Waste not, want not this Christmas!
Christmas in Ireland is a glorious chaos of roast turkey with breadcrumb stuffing, crisp roast potatoes and their soft cousin, the mash (which sometimes goes rogue and becomes stuffing; not in my turkey though), Brussels sprouts that we all pretend have to be on the menu, roasted root veg and rivers of gravy. And then, inevitably, mountains of leftovers.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency Ireland) estimated that about 800,000 tonnes of food is wasted each year in Ireland according to current best estimates (2023). December can see a significant spike in household food waste because we overbuy thinking that we have to feed the 5,000!
Public campaigns from Stop Food Waste point out that Christmas is the time of year when we throw out more food than any other. It’s not because people are cruel to Brussels sprouts (I would be though), it’s because we buy to impress, cook to impress before diving into the box of Celebrations.
Before you send your poor turkey down the dark bin, here are some easy ideas on how to stretch the Christmas spirit a bit further.
Get some ready-made puff pastry (or make a quick shortcrust version), line a pie form with a layer of pastry, scatter torn turkey, chopped up left over vegetables (and yes, Brussels sprouts might deserve to be called vegetables), pour over some of the delicious gravy and either top with leftover mashed potatoes (crush up these golden roast potatoes) and sprinkle with grated cheese (we all get these cheese boards from Dunnes, don’t we?) or place another layer of pastry over. Bake for about 20 minutes. Re-heating roast potatoes with grated parmesan cheese and chopped garlic transforms cold sad looking spuds into delightful bites.
And let’s not forget the much loved sandwich. Layer your turkey with stuffing, some slices of roasted vegetables, sliced cheese and some chutney and you will never buy a petrol station sandwich ever again.
If you want to be part of the solution rather than the statistic, a little planning before you shop and a plan after the meal will do wonders. We all cook as if the entire parish might drop in unannounced.
Make realistic guest counts, and remember that most of your guests will appreciate a thoughtful portion rather than a mountain of uneaten roast parsnips.
For a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, you want about 150–180 grams of cooked turkey meat per adult guest. That’s plenty when there are roasties, mash, stuffing, sprouts, gravy and at least three desserts fighting for space. Teenagers and very enthusiastic eaters might push that closer to 200 grams, while lighter eaters will happily manage on less.
Because a whole turkey includes bone, skin and the general drama of the carcass, you need to buy more raw weight to get that cooked portion.
As a rough guide, you’ll get about 50–55% usable cooked meat from a whole turkey once it’s roasted. That means, if you’re cooking for 4 people, a 4–4.5kg turkey is more than enough, for 6 people, aim for a 5–5.5kg bird and for 8 people, 6–6.5kg works well.
If you’re using a turkey crown (which has less waste and is easier to manage), you can be a bit more precise. Allow around 200–220 grams of raw turkey crown per person. Crowns are a great option if you want less leftover carcass and more actual meat.
Enjoy your Christmas feast and enjoy the snooze afterwards in front of the telly.