Christmas Dinner

[ratcheer]

I am planning to cook a standing rib roast and Yorkshire pudding for our Christmas dinner. This will be my first attempt at it, so I am somewhat apprehensive. But the recipes appear to be fairly simple, so maybe I have a goot shot at success. I just hope I don't ruin an expensive piece of meat.

There seem to be three basic recipes: 1) Sear at high heat, then turn oven off, finally reheat for last hour; 2) Sear at high heat, then turn oven down; 3) Roast entire time at moderate temperature. I intend to try method 2, because I have a gas oven and I don't think it will hold the heat well enough for method 1. Method 3 just sounds weird.

What are y'all planning?

Tim

 

[BalthasarR]

What are y'all planning?

I'll be spending christmas with my family. This is pretty much what we'll be having (as always).

-whitefish roe
-trout roe
-graavilohi (raw salmon cured in salt)
-cold smoked salmon
-smoked salmon
-pickled baltic herrings (usually 3-4 different versions)
-Waldorf salad
-rosolli (a salad made with potatoes, beets, carrots, herring and such..)

-boiled potatoes and peas
-Ham ofc!
-rutabaga casserole
-carrot casserole

-cheese platter
-date cake
-ginger biscuits
-cranberry parfait
-glögg

and ofc..

-akvavit
-vodka
-beers
-wines with the dinner
-maybe some sauternes or tokaji with the dessert

Getting hungry already!

 

[Sullybob]

Method 2 is what I do Tim. Turning the oven off sounds weird to me.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to cook for Christmas dinner yet. Either a coffee rubbed ham or maybe a standing pork rib roast. Sides for either will be mashed potatoes, green beans, bread, soup and salad.

 

[ratcheer]

Thanks, Shawn. Actually, the "turn the oven off" method seems to be the most common recipe given. But it depends highly on having an oven that will not lose its heat, rapidly. Since my gas oven is vented, it does lose the heat.

What do you turn it down to? I am thinking 300 F.

Tim

 

[Jwolf24601]

Thanks, Shawn. Actually, the "turn the oven off" method seems to be the most common recipe given. But it depends highly on having an oven that will not lose its heat, rapidly. Since my gas oven is vented, it does lose the heat.

What do you turn it down to? I am thinking 300 F.

Tim

Maybe Gradually Lowering it to simulate the oven cooling off?

I am smoking 2 geese for christmas. Canadian Geese I shot, they are skinned so I will wrap them in bacon to give them a new skin, stuff some apples in them and smoke them on apple wood. They come out VERY tasty! Have not served them to whole family before, so looking forward to it.

 

[ouch]

Waldorf salad

How do you make a Waldorf salad?

 

[Sullybob]

Thanks, Shawn. Actually, the "turn the oven off" method seems to be the most common recipe given. But it depends highly on having an oven that will not lose its heat, rapidly. Since my gas oven is vented, it does lose the heat.

What do you turn it down to? I am thinking 300 F.

Tim

It depends on the roast, 300 to 350 is what I usually do. Start the oven at 500 F if it will go that high, let it pre-heat for about 20-30 minutes to make sure its good and hot. Cook for 15 minutes at 500 F and then turn to oven down to 350 for the remainder of the cooking time.

Do you have an oven thermometer? And do you have a meat thermometer? In my opinion an oven thermometer is essential. I don't think I have ever had a home oven that was accurate to within plus or minus 50 degrees. A good meat thermometer, especially one that you can leave in the meat while it cooks is almost an insurance policy on not over cooking the meat.

 

[BalthasarR]

How do you make a Waldorf salad?

Actually my mother makes it, but as far as I remember it is usually very simple version containing:

Granny smith apples (grated)
celery
mayonnaise
lemon juice
(walnuts)

 

[Jim]

It depends on the roast, 300 to 350 is what I usually do. Start the oven at 500 F if it will go that high, let it pre-heat for about 20-30 minutes to make sure its good and hot. Cook for 15 minutes at 500 F and then turn to oven down to 350 for the remainder of the cooking time.

Do you have an oven thermometer? And do you have a meat thermometer? In my opinion an oven thermometer is essential. I don't think I have ever had a home oven that was accurate to within plus or minus 50 degrees. A good meat thermometer, especially one that you can leave in the meat while it cooks is almost an insurance policy on not over cooking the meat.

Well said Shawn, I don't think a special meal is the place to experiment with a new technique.I run the broiler on hi to get the oven as hot as possible then switch it to bake when I drop the roast in, then reduce as you did.


I have had very good luck doing a reverse sear with some steaks and roasts, where you gently bring up the temps to near your target doneness then sear it to finish.

Good luck

 

[nole1]

If you have issues with your oven retaining heat you can always place a pizza stone (or several unglazed terra cota tiles from the hardware store) in the bottom of your oven to absorb heat and help keep the temperature more regulated. Just a suggestion if you're worried about inconsistent temperature during a long cooking time.

 

[galopede]

Don't forget that the oven tin with the fat in it for the Yorkies must be literally smoking hot when you pour the batter in! Best bit of the Sunday Roast! The meat is an accompaniment to the Yorkshire Pud and onion gravy.

Gareth

 

[rtaylor61]

Christmas lunch is when my kids will be over. Very simple repast. Friday night I'll make Chicken & Dumplings. Saturday around 10 am I'll dump them in the crockpot to warm, throw cornbread in the oven, and prep fresh green beans seasoned with bacon grease and garlic. The meal will be topped off with vanilla ice cream bathed in home made caramel sauce. The kids will be here 4-5 hours. I'm not spending my day in the kitchen. I have grandkids to play with!

Randy

 

[The Nid Hog]

I'll be making a standing rib roast too. I was thinking about buying a different cut, but my butcher gave me a deal on the roast. I usually score the roast and pack it with slivers of garlic, then rub the whole roast with cracked black pepper. I'll start it off at 500 and bring it down to 325.

I'm going to make roast root vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy. My wife has a salad in mind, and one of my daughters is working on the dessert.

We'll probably have a cold plate set up before dinner--thinly sliced bread, smoked salmon, pickled herring, cheese, veggies, maybe some sashimi.

 

[DFrancis]

I've got a 17lb free-run turkey on order. I pick it up on the 23, then I have to prep and brine it that night for Christmas eve dinner. We're having a bunch of friends and my brother and nieces over so it's going to be a good meal. Oh also doing chocolate covered bacon as a warm-up to dinner.

 

[Hawkeye5]

We did our Christmas early this year, and I do a standing rib roast for Christmas dinner every year.

The higher temps are really used to get a good crust. When I don't use the smoker, here is how I do ours:

I keep the temp @ 200 while cooking a smaller and a larger roast. A few of us like our prime rib rare while the others prefer the roast be medium. Really not possible to please everyone with one roast, so I do two.

When the rare roast is about 125 internal temp I remove from the oven and tent in aluminum foil. Same with the other roast when it is almost medium. They can remain tented for up to an hour and a half, but I've never gone that long.

About 15 minutes before we are ready to eat I put both roasts back in a 500 degree oven to get the crust. Only takes about 6 to 8 minutes.

Then just remove the bones in one fell swoop, slice, and serve.

Prime rib goodness

 

[superbleu]

I used the same method John did for standing rib roast last Turkey day and it turned out excellent!!
Heat to temp at 200 degrees then broil at the end.

Also remember to bring the roast to room temp before you start to cook it.

Prepare some fresh horseradish too if you can find it, freshly made is way better than the stuff in the jar.

 

[mretzloff]

I will be making a traditional Germany Christmas dinner this year: goose, gravy, bread dumplings, and red cabbage

 

[Alacrity59]

I've got a 17lb free-run turkey on order. I pick it up on the 23, then I have to prep and brine it that night for Christmas eve dinner. We're having a bunch of friends and my brother and nieces over so it's going to be a good meal. Oh also doing chocolate covered bacon as a warm-up to dinner.

ha . . . me too. 18 lbs . . . will get it into the brine Friday noonish.

I did some experiments earlier with a stuffing with cranberries and apples . . . think this is were I'm going this year.

 

[Basil]

Great thread I was actually planning on starting this but you beat me to it.

Christmas this year will be at my uncles house but I'm helping him prep things.

This year the menu will be:

A whole spit roasted pig (meat on a spit is my favorite)
Roast beef
Turkey
Venison

Spinach lasagna
And rice with a bunch of veggies.

I love spit cooked lamb and pig if you havent tried it you don't know what your missing!

 

[spindlecone]

For Xmas breakfast,fresh out my smoker,homemade Porkbelly hickory smoked bacon