The Christmas dinner components you’re cooking all wrong

Yep, there’s nothing that will spoil Christmas dinner more than a dry turkey. But thankfully, the chefs at the Gourmet Meat Club have given the lowdown on how to nail the table centrepiece this festive season.

Product development manager, Miles Ridley, revealed: “Because turkey leg and breast meat cook at different times and temperatures you risk overcooking certain sections, leaving them dry and tasteless, while other parts of the bird are just cooked.”

And the way to tackle the issue?

The trick is to trap the moisture in the meat using a layer of bread and then using tin foil to protect the parts most at risk of drying out.

This means covering the breast completely. And the best news? You can then use the bread to create stuffing. It’s a win/win sitation. [Photo: Getty]

A recent study revealed that washing vegetables with cold water is not enough to combat pesky pesticides.

In fact, we should be scrubbing our dinner components with baking powder, as the substance has the power to kill up to 13 different types of pesticides. [Photo: Getty]

Morrisons kitchen head chef Richard Jones is the man behind perfect sprouts and recommends roasting not boiling.

He explained: “It avoids that sulphurous smell from the water and sprouts. And they will caramelise a little bit, as they’ve got a natural sweetness.”

Jones also recommends adding smoked bacon, cider vinegar or shallots to the mix last minute in order to add some serious flavour. You never know, it may even convince the kids to try one this Christmas… [Photo: Getty]

So you may think you know how to serve up a bowl of fluffy delights but according to award-winning chef Heston Blumenthal, there’s a secret to golden roasties.

FYI, you need to parboil your potatoes for at least 20 minutes before even considering popping them in the oven. He also advises throwing the peels into the boiling water too for guaranteed flavour.

And for those who wish to deliver a failproof dinner this Christmas, make sure to score the potatoes before adding them to boil to increase the chances of deliciousness. [Photo: Getty]

According to a new study, boiling your carrots whole and cutting them up after cooking through is the best way to maintain nutrients (and will prove easier during the hectic prep).

Researchers at the University of Newcastle discovered that the vegetable can hold up to 25 per cent more of the anti-cancer compound, falcarino, if boiled whole. Now that’s food for thought… [Photo: Getty]

When it comes to brocolli, the overriding advice is to steam not boil. Simply trim the stems and drizzle with salt and oil before roasting for 20-25 minutes. [Photo: Getty]