Chef shares easy Christmas dinner hack will save you time in the kitchen and reduces the washing up
12/24/2024 02:37 AM
PREPPING your Christmas dinner can often lead to cluttered and chaotic kitchen.
However, with this simple trick you can elevate your meal’s flavour while also saving on the washing up.
The experts at Good Housekeeping revealed the easy step you can take when cooking your vegetable side dishes this festive season.
While most people tend to save their turkey’s juices to add to their gravy, these pros took it a step further.
They shared their technique for enhancing the flavour of your chosen Christmas Day vegetables.
Whether they’re carrots or parsnips, or both, these chefs have a go-to hack for cooking them.
This trick will also help save the precious space in your busy oven as you prepare each course.
And if that’s not enough reasons, it will cut down on your clean up duties.
According to the professionals, you should roast your vegetables by placing them directly under your turkey.
“I tend to put all my roasted veg underneath the turkey so that all the delicious juices roast the veg while the bird is cooking,” The Laughing Heart’s Head Chef Tom Anglesea explained.
“I add a few cloves of garlic, and some thyme, bay, and rosemary too.”
He explained that he usually does as much preparation in advance as possible.
“I always have all my veg pre-prepped, they will keep, so you just need to heat them up,” he advised.
“Get any pickles or chutneys made well in advance.”
And of course, by following this step the juices from the turkey will help add flavour to your vegetables.
Place the pre-prepped veg under your turkey towards the end of it’s cooking time.
It will emerged lightly roasted and bursting with flavour.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
And while your guests will appreciation the enhanced taste, whoever is on washing up duty will also thank you.
By prepping the vegetables in advance and heating them under your turkey, you will significantly reduce the amounts of pots and pans lined up by the sink.
So you or whoever is washing your dishes can wrap up your post-dinner clean-up quickly and enjoy a relaxing dessert.
The handy tip is also said to help prevent your turkey from drying out.
You can level up the flavour even further by adding herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage.
