A new nationwide study has revealed that despite half (50 percent) of Britons feeling under pressure to deliver Christmas lunch this festive season, as many as 28 percent claim they have it absolutely NAILED.
And when it comes to the best Christmas lunch hacks, according to those who consider themselves a seasoned pro, the number one tip is tidy as you cook (51 percent), to avoid a washing up nightmare.
While 46 percent of confident festive chefs suggest that remembering to use plenty of tin foil is the way to go, whether for wrapping up food for later or to cover the top of the turkey to keep it from drying out.
Also on the list of the tips for a top Christmas lunch include always chuffing your potatoes (shaking par boiled spuds in a colander to roughen the texture and increase surface area before roasting) (39 percent) – and make sure you’ve got plenty of Christmas crackers (37 percent).
The research, commissioned by Thermapen, found that 26 percent recommend using a meat thermometer.
To help create a succulent turkey, those surveyed recommended putting butter under the skin before cooking (25 percent).
Jason Webb of Thermapen, said: “Cooking Christmas lunch with all the trimmings is always a big undertaking – our research reveals just three in ten cooks are confident they know how to get it right.
“These findings show the key to the perfect Christmas meal lies in good planning and saving yourself time by doing as many jobs as possible in advance so you can focus most of your efforts on cooking the turkey well on the day. Our key recommendation on the big day, is to always use a meat thermometer to minimize stress and ensure you end up with tender, succulent meat for the entire family to enjoy.”
Other top tips for getting Christmas lunch perfect is to cook up extra pigs in blankets as inevitably people want more (36 percent).
Ensuring you have enough pots and pans before the big day (35 percent) and setting the table the night before, on Christmas Eve (30 percent) we also among the top hacks.
The best Christmas Day chefs also advise stocking up on cling film for storing away any leftovers (27 percent), making the gravy ahead of time (26 percent) and NEVER overcooking the sprouts (37 percent).
And don’t be afraid to tell everyone to leave the kitchen when you’re busy getting lunch ready – in fact, just enlist only ONE assistant to help you out (26 percent) try to get a good night’s sleep on Christmas Eve (23 percent), so you feel fresh and raring to go in the morning.
And it’s important that the cook gets a well-deserved break once lunch is over – 68 percent agree it’s only right they put their feet up while everyone else clears up afterwards.
And when it comes to making sure the experience of tucking into the lunch is enjoyable, talk of politics, religion or race should be avoided at all costs (53 percent).
Masterchef runner-up and Thermapen ambassador Mike Tomkins said: “When I’m in the kitchen, I aim to remove all the stress from my Christmas day lunch by following two essential rules; prepping in advance and cooking to temperature.
“We’ve all had too many dry turkeys over the years to keep putting up with it, and by following these two golden rules you can totally avoid a Christmas day disaster!
I always brine my turkey on Christmas eve and cook until my Thermapen is showing 67°c. I then remove it from the oven and allow the bird to rest, the temperature will continue to rise to 74°c and this guarantees you have the perfect Christmas turkey.”
The research of 2,000 Britons also reveals that 15 percent of chefs have had near cooking disasters on Christmas Day – but remained calm, sorted it out and no-one was any wiser.
And as 39 percent of Brits confess there’s nothing more disappointing than an underwhelming Christmas lunch, over a third (35 percent) admit they’ve previously packed their own snacks to secretly nibble on in case they don’t enjoy the food prepared by the chef for the day.
But perhaps this is no surprise considering that up to 20 percent of the nation have suffered from a bout of food poisoning during the festive season – and pointed the finger at the Christmas Day chef, admitting they think the lunch they prepared was to blame.
Meanwhile the jury is out on whether the traditional Christmas pudding is required or not – while three in ten see it as an essential part of the festivities, a quarter can’t stand the taste, while 45 percent will serve it with an alternative dessert to choose from too.
Hosts this year might want to think carefully about the Christmas Day seating plan, as over a fifth (22 percent) of the Britons polled admit they can’t STAND sitting next to a relative they dislike for lunch.
But you might be able to break the ice by ensuring you have a good soundtrack prepared for the day, with 30 percent saying it’s essential for lunch on 25th December.
And although 86 percent of the nation spend time together as a family after lunch, whether playing a board game or sitting in front of the TV, 15 percent admit they have to get away from it all, and wind up going for a solo walk by themselves or just retreating to their bedroom for the rest of the day.
The survey also revealed that up to 15 percent of cooks will be showing off their culinary skills this year by cooking their meat in a less traditional fashion, such as on the BBQ.
HOW TO NAIL CHRISTMAS LUNCH, ACCORDING TO BRITS WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES AN EXPERT
- Tidy as you go 51%
- Tin foil is your best friend 46%
- Chuff your potatoes 39%
- Don’t forget the Christmas crackers 37%
- Don’t overcook the sprouts 37%
- Buy extra pigs in blankets as you can never have enough 36%
- Have all the right pots and pans 35%
- Lay the table the night before 30%
- Don’t forget cling film for the leftovers 27%
- Use a thermometer to ensure a perfectly cooked bird 26%
- Make your gravy ahead of time 26%
- Enlist one person to be your helper and throw everyone else out the kitchen 26%
- Put butter under the skin of the turkey to stop it getting dry 25%
- Make a note of your exact timings 25%
- Get a good night’s sleep on Christmas Eve 23%
- Plan everything with military precision 21%
- Don’t forget the cranberry sauce 20%
- Ensure you have enough soft drinks 19%
- Wake up before 7AM 18%
- Make sure your knives are sharpened 18%
For more information, please visit www.thermapen.co.uk.
