- Bobby Flay suggests cutting large cuts of meat into individual pieces so it cooks faster.
- Flay says staying organized and making a plan are key steps for a great holiday meal.
- Flay often opts for cooking family-style dishes like turkey, lasagna or stew.
Planning your holiday meal but worried about biting off a bit more than you can chew? We get it, and so does celebrity chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay. After all, there’s no dinner party mistake that can put a damper on the celebration like an undercooked main dish.
Just in time to save Christmas (dinner), Flay took to social media to offer his tip for minimizing time spent in the kitchen and ensuring any holiday meal is extra flavorful. In a question-and-answer session on his Instagram account, Flay was asked to share a simple recipe that “instantly feels festive, but doesn’t take all day.”
“I like the idea of cooking a rack of lamb,” said Flay, “but I cut the lamb chops into individual chops first so I get a crust on both sides and they cook really quickly.”
This hack sounds genius to us, especially since it’s a great tip to apply to all kinds of meats. Say you’re nervous about your pork loin not cooking evenly on Christmas Eve. Instead, try cutting the loin into beautiful pork medallions to season and sear.
Intimidated by those large beef roasts in the butcher case? Opt for some delicious steaks instead. (Yep, you can even cut those down yourself if you like.) Sure, that standing rib roast would look beautiful on your Christmas dinner table, but nothing beats individually sized cuts of meat, especially when they’re nicely seared and covered with crisp, seasoned bits of crust.
We’re all about more ways to keep things simple-but-yummy during the holidays, and so is Flay. Fans also asked the chef how he keeps his kitchen running smoothly when cooking for a crowd. “I think the most important thing when you’re cooking for a large group of people at home is to be organized,” he replied. “Prioritize what you should be doing first, second, third, etc., so that the meal all comes together at the same time.”
So Santa isn’t the only one who should make a list and check it twice on Christmas. Heard, Chef. If you’re still not sure what you’re serving for Christmas dinner, Flay also offers some great suggestions for meals that always “get his family to the table.”
“I love cooking family-style,” he said, “so lots of the food that I cook is surrounded by a lot of people. I think it’s casual. I think it’s the way people want to eat, especially at home, especially during the holidays.”
We agree with Flay. Serving up heaping plates of family-style meals sounds like the perfect way to gather around the table with friends and family to celebrate the holidays. He recommends classics like cioppino, lasagna and, of course, a big roast turkey. If you’re looking for more delicious meals meant to be shared with a group, try our Chicken Mushroom Potpie or our Potato Enchiladas. Both are warm, comforting and great for placing at the center of the table for everyone to dig in.
