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20th October 2023
Christmas is a time of joy, cheer, gathering with your loved ones and let’s not forget the delicious food! To make this festive season truly special, you need to prepare the perfect Christmas dinner. As your trusted wholesale butcher, we’re here to provide you with valuable tips and advice on how to prepare a mouth-watering feast that will leave your family or guests wanting more!
Begin by planning your menu well in advance. First, you will need to consider the number of people as well as their preferences and dietary restrictions. A traditional Christmas dinner typically includes roast turkey, goose or gammon, roast potatoes, mash potatoes, as well as vegetables like carrots, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, peas, stuffing and gravy. Don’t forget to add cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings and more of your festive favourites!
The foundation of a perfect Christmas dinner is fresh and high-quality ingredients. In particular, the meat can really make or break the whole dinner. As such, we recommended purchasing meat from a trusted butcher. At The Catering Butcher, we take pride in offering premium meat cuts to our customers for their festive feasts. Whether you prefer succulent turkey or flavourful ham, selecting top-notch cuts is crucial for a memorable meal.
To ensure everything is ready to serve at the same time, create a detailed cooking schedule. This is important if you are planning on a 3 course meal. The cooking time of meat is generally calculated according to its weight. Start by calculating your cooking times for each dish and work backwards from your desired serving time. This way, you can keep your guests entertained or enjoy the festivities, knowing that your Christmas dinner will be perfectly timed.
The star of your Christmas dinner is undoubtedly the main course. Whether you’re roasting a turkey, goose or gammon joint, make sure to follow the cooking instructions carefully. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it is thoroughly cooked and reached the ideal internal temperature, guaranteeing a tender result. Basting your roast throughout cooking will also help maintain succulence and juiciness.
Don’t overlook the importance of side dishes. Roast potatoes should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, while vegetables should be perfectly seasoned and cooked to retain their natural flavours. For sweeter flavours, we recommend honey roasted vegetables. Finally, homemade stuffing and gravy are the finishing touches that tie the whole meal together.
Take your Christmas dinner to the next level by paying attention to the presentation. The way you present it can be just as important as the taste. When craving the meat, use a sharp carving knife or an electric one to create clean and even slices. Serve on your seasonal dinnerware. Arrange your side dishes nicely around the plate. Use an ice cream scoop to create neat, uniform and round servings of mash potatoes. Garnish your dishes with fresh herbs and sprigs on top of the meat or around the plate. For a festive touch, add pomegranate seeds, orange zest or fresh cranberries.
Before serving, don’t forget to decorate the dining table with a festive tablecloth, table runner, placemats, fine crockery and glassware, a centrepiece such as stick candles or foilage, Christmas crackers and napkins.
With the right ingredients and the above advice, you are ready to serve your family and guests with a Christmas feast to remember! At the Catering Butcher, we’re here to provide you with the finest cuts of festive meat. Browse our online shop or pop into our factory shop to see what we can bring to your table this Christmas. From turkey, beef, gammon, whole chicken, duck and boneless options to bacon, sausages and our in-store festive specials. To order your meat of choice today, please visit our factory shop in Longton, Stoke-On-Trent. Otherwise, call us on 0178 274 4488 or send an online enquiry. We can also arrange local delivery and in-store collection.