A quarter of Northern Ireland home cooks are nervous about cooking this year's Christmas Day dinner, a survey has revealed.
he poll, conducted by safefood, also found that one in six people (17%) here aged between 18 and 34 will be cooking their first festive feast on December 25.
Perhaps due to the impact of the Covid restrictions, over half of the 300 adults surveyed - some 59% - will be hosting Christmas dinner for a smaller number of family and friends this year.
Around 15% also plan on delivering festive meals to loved ones.
Safefood has teamed up with Lisburn woman Suzie Lee, who was named as BBC Home Cook Winner, to launch their 2020 Christmas food safety campaign.
Suzi explained that the best way for nervous cooks to make a perfect Christmas Day dinner is forward planning.
"The key to a successful Christmas dinner is often down to the preparation. Plan everything out beforehand and stick to that plan," said the star cook.
"Make your stuffing the day before and peel potatoes, carrots and any other vegetables you are having and leave them in pans of cold water overnight.
"Whatever size turkey you're having this year, everyone will be aiming for it to be tender and juicy, so use safefood's handy turkey cooking time calculator at www.safefood.net/christmas to work out how long it will take to cook."
Meanwhile, a third of people are planning to buy their food for Christmas Day earlier than normal and freezing it this year, with over a quarter (27%) planning on using ready-prepared foods on Christmas day.
The research also found 15% of people keep their turkey for longer than this - some up to four days or more - which can increase the risk of food poisoning.
Safefood has warned that any leftovers should be cooled and stored in the fridge within two hours of cooking and eaten within three days.
Dr Linda Gordon, chief specialist at safefood, said: "With so many people cooking Christmas dinner for the first time this year, we really want to help build confidence.
"Whatever cooking method, timings or recipes you use; you know your turkey is properly cooked when there's no pink meat in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, the juices run clear and the meat is piping hot throughout."
For further information visit: www.safefood.net/christmas
Suzi's top tips for cooking the perfect Christmas dinner
Get your fridge ready
Ahead of the festive rush give your fridge a good clean with warm soapy water and rearrange the shelves to make space for your turkey.
How much turkey do you need?
Don't buy too big a turkey. Think about how many people you're cooking for (children eat less than adults) and whether you want any leftovers.
Give yourself enough time to defrost
If your turkey is frozen, ensure you leave enough time to defrost it prior to cooking. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds/1.8-2.2kg.
Defrost your turkey on dish or tray on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Don't wash that bird
Do not wash your turkey as this splashes food poisoning bacteria around your kitchen through drips, drops and splashes - proper cooking will actually kill any germs present.
How long to cook your turkey?
Raw poultry and meat can contain germs like Salmonella and Campylobacter, so it's important to cook these foods thoroughly.
Use safefood's turkey cooking time calculator at www.safefood.net/christmas to work out how long your turkey will take to cook.
Preheat your oven and get the turkey ready
Preheat your oven to 180° (Fan Assisted).
Slice into the thigh and drumsticks - this ensures the turkey is cooked evenly.
What about stuffing?
For stuffed turkeys cooked in a fan oven, you should allow extra cooking time and it is essential you check the stuffing itself is piping hot all the way through.
For any other oven types, cook stuffing separately in a suitable dish.
Check your turkey is cooked
Use a meat thermometer to check your turkey is fully cooked.
If you don't have a meat thermometer to hand, then use a clean fork or skewer, pierce the thickest part of the breast and thigh.
You know your turkey is properly cooked when there's no pink meat in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, the juices run clear and the meat is piping hot throughout.
How to store leftovers
Cover any leftovers and place in the fridge within two hours of cooking.
Once in the fridge, any leftovers should be eaten within three days.
Freezing meats
If freezing leftover meat or poultry, wrap well and make sure it is stored in a suitable container for freezing.
Freeze cooked meat for no more than six months approximately - this is for quality rather than safety.
