a couple of minutes and then fry in a pan with bits of bacon.”
You can season them when you reheat – and add a knob of butter, too.
TIME SAVED: 30 minutes.
VERDICT: 3/5 – Pretty good, especially with the addition of butter.
Roast potatoes
IF Aunt Bessie can freeze spuds, so can we – even if Gregg thinks they are best done on the day to keep them crispy.
Peel, chop and boil for ten minutes before draining and shaking them in the pan to make the edges fluffy.
Then heat some goose fat in a roasting pan on the hob.
When the fat gets very hot, add the potatoes and transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Cook until crispy, then cool and freeze.
Nutritional chef Debbie says: “If you don’t want to squash them during freezing, you can use the open freezing method. To do this, place the cooled potatoes on a baking tray and put the tray in the freezer, uncovered.
“When the potatoes have frozen, put them into bags and they won’t stick together.
“This also works with Yorkshire puddings or any other things you want to hold their shape while in the freezer.”
TIME SAVED: 1hr 15min
VERDICT: 1/5 – OK, Gregg was right on this one, no one wants a soggy spud with their Christmas dinner.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Pudding
MY shop Christmas pud takes just three minutes in the microwave but I can save vital time making the brandy sauce in advance.
Gregg says: “Put butter and flour in a pan, stir until it becomes like Play-Doh. Add milk until you’ve got the right consistency and then sugar and brandy. Whack in the freezer.”
TIME SAVED: 15 minutes.
VERDICT: 4/5 – Perfect, I can enjoy the Queen’s speech in peace.