To brine or not to brine? That is the question, with turkey.
Or is it? Nobody wants a dry bird, sure, but there are other considerations just as key as brining. Should we flip the turkey and cook it upside-down? The idea is that the bones, full of flavour and moisture, ensure the breast meat stays juicy. Many swear by it but Marco Pierre White disagrees: “If you cook a bird upside-down, the flesh has nothing to protect it from the hot tray. It will dry out regardless. The key to turkey is to get a hen, not a stag, because the meat is more tender. And never buy one too big. If you’re feeding lots of people, buy two smaller turkeys, not a ridiculously large one that will dry out because it has to go in the oven for so long.”
Meanwhile, Tom Kerridge likes to barbeque his turkey, partly for space reasons. “It leaves room in the oven for potatoes and veg.” Yotam Ottolenghi, meanwhile, eschews turkey all together and prefers roast lamb with Sichuan pepper and cumin, and a potato gratin with coconut, chilli and lime.
When it comes to crispy roast potatoes nearly everyone has a method by which to get them “perfect”. Some prefer duck fat; others, goose. Some stand by olive oil (they are wrong). We all know that as long as you parboil and shake them up in a colander before putting them in a hot oven you’ll probably be OK. But maybe this will be the year you triple-cook your roasties, like Ben Marks, head chef of Perilla in London, does. Or cook them from frozen, like Chantelle Nicholson from the Cordia Collective in West Sussex.
We’ve all got our own approach to gravy, too, but some of our chef’s tips might surprise you. Kerridge is a fan of a spoonful or two of Bisto, for example. Read on for more cheffy tips to make your Christmas dinner easier and tastier.
1. ‘Sprout stalks, crisp cauli leaves – and mince pie ice-cream’
Andy Beynon (Behind, London)
Putting honey on carrots is over-rated and boring. It’s all in the cooking. Roast carrots slow and low (about 160C) and while you’re doing that, reduce a litre of apple juice with a handful of star anise. When it’s a sticky reduction, pour it over the carrots and put them back in the oven until caramelised.
With Brussels sprouts, keep the stalks. Don’t waste them. Instead, peel them into long strands, boil in salted water for two minutes, and then toss them with blue cheese, roasted chestnuts and a splash of sherry vinegar.
Finally, cauliflower. Why does everyone discard the leaves? They’re full of flavour and nutrients. When you make cauliflower cheese, keep the leaves and chop them into smaller parts. Once the cauli cheese is almost ready, stir through the leaves and roast for 220 C to finish off. The leaves char and become sweet and crisp.
One other thing: anyone with a blender should whizz up any old, slightly dry mince pies with vanilla ice cream and a drop or two of brandy. Mix it all together and then refreeze for instant mince pie ice cream. It’s heaven.
2. ‘Secret steps to the best umami gravy’
Luke French (Co-Owner and Chef at Jöro)
My secret to making an umami-laden gravy is miso. It’s pretty simple: make your gravy as you would normally, then stir through a sachet of miso soup or a spoonful of regular miso paste (especially one with seaweed). Miso is full of rich, savoury umami notes and it helps to bring out the natural flavour of roasted meat. Marmite works in a similar way.
I also like to infuse my gravy with thyme, garlic, and a touch of sherry vinegar. Once your gravy is nearly done, add a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme and a clove of freshly crushed garlic. Let it infuse for about five minutes to impart a subtle herby aroma, then strain it out before serving. For that perfect balance of flavours, add a drop or two of good-quality sherry vinegar at the end. If needed, a tiny pinch of caster sugar can work wonders to smooth out any overpowering saltiness, bitterness, or umami.
3. ‘Brioche crumbs take bread sauce to the next level’
Tom Booton (the Grill at the Dorchester)
I like cooking carrots in carrot juice, butter, salt and sugar. It transforms them from bog-standard boiled carrots. Make sure you start with really good-quality ones – bunch carrots or sand carrots. Peel them, place in a pan just covered in carrot juice, add a good pinch of salt and a spoonful or two of sugar depending on how sweet your carrots are/your taste, bring to the boil and simmer until just cooked, then drain and add a good knob of butter to the juice in the pan, and reduce it right down until you have a nice glossy thick consistency. Use this to glaze/dress the cooked carrots and serve right away.
I also love using brioche crumbs to take my bread sauce to the next level. And be sure to leave your milk to infuse for at least a whole day with onions, a bay leaf, nutmeg and cloves.
4. ‘The best ingredient is preparation’
Angus Kitchin (Chap Bistro, London)
The obvious way to make things better is prep. Peel your carrots, braise your red cabbage, peel and blanch your potatoes the day before.
I know everyone has some kind of mystical turkey lore. Bacon lattices, turning them over halfway, saying an Irish folk poem over it before it’s carved. Ignore all of it. You need to do three simple things: brine it for 24 to 48 hours in advance (some chefs are using pickle juice this year); invest in a digital meat thermometer – and rest it for at least an hour, more if you can.
Anybody who says, “turkey is just a dry meat” has just never cooked one properly. Make sure you take it out of the fridge long before cooking, too, so it’s room temperature when it goes in the oven.
5. ‘Swaddle your turkey, like Jesus’
Abi Hill (Sessions Arts Club, London)
In an ideal world, once you start cooking, you shouldn’t need to pick up a knife again until it’s time to carve. I also like to store my veg in individual containers, and label each one with masking tape and a sharpie before storing in the fridge. It sounds simple and cheffy but it really helps alleviate stress.
I swaddle my turkey like baby Jesus. I use a muslin cloth soaked in melted butter and white wine. The cloth locks in moisture while infusing the bird with rich, buttery flavours. I recommend leaving it on throughout the entire cooking process, and only removing it at the end. It makes for a beautifully golden, crispy-skinned and moist turkey.
6. ‘For perfect gravy, butter and MSG is all you need’
Oli Brown (Updown Farmhouse, Kent)
MSG is the secret to Christmas gravy. Add a teaspoon of MSG once the gravy has reduced in the pan, and then to quickly follow with a veritable boatload of butter. It will impress everyone – it tastes professional.
Liz Truss needs to take her own advice, and cease and desist