Jamie Oliver Christmas Dinner: 17 Fail-Safe Dishes From the Roasts Millions Have Watched
A Jamie Oliver Christmas dinner is less about fancy tricks and more about doing a few simple things really well. The British chef was first spotted by the BBC in 1997, when he appeared in a documentary called Christmas at the River Cafe, and his holiday roast videos still pull millions of views every year. We went through his most watched turkey, potato, gravy and ham videos and turned them into one calm plan for your holiday table, with oven temperatures in Fahrenheit and ingredients you can find at any American grocery store. It works just as well for Thanksgiving as it does for Christmas. Start with the slide that scares you most..
Jamie Oliver Christmas Dinner: The Whole Holiday Table, His Way
Jamie Oliver became famous with The Naked Chef on BBC Two from 1999 to 2001, and he has since sold more than 50 million cookbooks, including a whole Christmas cookbook in 2016. His style has always been relaxed, hands-on cooking for real families. Every great holiday table he makes starts with one thing: a flavored butter that goes on the turkey, the vegetables and even the potatoes. Make it first and keep it in the fridge..
You will need: 1 cup (2 sticks) soft unsalted butter, 1 small bunch fresh thyme, 1 small bunch fresh sage, zest of 1 lemon, zest of 1 orange, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper.
How to make it: 1. Strip the herb leaves and chop them finely. 2. Grate the garlic and the citrus zest. 3. Mash everything into the soft butter with salt and pepper. 4. Roll it into a log in parchment and chill up to 5 days. 5. Use it under the turkey skin, on hot vegetables and on bread for the leftover sandwich.
Jamie Oliver Christmas Turkey: The Fail-Safe Roast
His Fail-Safe Roast Turkey video has passed 3 million views, and the big idea is simple: flavor the butter, push it under the skin, and stop guessing. A buttery herb layer keeps the breast juicy while the legs finish cooking. Then the bird rests for a good long while before carving. It is the centerpiece of every Jamie Oliver Christmas plan. Which part do you fight over at your table: the crispy skin or the white meat?
You will need: 1 turkey (12 to 14 lb), 1 stick (1/2 cup) soft butter, 1 small bunch fresh thyme and sage (chopped), zest of 1 lemon, 3 cloves garlic (grated), 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting and heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Mash the butter with herbs, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper. 3. Loosen the breast skin with your fingers and push the butter underneath. 4. Set the bird on chunky onion, carrot and celery in a roasting pan. 5. Roast about 13 minutes per pound, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 F. 6. Rest at least 30 minutes under foil before carving.
Jamie Oliver Christmas Roast Potatoes, Crunchy Outside and Fluffy Inside
This is the big one. His roast potato video has close to 7.8 million views, one of the most watched videos he has ever made. The secret is to boil the potatoes until the edges just soften, then shake them in the pan so they get rough and fluffy. Those rough edges turn into the crunch. Be honest: could you eat a whole tray?
You will need: 4 lb russet or Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and halved), 1/3 cup olive oil or goose fat, 1 head garlic (cloves smashed), 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, sea salt, black pepper.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F with the oil in a large roasting pan. 2. Boil the potatoes in salted water 10 minutes. 3. Drain, let them steam dry 2 minutes, then shake the pan to rough up the edges. 4. Carefully tip them into the hot oil and turn to coat. 5. Roast 1 hour, turning once, adding garlic and rosemary for the last 15 minutes. 6. Season with salt and serve hot.
Get-Ahead Gravy You Make Days Before the Big Day
His make-ahead gravy idea has over a million views, and it saves the most stressful 10 minutes of the whole dinner. You roast chicken wings and vegetables, simmer them into a rich stock, thicken it, then cool it and keep it in the fridge or freezer. On the day you just add the turkey pan juices. No lumps, no panic, and it is the smartest habit of any Jamie Oliver Christmas. Do you make gravy from scratch or from a packet?
You will need: 2 lb chicken wings, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 4 bay leaves, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/3 cup all purpose flour, 8 cups chicken stock, 1 tbsp cranberry sauce, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Roast the wings with chopped vegetables, herbs and oil for 1 hour until dark golden. 2. Move the pan to the stove, mash everything with a masher and stir in the flour. 3. Pour in the stock and simmer 20 minutes, stirring. 4. Strain into a pot, pressing on the solids. 5. Cool and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze. 6. Reheat with the turkey juices and the cranberry sauce.
A Glazed Christmas Ham With a Sticky Marmalade Glaze
His Perfect Roast Ham with Marmalade Glaze has almost 1.9 million views, and it is a smart move if you want a second roast that waits happily on the side. Orange marmalade, mustard and a little brown sugar turn into a shiny, sticky crust. It is just as good cold the next day in sandwiches, which makes it a Jamie Oliver Christmas favorite for big families. Ham or turkey: which one wins at your house?
You will need: 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (7 to 8 lb), 1/2 cup orange marmalade, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, whole cloves to decorate (optional), 1 cup water or orange juice.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325 F. 2. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud with cloves if you like. 3. Put the ham in a roasting pan with the water or juice, cover with foil and bake 1 1/2 hours. 4. Mix marmalade, mustard, sugar and ground cloves. 5. Turn the oven to 400 F, brush on the glaze and bake 20 to 30 minutes, brushing twice, until sticky and golden.
Roast Beef for a Smaller Jamie Oliver Christmas
His How to Cook Perfect Roast Beef video sits at about 8.8 million views, the most of any roast on this list. It is a great pick when you are cooking for four or six instead of twenty. Season it well, sear it hot, and pull it out early, because it keeps cooking while it rests. Want to go bigger? Our prime rib recipes for Christmas dinner take the beef up a level. Do you like it pink in the middle or well done?
You will need: 1 beef top sirloin or rib eye roast (3 lb), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 4 sprigs rosemary, 1 head garlic (halved), 2 red onions (quartered), 1 tbsp English or Dijon mustard.
How to make it: 1. Take the beef out of the fridge 1 hour early and heat the oven to 450 F. 2. Rub with oil, salt and pepper and brown it on all sides in a hot pan. 3. Set it on the onions, garlic and rosemary in a roasting pan. 4. Roast 15 minutes, then lower to 350 F and roast about 30 to 40 minutes more, to 125 F for medium rare. 5. Brush with mustard and rest 15 minutes before slicing thin.
Roast Chicken for a Small Holiday Table
Not everyone wants a whole turkey. His roast chicken video has about 6.8 million views, and the method works just as well on December 25. Lemon and herbs go inside the bird, butter goes on the outside, and the vegetables underneath catch every drop. It feeds four with leftovers for a sandwich. Who in your family always asks for the wishbone?
You will need: 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 lb), 2 tbsp soft butter, 1 lemon (halved), 1 head garlic (halved), 1 small bunch thyme, 2 carrots, 2 parsnips, 1 red onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Chop the vegetables into chunks, toss with oil and spread in a roasting pan. 3. Rub the chicken with butter, salt and pepper and stuff it with lemon, garlic and thyme. 4. Sit it on the vegetables and roast about 1 hour 20 minutes, until the juices run clear and the thigh reads 165 F. 5. Rest 15 minutes before carving.
Pork Roast With Crackling That Really Crackles
Crackling is the crispy, salty pork skin British families fight over, and his pork crackling video has about 1.6 million views. The trick is a very dry skin, plenty of salt and a blast of high heat. Most American stores sell pork belly or skin-on shoulder, so ask your butcher. Have you ever tried real crackling?
You will need: 1 skin-on pork belly or shoulder roast (4 lb), 1 tbsp sea salt, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 onions (thickly sliced), 2 apples (quartered), 1 cup apple cider.
How to make it: 1. Pat the skin very dry and score it with a sharp knife (or ask the butcher). 2. Rub salt, crushed fennel and pepper into the cuts. 3. Heat the oven to 450 F. 4. Sit the pork on the onions and apples, rub with oil and roast 30 minutes until the skin bubbles. 5. Lower to 325 F, add the cider and roast 2 1/2 hours more. 6. Rest 20 minutes, then break the crackling into pieces.
Yorkshire Puddings That Rise Every Time
Yorkshire puddings are not dessert. They are light, puffy batter cups that go with roast beef, and his video on them has about 6.75 million views. Three things make them rise: very hot oil, a rested batter and an oven door that stays closed. They are fun for kids to watch puff up, and a Jamie Oliver Christmas beef dinner feels incomplete without them. Have you ever made them at home?
You will need: 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup whole milk, 4 large eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 tbsp vegetable oil or beef drippings.
How to make it: 1. Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and salt into a smooth batter and let it rest 30 minutes. 2. Heat the oven to 450 F. 3. Add 1 tsp oil to each cup of a 12 cup muffin pan and heat it in the oven 10 minutes until very hot. 4. Quickly pour the batter into the cups, halfway up. 5. Bake 20 minutes without opening the door, until tall and golden. Serve right away with gravy.
Herby Sausage and Bread Stuffing
A good stuffing is half the reason people come for Christmas dinner. This one is baked in a dish, not in the bird, so it gets a crunchy top and you do not have to worry about the turkey cooking times. Sausage, sage and onion are the classic British trio. Do you call it stuffing or dressing?
You will need: 1 loaf day-old crusty bread (cubed, about 10 cups), 1 lb pork sausage meat, 2 tbsp butter, 1 onion (diced), 2 celery sticks (diced), 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 tbsp thyme leaves, zest of 1 lemon, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and butter a 9×13 dish. 2. Brown the sausage, then add butter, onion and celery and cook until soft. 3. Stir in the herbs and lemon zest. 4. Toss with the bread cubes. 5. Whisk eggs and stock, pour over and mix. 6. Spread in the dish and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on top.
Jamie Oliver Christmas Sprouts With Bacon and Chestnuts
Even sprout haters change their minds with this one. Shred or halve the sprouts, fry them fast with smoky bacon and chestnuts, and they turn sweet and nutty instead of soggy. It takes 10 minutes, so you can make it while the turkey rests. Quick poll: (A) love sprouts, (B) hate them, (C) only with bacon, (D) never tried?
You will need: 1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts (halved or sliced), 6 slices bacon (chopped), 1 cup cooked peeled chestnuts (chopped), 1 tbsp butter, 1 clove garlic (sliced), juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Fry the bacon in a large pan until crispy. 2. Add butter, garlic and the sprouts and cook on high heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until golden in spots. 3. Add the chestnuts for the last 2 minutes. 4. Squeeze in the lemon and season with salt and pepper.
Honey Glazed Carrots and Parsnips
Parsnips are a must on a British Christmas plate, and in the US they sit right next to the carrots in the produce aisle. Roasted with honey and thyme, both turn sticky and sweet at the edges. Cut them the same size so they cook evenly. Have you ever tried parsnips, or are they new to you?
You will need: 1 lb carrots, 1 lb parsnips, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, 4 sprigs thyme, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or cumin (optional), salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them into long, even sticks. 3. Toss with oil, salt and pepper on a large sheet pan. 4. Roast 30 minutes, turning once. 5. Drizzle with honey, add thyme and spice and roast 10 minutes more, until sticky and golden.
Pigs in Blankets, the Side Everyone Grabs First
In Britain, pigs in blankets are small sausages wrapped in bacon, and they are often the first thing gone from the Christmas table. The American version uses little sausages in pastry, and both disappear fast. Make a double batch, because people eat them before dinner even starts. Which version do you make: bacon or pastry?
You will need: 24 cocktail sausages or little smokies, 12 slices thin bacon (halved), or 1 sheet puff pastry for the pastry version, 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1 egg (beaten, for pastry).
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Wrap each sausage in half a slice of bacon, or in a strip of pastry brushed with egg. 3. Set them seam side down on the pan. 4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until crisp and golden. 5. Brush the bacon ones with maple syrup for the last 5 minutes.
Old-Fashioned Bread Sauce, the British Christmas Secret
Most Americans have never tried it, but in Britain a Christmas roast feels wrong without bread sauce. Milk is infused with onion, cloves and bay, then thickened with fresh breadcrumbs into a soft, creamy sauce that is lovely with turkey. It sounds odd and tastes like comfort. Would you try it this year?
You will need: 2 cups whole milk, 1 small onion (halved), 6 whole cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp heavy cream, pinch of nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
How to make it: 1. Stud the onion halves with the cloves. 2. Warm the milk with the onion and bay leaves until steaming, then turn off the heat and let it sit 30 minutes. 3. Remove the onion and bay. 4. Bring back to a simmer and stir in the breadcrumbs. 5. Cook 5 minutes, stirring, until thick. 6. Stir in butter, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
The Jamie Oliver Christmas Game Plan: What to Do the Day Before
The calm cook is the one who did half the work on December 24. Make the gravy and cranberry sauce days ahead, peel the potatoes and vegetables the day before, mix the stuffing and keep it covered in the fridge, and set the table at night. On the day, the oven only has to handle the roast and the potatoes. What is the one job you always leave too late?
You will need: Gravy (made and frozen), cranberry sauce (made and chilled), peeled potatoes in cold water, prepped carrots and parsnips, stuffing mix in its dish, herb butter for the turkey, a clear fridge shelf, a table set the night before.
How to make it: 1. Three days before: make the gravy and freeze it. 2. Two days before: make the cranberry sauce and herb butter. 3. Christmas Eve: peel the vegetables, mix the stuffing and set the table. 4. Christmas morning: butter the turkey and get it in the oven. 5. While it rests: roast potatoes, bake stuffing, fry sprouts and reheat the gravy.
Boxing Day Bubble and Squeak From the Leftovers
The day after the feast, every leftover potato, sprout and carrot goes into one hot pan. Press it down, let a golden crust form, flip it in pieces and serve with a fried egg. The name comes from the sound it makes in the pan. It is one of the best parts of a Jamie Oliver Christmas, because nothing goes to waste. Have you ever had it?
You will need: 3 cups leftover roast or mashed potatoes, 2 cups leftover sprouts, cabbage or carrots (chopped), 1 small onion (sliced), 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp oil, 4 eggs, salt and pepper, leftover gravy to serve.
How to make it: 1. Cook the onion in butter and oil in a large nonstick pan until soft. 2. Add the potatoes and vegetables and mash them roughly together. 3. Press flat and cook over medium heat 8 minutes without stirring, until a crust forms. 4. Flip in sections and cook 5 minutes more. 5. Fry the eggs and serve on top with warm gravy.
The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich
His leftover Christmas turkey sandwich has more than 2 million views, and honestly, it might be the best meal of the whole holiday. Everything goes in: turkey, stuffing, cranberry, a little ham, and a cup of hot gravy for dipping. It is the reward for all that cooking. What is the one leftover you would never skip?
You will need: 2 thick slices crusty bread, 2 tbsp butter, 4 oz leftover turkey (sliced), 2 slices leftover ham, 1/2 cup leftover stuffing, 2 tbsp cranberry sauce, 1 handful arugula or lettuce, 1 slice sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup hot gravy.
How to make it: 1. Butter the bread on the outside. 2. Layer cheese, turkey, ham, stuffing and cranberry sauce on one slice and top with the other. 3. Toast in a hot pan 3 minutes per side, pressing down, until golden and melty. 4. Open it up and tuck in the greens. 5. Cut in half and dip into hot gravy.
