The Turkey Timetable

Two Days Ahead

Organise the refrigerator

Make cranberry and Cumberland Sauces and rum or brandy butter; cool, and refrigerate

Cook spiced beef: eat hot tonight or press, cool, cover and refrigerate

Soak gammon overnight

The Day Before

Make turkey broth; cool, cover and refrigerate

Make stuffings; cool and refrigerate in individual plastic bags

Prepare breadcrumbs for bread sauce; cover and refrigerate

Chop herbs for garnishes; cover and refrigerate

Chill wines and water

Bake gammon

The Evening Before

Glaze gammon and serve as Christmas Eve supper or cool, cover and refrigerate

Determine time turkey must be put in the oven; allow ample time for roasting.

Organise serving dishes.

Get a good night’s sleep!

Christmas Day

Early Morning

Allow Turkey and stuffings to come to room temperature

Organise the day: confirm what time turkey needs to be put in the oven and allow 20 minutes for the oven to preheat

Peel potatoes and prepare other vegetables and set in cold water.

Three to Five Hours Before Dinner

Prepare turkey and stuffings (unless AGA slow-roasting when turkey should already be in AGA!)

Preheat oven for 20 minutes before placing turkey in it

Blanch green vegetables; cool under cold running water, cover and refrigerate.

Infuse milk for bread sauce

Set the table

Two Hours Before Dinner

Put Christmas pudding on to steam

Put sauces on the table

Open red wine

Turn turkey breast up or remove foil from turkey.

One Hour Before Dinner

Par-boil potatoes, add to hot fat in roasting tin and put into oven.

Warm a platter for the turkey

Serve drinks and eats to family and friends

Forty-Five Minutes Before Dinner

When turkey is done, transfer to a warmed platter and cover with foil

Turn up oven to crisp roast potatoes

Put chipolatas and bacon rolls in oven to cook

Put any dishes of stuffing in oven to bake

Make gravy

Warm plates and serving dishes

Sauté pre-cooked green vegetables in butter until hot through

Make bread sauce