Start your Christmas food prep NOW! You can save time on the big day by cooking and freezing your veg, spuds and even gravy with these fail-safe recipes from The Batch Lady

Get ahead – it’s a gift!

When my kids were five and three – at that magical believing-in-Santa age – I spent most of Christmas Day in the kitchen, says Batch Lady Suzanne Mulholland. 

I cooked and cleaned, and by the time we put the kids to bed and sat down, I burst into tears, declaring, ‘I hate Christmas!’ 

I was too busy to enjoy it, feeling like staff on duty rather than part of the celebration. 

I’ve since worked out a plan to get everything done well in advance so I can actually relax and enjoy myself. 

And guess what? It works. 

So now I’m sharing my tips with you. From how to prepare and freeze all the festive veg, to the delicious gravy you can make in November, these are my fail-safe short cuts for a stress-free Christmas.

Roast Turkey

If you are catering for more than five, I recommend a whole turkey. Covering the legs in foil will stop the meat from drying out.

Prep time: 10-15 mins

Serves: depends on size

• 1 oven-ready turkey (bag of giblets removed if there is one)
• 100g soft butter
• 1 x quantity of Sage, Cheddar And Chestnut Stuffing (see recipe)
• 1 pack of smoked streaky bacon rashers
• Salt and pepper

Place your turkey in a roasting tin, breast-side up. Ease your fingers between the skin and the breast meat to lift the skin away, starting from the end nearest the cavity. Using your fingers, push the soft butter up under the skin, smoothing it from the outside to cover the breast. This will help the breast stay moist. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Take the stuffing and stuff it into the neck of the turkey at the opposite end to the cavity. Lay the rashers of bacon diagonally across the breasts and legs. Cover with clingfilm, and this will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Remove from the fridge 1 hour before cooking, to come up to room temp. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Place the turkey in the oven and cook according to the timings below, covering loosely with foil if the bacon starts to catch. I recommend using a meat thermometer – when cooked, the internal temp of the breast should be 75°C.

TURKEY TIMINGS: If your bird is over 4kg, cook 20 mins per kg, plus 90 mins. If yours is under 4kg, cook 20 mins per kg, plus 70 mins. Once done, wrap in tin foil and tea towels until needed, then carve up and you’re ready to go!

Christmas Gravy

Gravy is such a faff to make. This is a simple way to make it ahead, ready for the big day.

Prep time: 15 mins

Serves: 6-8

• 10 chicken wings
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 onions, peeled and diced into chunks
• 2 celery sticks, cut in chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 heaped tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp cranberry sauce
• 2 litres boiling water
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Place the chicken wings, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves, rosemary and olive oil on a roasting tray.

Season well. Roast for 1 hour.

Mash together the cooked vegetables, mix in the flour and cranberry sauce, then add the boiling water and whisk together.

Tip everything into a saucepan, bring to the boil and continue to whisk until the gravy has thickened. Strain through a sieve. Let the gravy cool, then pour into a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

When you want to use it, remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost.

Reheat on the hob by pouring into a saucepan and heating through until piping hot, or in the microwave by pouring into a microwaveable jug and reheating for 1-2 mins until piping hot.

Pigs In Blankets

Perhaps the most popular part of the Christmas meal, these are great made in advance.

Prep time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

• 12 chipolatas or 24 cocktail sausages
• 12 slices of streaky bacon (halved if using cocktail sausages)

Wrap each sausage in bacon, place into a freezer bag and freeze. When ready to cook, remove from the freezer and defrost. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, then cook on a baking tray for 15-20 mins.

Sage, Cheddar And Chestnut Stuffing

This is perfect either for stuffing a turkey or for cooking separately.

Prep time: 15 mins

Serves: 4-6

• 1 x 170g packet of dried sage and onion stuffing
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 400g pork sausage meat
• 70g grated Cheddar
• 90g cooked chestnuts, diced

Place the stuffing in a bowl and add the amount of boiling water stated on the packet, and the juice. Leave to stand as per the pack instructions. Add the sausage meat, cheese and chestnuts, and combine. This is now ready to stuff the turkey with, or can be baked in a 900g loaf tin for 25-30 mins at 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.

Roast Carrots And Parsnips

Making carrots and parsnips on Christmas Day is not on my agenda; I like to get these done weeks in advance and in the freezer ready to cook from frozen.

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves: 4-6

• 500g carrots (peeled if you wish)
• 500g parsnips (peeled if you wish)
• 80g melted goose fat or 5 tbsp olive oil (use the olive oil if cooking for vegetarians or vegans)
• Salt and pepper

Cut the carrots and parsnips into batons and add to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Boil for 6-7 mins, then drain and return the veggies to the saucepan to allow to steam dry.

Add the melted goose fat or olive oil to a tray, then tip in the hot veggies and turn to coat well in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Flash-freeze the tray of veggies for 1 hour to allow them to get hard, then transfer to a large labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Place a baking tray in the oven for 3 mins to heat up. Carefully remove from the oven, add the frozen veggies to the hot tray and cook for 30-35 mins until roasted and delicious.

Mulled Red Wine Cabbage

A gorgeous, vibrant side dish that’s perfect for any Christmas table.

Prep time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red cabbage, finely sliced
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 115g frozen chopped onion
• 2 tsp frozen chopped garlic
• 2 apples, chopped (with or without the skin, as you like)
• 120ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cabbage, fennel seeds, onion, garlic and apples and cook for 2 mins.

Add the red wine vinegar and brown sugar, mix well, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 mins.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then add to a labelled freezer bag. Freeze flat.

Remove from the freezer on Christmas Eve and leave to fully defrost in the fridge. Tip into a saucepan and heat through, or heat in the microwave until piping hot.

Shredded Sprouts And Pancetta

These sprouts are too delicious for words, and will convert any hater!

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

• 500g Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g pancetta lardons
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 50g pine nuts

Remove and discard the outer leaves and stalks of the sprouts, then thinly slice them.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the lardons and cook until golden.

Add the shredded sprouts and cook for 3-4 mins, then stir in the nutmeg and pine nuts.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Add to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

Remove from the freezer on Christmas Eve and fully defrost in the fridge. Tip into a frying pan and cook through until piping hot or heat in the microwave.

Cranberry And Port Sauce

This homemade cranberry sauce tops any store-bought version!

Prep time: 25 mins

Serves: 4-6 

• 100g caster sugar
• 240ml orange juice
• 120ml port
• 400g frozen cranberries
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

In a saucepan, cook the sugar, orange juice and port over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the cranberries, apple and nutmeg and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally until the mixture has thickened and become jam-like.

Remove from the heat to cool. Once cooled, add to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Pour into a microwaveable bowl and heat through until warm.

Roast Potatoes

These cook from frozen and are one of my most popular recipes ever.

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves: 4-6

• 1kg Maris Piper potatoes
• 80g melted goose fat or 5 tbsp olive oil (use olive oil if cooking for vegetarians or vegans)
• Salt and pepper

Slice the potatoes into quarters and add to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil over a high heat.

Cook for 6-7 mins, then drain and return the potatoes to the saucepan to steam dry. Add the melted goose fat or olive oil to a tray, then tip in the hot potatoes. Turn to coat, and season with salt and pepper.

Flash-freeze the tray of potatoes for 1 hour to go hard, then transfer to a large freezer bag and freeze flat.

On Christmas Day, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

Place a baking tray in the oven for 3 mins to heat. Remove from the oven and add the frozen potatoes to the hot tray. Cook for 40-50 mins until roasted and delicious.

Mince Pies

Is it even Christmas without a mince pie? They are so simple to make and great to have in the freezer.

Prep time: 15 mins

Serves: 12

• 2 sheets of pre-rolled shortcrust pastry
• 1 x 411g jar of mincemeat
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 185°C/fan 165°C/gas 5. Unroll the pastry sheets, keeping them on their baking parchment wrapping. Use a 7.5cm pastry cutter to cut out 12 discs of pastry and push them into a shallow 12-hole cupcake tin. Use a star-shaped cutter to cut out 12 stars to top the mince pies. Place 1 heaped tsp of mincemeat in each pastry case. Do not overfill, as they will bubble over in the oven. Lay a star of pastry on top of each pie.

Bake in the oven for 13-15 mins, keeping a close eye on them, as they can catch pretty quickly.

Remove as soon as they are golden brown.

Leave to cool, then add to a large, labelled freezer bag. Freeze the pies flat. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 175°C/fan 155°C/gas 4. Place the frozen mince pies on a baking tray and reheat for 10 mins. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Cranberry and pomegranate sorbet

This refreshing sorbet is the perfect way to end a festive feast.

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves: 4-6

• 150g caster sugar
• 500ml water
• 300g frozen cranberries
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 200g pomegranate seeds, plus extra to serve (optional)

Bring 50g of the sugar and 150ml of the water to the boil in a pan. Cook until the sugar dissolves, then add the berries and simmer for 8 mins until cooked down.

Tip into a food processor with the lemon juice and pomegranate. Blitz, then strain through a sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining 100g sugar to a saucepan along with the remaining 350ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 mins. Leave to cool for 10 mins.

Pour the sugar syrup into the strained pulp and mix. Pour into a lidded labelled container and freeze for at least 6 hours. Once set, it’s ready to eat, scattered with extra pomegranate seeds, if you like.

Bonus M+ recipes for the run-up to Christmas 

The Batch Lady says: ‘The run-up to December 25 can feel as overwhelming as the big day itself. 

People say: ‘It’s just one day!’ But if you’re the person organising party outfits, buying Secret Santa gifts and baking for the school fair you’ll know that’s not true. 

So here are some of my delicious Grab and Cook dishes to prepare and freeze now, ready for those busy December nights when you don’t have time to cook from scratch.’

Coconut butternut squash curry

Inspired by the flavours of a dhansak curry, this delicious one-pot is the perfect healthy, pre-Christmas, midweek meal.

Prep time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

• 500g frozen butternut squash chunks
• 2 x 400g tins of cooked green lentils
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin of coconut milk
• 115g frozen diced onions
• 1 tbsp frozen chopped garlic
• 2 tsp frozen chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp medium curry powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
• A large handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon

Add all of the ingredients to a large, labelled freezer bag. Seal and freeze flat.

When ready to cook, tip the frozen mix into a large saucepan, place over a low-medium heat and allow to defrost, breaking it down with the back of a spoon. Once defrosted, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 mins, stirring regularly, until the butternut squash is tender.

Serve with rice, natural yoghurt and some fresh coriander.

Pulled White Chicken Chilli

This spicy dish is the perfect winter warmer. It’s best served over rice with some nachos and guacamole on the side, and maybe some pickled red onions to garnish.

Prep time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 115g frozen diced onions
• 2 tsp frozen chopped garlic
• 350g frozen sliced peppers
• 70g sliced jalapeños
• 1 x 325g tin of sweetcorn, drained
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
• 100g cream cheese
• Grated zest of 1 lime
• 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
• Salt and pepper

Place all of the ingredients in a large, labelled freezer bag, mix well and seal. Freeze flat.

When you want to use it, remove the bag from the freezer and leave until it is fully defrosted.

Tip into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 mins, stirring regularly, until the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, shred the chicken with two forks.

Haddock & Spinach Bake

This one-pan dish feels indulgent, just as it should be at Christmas! Serve with a green salad.

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

• 4 haddock fillets, cut into chunks
• 6 cubes of frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out
• 240ml double cream
• 20g fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 45g panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Add the haddock chunks, spinach, double cream, dill, nutmeg, salt and pepper to an ovenproof dish (roughly 30 x 20cm). Mix well, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

Put the lid on or tightly cover the dish with clingfilm and tin foil. Label and freeze flat.

Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Remove the covering and cook for 35-40 mins, until the fish is cooked.

Extracted from The Batch Lady Saves Christmas by Suzanne Mulholland (Ebury Press, £25). Photography by Andrew Hayes-Watkins