Help me have a less frantic Xmas lunch this year, Please!!

[cherrybomb]

My Turkey and Pork never seem's to have been stood long enough to be carved easily before the rest of lunch needs dishing up; and every year I end up with a few slices where the meat has cooled nicely then chunks of the hotter meat. I don't want to serve cold meat, and this year could be even worse, because I have a new fan oven, so the roast's will be done even quicker.

Could I safely cook, rest and carve the meat earlier and then keep it in my warm top oven wrapped in foil while I cook the rest? or would it have cooled too much and be classed as re-heated and therefore dry?

[shaneystar2]

I put my meat in the top oven ..but don't carve it. I just wrap it in tin foil and then carve it shortly before everything else is ready. I don't put the top oven on as the heat from the main fan oven is enough to keep the meat hot with out it drying out . It worked O.K .last year like this as I had just got a new fan oven at the time and it was all a bit hit and miss.
Personally i have a couple glasses of sherry and hope for the best !!
Happy Christmas.

[Slooow_Jo]

Haven't got an answer I'm afraid, just wanted to share....

I have never been able to crave meat neatly it is mostly in big lumps :-(

But after reading your Q I've realised that it maybe because I'm not letting it stand, rather than cause I'm useless lol

Btw contrary to how it may sound, I actually CAN cook, it just didn't 'look' that good :-)

[cherrybomb]

Thanks at least I won't be imagining; that while I am sweating in my steam filled kitchen to get dinner on the table before it's cold, every body else is cool, calm and sailing along. I can imagine shaneystar2 dancing around the kitchen with the sherry bottle and the turkey.

Slooow_jo this year we will give the neatly carved slice's to ourselves, and the rest can share the lumps.

And this year, the new love of my life will be in the kitchen with me. Yes! I have a new DISHWASHER!

Merry Christmas all.

[Booldawg]

I find meat always carves easier when you leave it for 5 minutes out of the oven. I then warm the meat up by heating it up in the gravy, not only does this ensure the meat is hot enough to serve it also makes the gravy nice and tasty

[trish1234567]

Do you have a micro-wave? Cook your turkey the day before in your conventional oven. Then, Christmas Day, carve the cold turkey into beautifully large thin slices with electric carving knife. When rest of dinner ready - place ready sliced turkey into large pyrex casserole dish, pour some boiling hot water over meat to just cover bottom of dish, cover with the pyrex lid and put in micro-wave for few minutes and hey-presto! Beautiful steaming hot moist turkey. This way the meat stays moist and does not dry up as in the conventional oven. Also, be sure to use water and NOT gravy as this will thicken with heat!

However, don't do any of this unless you have complete confidence as I do not want to be blamed for anyone's ruined Christmas Dinner!

[trish1234567]

Sorry, forgot the pork. Suggest you leave for 5 minutes, slice, then wrap pork in tinfoil pouring over some of the meat juices to keep moist. Keep warm in your conventional oven. Always use an electric knife, so much easier and better results.

[nfn]

speaking as an ex-chef I always carved meat cold. it is so much easier, then heat as trish suggested

[nfn]

don't forget to treat pork the same as poultry. if you're going to reheat make sure it is hot not just lukeward. pork is just as bad as poultry for food poisoning if it's just 'warmed up a bit'. Merry Christmas

[cherrybomb]

Thank you all very much

trish1234567 & nfn I will try the microwave & water method as my turkey is usually quite dry (over rather than under cooked)

Merry xmas