Unless you’re very impulsive, spontaneous or, let’s be honest, chaotic, you probably have your main Christmas roast material on order or in the freezer. So now all you need is the foolproof method of cooking it as well as tips and recipes for dishes to prepare ahead.
Is it going to be a big roast of beef sirloin? Are you going with the traditional whole turkey? Duck is a very good option, and usually available without ordering in advance. Or perhaps roast a bunch of game birds – really easy and refreshingly different?
Plus the arguably more important Christmas dinner elements: trimmings. Roast potatoes, roast vegetables, stuffing and red cabbage, all the recipes are easy and reliable. And if you need a vegetarian inspiration, consult this featured collection.
An incredible roast sirloin cooked at an incredibly low temperature. First seared in a pan, the joint is then cooked for a couple of hours (or longer, depending on the size) at 80-100C. If you have a digital probe that can go in the oven with the meat, you’re laughing. Otherwise, start testing after an hour. If you haven’t got a meat probe, buy one.
So there it is, perched on a pear tree, ready to be grabbed and go into the oven! Partridge is reasonably easy to roast, wrapped in bacon to keep it moist, and a larger bird will feed two people easily though for Christmas I’d advise one per person. Same cooking instructions, just a bigger tray!
Crisp skin, tender meat, never dry, not too huge, self-basting, spiced and glazed - whole roast duck is truly a glorious roast. It has a wonderful spice rub applied before roasting, and a honey-soy glaze for basting halfway through the roasting time. One duck will feed 4 people.
Roast duck with a spice rub
RECIPE
So how to get the bird right? The secret is to brine it. Soaking it in a salty solution for a couple of days will guarantee a juicy and succulent roast. The logistics are, to be fair, a little daunting: finding a bucket large enough to house the turkey in the brine, and space in the fridge. But the outcome is worth it!
Fluffy inside and golden-crunchy on the outside, roasties can easily make you forget about the roast meat. The potato variety is not as important as the right approach, listed step by step in this recipe.
Make sure you procure a Brussels sprout stick, with the top. That will make two excellent side dishes: the sprouts roasted in olive oil until caramelised and gorgeous, and the tops blanched and tossed with toasted almonds.
Brussels sprouts two ways
RECIPE
Whether you serve turkey, beef, duck or goose, stuffing is essential. My pork, chestnut and mushroom stuffing is so delicious, so much so you might forget the main roast. It’s best cooked in small loaf tins or foil trays and can be prepared a couple of days ahead.
Chestnut and mushroom stuffing
RECIPE
An alternative stuffing recipe to choose, pork, apricot and fig stuffing for turkey, duck, goose or chicken. This stuffing has a wonderful flavour, sweet with the dried fruit and spiced with nutmeg and mace, but is very easy to make.
Apricot and fig stuffing
RECIPE
A tray of fragrant roast vegetables is the classic trimming for a Christmas dinner. Carrots and parsnips roasted with garlic cloves, harissa, herbs and honey are possibly my favourite side.
Roast carrots and parsnips
RECIPE
Red cabbage can be sauteed very quickly and easily – it’s a myth that it needs braising for hours. This festive red cabbage is stir-fried with apples, raisins and spices, and it’s just the trimming to serve with roast poultry.
Quick festive red cabbage
RECIPE