Last minute tips for the festive period

Gressingham’s top tips to keep ahead of the game this Christmas

The run up to Christmas:

• Try making sauces such as bread sauce, cranberry sauce and gravy in advance and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer on Christmas Eve so they can thaw out in the fridge overnight. This will leave you more time to be with the family rather than in the kitchen on Christmas day!
• For a quick and delicious meal if you are rushed off your feet doing that last minute Christmas shopping, try our Aromatic Crispy Duck. Perfect for the family to share and enjoy!
• Roast potatoes can also be parboiled and then frozen before Christmas day. When ready for cooking, carefully cover the thawed potatoes in hot Gressingham Duck Fat to make them perfectly fluffy.

For the main event:

• Season the skin of the bird with plenty of salt to get a crispy skin.
• You can use the giblets to make a delicious stock for soups or gravy.
• It is important to cook your duck or goose on a wire rack so that the fat drains away from the bird.
• Don’t worry about basting your turkey but do rub butter onto the skin prior to cooking and cover with loose foil to prevent it from drying out. Remove the foil before the end to crisp up the skin.
• Use a cooking thermometer to check that your festive bird is ready to be removed from the oven. Test the temperature by sticking the thermometer into the thickest part of the bird’s thigh without hitting the bone.
• Remember to rest your festive bird before carving and serving as this makes the meat more succulent and tender. We recommend at least half an hour, but an hour is best!

We hope you have a merry Christmas and happy New Year!