INGREDIENTS 3 litres of water200g sea salt100g brown sugar6 bay leavesHandful of thyme sprigs10 peppercorns1 orange (unpeeled and quartered)1 onion (unpeeled and quartered)5.5kg turkey75g goose fat50g

Do the hard work before the big day for a relaxed Xmas lunch

Make Christmas cooking a breeze with these prep-ahead recipes!

Take the stress out of the proceedings and let your kitchen appliances do all the hard work

SERVES 6-8 Ingredients 2kg unsmoked bonelessgammon joint, tied2 onions, halved4 bay leaves10 black peppercorns2 litres cola For the glaze 1 handful of cloves 4 tbsp runny honey 4 tbsp English mustard

You’ve pulled off the perfect dinner; now it’s time to settle down on the sofa and enjoy a bit of telly with some perked-up leftovers