- Celebrated chef Rick Stein stresses the importance of timing and forward planning for Christmas dinner, advising home cooks to prepare many elements in advance rather than on Christmas morning.
- For the main bird, Stein warns against overcooking turkey, recommending a temperature probe to ensure it reaches 70 degrees Celsius without drying out the meat.
- He suggests making gravy the day before using giblets and stock, and for crispy roast potatoes, parboiling Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes for seven minutes before shaking with polenta or semolina and cooking in goose or duck fat.
- Stein advises cooking stuffing separately, opting for sage and onion with goose and chestnut or sausage meat with turkey, and keeping Brussels sprouts simple rather than adding multiple ingredients.
- These tips, along with recipes for canapés, starters, and desserts, are featured in his new cookbook, Rick Stein’s Christmas, designed to make festive cooking "painless."
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