Going live effective immediately – and open right through to Christmas Eve, JB and I are on duty to answer your Christmas cooking questions. ✨Welcome to our Christmas Cooking Hotline!!✨
JB and I are on call!
I’m so excited to be doing this! I’ve had the idea of a Christmas cooking hotline bubbling away in my mind for years, but I always hesitated because I worried it would be too much to handle on my own.
But now that JB is part of the face of RecipeTin and it’s not just me, there’s two of us here to answer your questions. So for the first time ever, we’re opening up a hotline for Christmas cooking questions, bringing together home-cook practicality and actual proper chef experience (JB!), which means more ideas and better problem-solving for you!
So drop your question in the comments section below and we will answer as many as we can (we need to sleep, and we have some other work things to finish!). Ask anything you want, like:
Can I make this ahead, freeze it, or reheat it?
What can I substitute if I can’t find an ingredient?
How do I scale recipes up or down?
Help, something’s going wrong – how do I fix it?
Menu planning, timing, or oven logistics chaos 😅
Even though our last day of work is this Friday, JB has generously agreed to continue helping me with questions right through to Christmas Eve. Thank you JB, you’re the best.
And now…. the Christmas Cooking Hotline is now officially open. So drop your questions below and we’ll jump in to help wherever we can, because Christmas cooking is much more fun with backup! 🎄 – Nagi x
PS Few out-takes from today’s little Christmas shooting session. We know how to cook better than taking selfies. Promise. 😅
PPS Who nailed The Wink? 😉
Life of Dozer
My favourite Dozer Christmas outfit.
Though to be honest, Santa spends most of his time like this:
Which I’m sure is Santa after a few too many Christmas wines. This has absolutely nothing to do with his ride – or the stable hand who saddled up his ride. 😂
Thank you very much Nagi for answering my question about dry brining my turkey.
Wishing you and yours all the very best for Christmas and the new year.
Hi team! I want to make the homemade Nutella ice cream cake for Christmas, but need to transport it 40 minutes. Will it have totally melted in that time? (It’ll be about 18 degrees outside, and I’ll pop it in a cooler bag surrounded by ice). Thanks for your advice!
Hi Ash, make sure to load your cooler bag/esky with ice or ice pack and it should be fine. And pop it in the freezer as soon as you get there. Merry Christmas!
Help! I did a trial run using cream stabiliser, the whipped cream looked great that night but when I went to spoon it onto the trifle it turned back into a thick runny consistency, what did I do wrong? Thanks
Hi Natasha, did you use the right ration stabiliser to cream? Was your cream fridge cold when you whipped it? Also really hot weather can be a problem. Let us know!
Hi JB, I used McKenzies stabiliser and thickened cream, measured and weighed the cream and whipped in a metal bowl then covered and put in fridge..is it because I left it in the metal bowl or was it the double cream?
Firstly, AMAZING IDEA!
My question is that I’m making a full menu for my whole family of 16 people, which includes 1 vegan. For the most part I have her sorted, but wanted to make a sticky date pudding so was wondering what I should use as the substitute for egg in your recipe?
Hi Ghada, I’ve actually never tried this myself but I do know that some chef replace eggs with apple sauce (ratio 1:1).
How long to cook a 3kg turkey using your juicy turkey recipe? I have a fan oven. Should I use hot air or top bottom heating?
Thank you
Hi Lorraine, a bird that big should take about 75 minutes to cook on hot air. Merry Christmas!
I am coeliac so know my own needs but now have a nephew who can’t have nightshades. Normally do prawns, ham and salads for Christmas lunch. Anything interesting you can help with?
Hi Sandy, cauliflower cheese, spiral sweet potato bake and garlic butter roasted mushrooms are great options. Merry Christmas!
Loving this service! already saving tips for next year.
How can i adapt the turkey dry brine recipe for just the breast?
Hi Anne, just adapt the dry brine quantity to the weight of your turkey breast and brine it for 24 hours instead of 48.
You are both such amazing human beings. How thoughtful. Your good nature just shines into every kitchen. Thank you for being you! Same for Dozer!
Hi Nagi and JB, I am cooking the 12 hour slow roasted lamb shoulder for Christmas dinner. My butcher recommended I buy deboned and skin removed because it’s easier. I’m worried it won’t be as tasty. What do you recommend? Thank you 🙏🏻
Hi Camille, I advice you to buy it with the bone-in. The bone is what keeps the meet tender and juicy.
Thanks so much for the reply JB……round pan it is. Merry Christmas =)
Can I use your recipe for “Jucy Roast Turkey”, especially the dry brining, for a Turkey Crown rather than whole bird?
I used this last year on a whole turkey and it was amazing and I am keen to use same recipe on just a crown this year.
thanks
Hi Dave, you totally can 🙂
I’m making a beef tenderloin for Xmas and want to try your creamy mushroom sauce, However, some of my gravy lovers don’t like mushrooms. Will the sauce still be tasty if I remove the mushrooms after I cook the them with the garlic and serve them on the side, then proceed to make the rest of the sauce in the instructions?
Hi Bonnie, serving on the side is still a great idea. So that way you are still getting the fonds in the pan which is the base for a tasty gravy,. Merry Christmas!
Any suggestions for a budget friendly Christmas dinner for two one can make in a dorm kitchen ( limited pots and space )
Hi No-one, all your answers are here! 🙂
I just wanna say to both of you. Thank you so much for providing such a great website to be my go to for whenever I wanna make something new. Recipes are always easy to follow, very delicious and get lots of compliments!! 🤗
Hi Nagi & JB,
Thinking of making Asian broccoli salad for Christmas dinner to have with ham and roast pork. Is there anything else I can add to the salad to add a bit more ‘Christmas’ to it?
Hi Danielle, what about some orange segments and toasted nuts? 🙂
Hi Nagi
Thanks for doing this. Need some advice.
We bought a Bertocchi semi-boneless shoulder ham for Christmas lunch. Just realised the layer of fat isn’t as thick as in your recipes. Any tips to make it look as good and moist. Anything I can do to make the ham look and taste good?
Thanks,
Mel
Hi Melani, with a thinner layer of fat, I’d advise you to score it very lightly and make your glaze a bit thicker so it clings to it more easily.
Living in 40d temps for Christmas have made smoked trout pots. Is it possible to freeze the mixture for transport.
Hi Robyn, I don’t recommend freezing it. An esky will lots of ice or ice packs should be fine. Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi,
I want to make your 12 hour lamb shoulder overnight and reheat it later to serve for dinner. I’m confused as to whether after cooking, I remove it from the liquid before cooling to room temperature then refrigerating. Or do I refrigerate it in the liquid then cover and reheat in oven? Thanks so much!
Hi Deb, the idea is to have the jus ready before dinner so you’ll have to remove the liquid. just add a little of water at the bottom before reheating. Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi & JB,
I have made your Roast Pork & crispy crackling many times, it’s brilliant, thankyou. I have always made it on the day but this year I have to take it to my sons for lunch, could I cook it the afternoon before and then warm it up just before serving, (crackling in the oven, meat in the microwave). If the day before is an option, should I let it cool slightly and then put it in the fridge covered?
Christmas Hotline, what a fabulous idea. Have a great Christmas.
Hi Mandie, the roast pork can be a bit tricky to make in advance, the meat is not as juicy when reheated. Have you tried the pork belly recipe? With fattier meat, it reheats near perfectly next day with 100% perfect crispy crackling.
Thanks JB.
Hi Nagi, how far in advance can I prepare the ham, ie remove skin, score, before cooking?
Hi Jeanette, as long as you keep it covered in the fridge, up 48 hours before is not an issue. Merry Christmas!