How to avoid classic Christmas dinner mistakes – by a top Saga cruise chef
Spirit of Adventure’s executive chef shares his 7 top tips (and shortcuts) on how to make your Christmas lunch at home a resounding success.
Spirit of Adventure’s executive chef shares his 7 top tips (and shortcuts) on how to make your Christmas lunch at home a resounding success.
“There’s no need to run around like a headless chicken (or turkey!) on Christmas Day if you get most of the dinner prepared ahead,” says John McCerery, executive chef on Saga’s Spirit of Adventure, who, alongside his team, will be dishing up 950 dinners for guests on Christmas Day.
“Before I returned to sea at the beginning of December, I cooked early Christmas dinner for my family in Sunderland, and it's all about the preparation – and I’m not afraid to take a few shortcuts, too.”
Here are John’s seven tips to avoiding classic Christmas dinner mistakes:
“Get as much done as you can on Christmas Eve, or even before, so you can spend more time with the children and grandchildren on Christmas Day.
“I buy the turkey and sausage meat early, and put them in the freezer. As long as you allow time for them to defrost (a turkey can take a couple of days), it makes life a lot easier than shopping so close to Christmas.
“If you have the space, keep vegetables cold in the shed or garage to avoid overloading your fridge.”
“At home, I never make pigs in blankets or Christmas pudding – I buy them from the supermarket because they are so good.
“This year, the ready-made Christmas pudding was beautiful with fruit, nuts and spices. Better still, it only needed minutes in the microwave, so I just had to warm the brandy sauce and custard.”
We put the supermarket Christmas puddings to the taste test. To find out which to buy and which to leave on the shelf, read our guide to the best Christmas puddings tried and tasted.
“On Christmas Eve, you can prepare carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Cook them off and blanch them in ice water to cool, so that they can just be heated up on Christmas Day.
If you like broccoli, that just needs a blast in the microwave for a few minutes.”
“Carrots and parsnips can go in the oven early on Christmas morning. Cut them in evenly sized pieces and roast them to your liking.
This frees up the oven later in the day.”
“It doesn’t matter how many people you are catering for, there’s nothing worse than trying to carve a turkey that’s come straight out of oven when everything else is coming together.
“Instead, cook the turkey breasts and thighs around 8.30am to 9am on Christmas morning, taking them out around 10.30am to 11am. Let them sit for 20 minutes before putting the white meat, dark meat, chipolatas and pigs in blankets, in portions, in to cook on another baking tray. [There are lots of YouTube videos on how to do this, and plenty of tips online – simply Google 'How to dismember a turkey'.]
“Pour over some turkey stock to keep everything moist and cover with foil. When needed, just put the baking tray in the oven to heat through, then use a fish slice to pop the portions onto a plate.
“Most people find that the most stressful part is the plating up, as they want everything to be hot. I suggest putting big family serving plates on the table so that people can help themselves to vegetables and potatoes.
Then, all you have to do is plate up the turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets.”
“We all love roast potatoes that are soft on the inside and a little crisp on the outside, so cut them to a similar size and they will cook evenly.
“Par boil for 10 minutes, then drain them in a colander, gently shaking them to slightly break the outside of the potatoes. Season and cook in olive oil or goose fat, depending on your taste, for 30-40 minutes.”
“Of course, if you want to spend 23, 24 and 25 December working in the kitchen, that’s your choice. But if you prefer to spend time with the family, don’t be afraid to cut a few corners – your dinner will still be a resounding success.”
“I hope everybody has a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”
Your chance to win a five-night river cruise with Saga worth almost £3,000, exploring some of Germany's most culturally-rich cities.
Including exclusive savings for Saga Magazine subscribers, and a special discount of up to 10% when you book two or more cruises back-to-back.
Ingenious speakers, brilliant earbuds, nifty note takers - our expert picks his top tech gifts.
Our choice of the 6 best cookbooks to buy for Christmas, filled with delicious inspiration.
If you want your home to look festive rather than frightful, we have the best advice on how to dodge decorative disasters.
From “bauble-bearers“ to festive “wambling” our lexicographer has a host of words that capture the spirit of Christmas.
Our money expert looks at your choices, from giving money to setting up a pension.
Crisp and golden, a Yorkshire pudding is essential for a great Sunday roast. Try our super-easy recipe.
We review the best supermarket Christmas puddings available in 2025, with selections from the likes of Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and M&S.
Are Christmas cards going out of fashion? Not according to our survey.
