Leading chefs have shared their top tips for a perfect Christmas dinner, including unusual ingredients to keep turkey moist and elevate gravy. The advice comes as home cooks prepare for the festive feast, often a source of stress even for experienced hosts.
Elliot Day, co-founder of meal delivery service FieldGoods, recommends brining the turkey in a mixture of water, beer, salt, sugar, orange, cloves, and smoked bacon. Rob Mitchell, executive chef at Drake & Morgan, suggests a dry brine with sea salt, black pepper, and light brown sugar, left for at least 12 hours in the fridge.
Sameer Taneja, executive chef at Michelin-starred Benares, advises adding a tablespoon of pineapple juice to the marinade. 'This not only imparts sweetness, but acts as a tenderiser and softens the meat as well as retaining good moisture,' he said.
Theo Creton, executive chef at Links House at the Royal Dornoch Hotel, adds tomato ketchup to his gravy for a blend of sweet, sour, and umami. Another chef suggests date syrup or shawarma spice for a Middle Eastern twist.
Steve Scoullar, executive sous chef at Cameron House in Scotland, recommends roasting Brussels sprouts instead of steaming for a different flavour profile.
