8am – take your turkey and stuffing out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
9.30am – preheat the oven and rub the turkey with butter or oil and season. Fill with the stuffing.
10am – place the turkey in the oven, remembering to baste regularly throughout the cooking time and to cover in foil if needed.
11am – set the table. Do any remaining prep, such as peeling or chopping.
12pm – put your Christmas pudding on to steam, which should take three hours.
1pm – remove the turkey from the oven and make sure it’s cooked through. Cover tightly and leave to rest, then drain and deglaze the juices to make gravy. Turn up the heat and put roasting trays full of oil or goose fat in the oven to warm up.
1.15pm – place the potatoes in the hot oil or fat and make sure they’re completely covered, then return to the oven. Do the same with any other roast vegetables, depending on size.
1.30pm – place the pigs in blankets in the oven, then keep warm if they cook through in less than 30 minutes. Boil the water for the vegetables.
1.40pm – begin boiling and stir frying the remaining vegetables, keeping an eye on what’s in the oven. Make sure your gravy is ready and keep warm. Begin heating through any other sauces.
1.50pm – start sautéing the Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon. Warm plates and serving bowls ready for the table. Open the wine.
2pm – grab anyone you can to help carry food through to the Christmas dinner table. Eat, drink and be merry.
3pm – remove the Christmas pudding from the heat and serve with lots of brandy butter.
3.30pm – serve the cheese, if there is any, or retire to a comfortable sofa and have a well-deserved rest.
Merry Christmas from everybody at Great British Chefs.
