Christmas dinner

My oven is very small so all the roasting has to be done in serial. This is unfortunate (since it means the first things to be roasted will get cold), but it’s not a show-stopper.

Prep: two days before

• Chicken: thaw, if frozen

Prep: day before

• Chicken: tidy the legs, spatchcock, dry brine. Store in fridge; beware of leaking juices
• Herb butter: make it (thyme and garlic). Store anywhere
• Stuffing: cook the aromatics (onion, butter, sage, garlic) and mix together (egg, croutons, sausage meat). Store in fridge
• Yorkshire puddings: make the batter. Store in fridge
• Root veggies: peel and chop. Store dry in a container in the fridge
• Potatoes: peel and chop. Store in water, anywhere
• Brussels: trim the bases. Store anywhere
• Gravy: caramelise the onion

Prep: on the day

• Par boil all the veggies (roots, brussels, and potatoes) in salty water. Leave to steam dry. Keep the water.
• Root veggies: coat in neutral oil and onto a baking tray.
• Potatoes: coat in goose fat and onto a baking tray.
• Chicken: on the baking tray. Push the herb butter under the skin. Add a halved onion.

Oven schedule

As things come out of the oven, place them under foil. The whole thing will take 2.5 hrs.

The meat can also be roasted fairly early - it needs time to rest anyway. Cover it with foil and it can sit there for an hour quite happily. In the past I did the Yorkshires first, but I think it’s better to do them last.

Components

• Chicken
• Gravy
• Roast potatoes
• Veggies
• Yorkshire puds

Brussel sprouts and bacon bits

1. Trim the bases of the sprouts
2. Par-boil
3. Fry the bacon
4. Halve the sprouts
5. Remove the bacon
6. Fry the sprouts cut-side down in the bacon grease. Include loose leaves
7. Chop up the bacon and chestnuts
8. Mix it all together

Things to try

• Pigs in blankets
• Bread sauce