Alternative main courses for your Christmas spread

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

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

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

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