This Christmas Hotpot is a one-pot festive extravaganza, packed with turkey, sausage, chestnuts, onions and more in a light, creamy gravy, topped with buttery sliced potatoes. Is it indulgent? Yes. But it’s Christmas!
Christmas lunch is one of my favourite meals of the year, but it does require a huge amount of time and effort. This delicious recipe gives you classic Christmas ingredients and flavours with a fraction of the work. Added bonus: it all comes together in one pot. Christmas dinner has never been so easy, and delicious!
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Ingredient Breakdown
- The Joy of One-Pot Cooking at Christmas
- The Secret to a Perfectly Creamy Gravy
- Why Turkey Thighs?
- Potatoes: The Ultimate Christmas Comfort
- Elevating the Christmas Experience with Simple Sides
- Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas Hotpot
- Bringing It All Together
Introduction
Christmas lunch is a tradition many of us hold dear, but let’s face it — it can be a logistical nightmare. The preparation, the timing, the sheer number of pots and pans. But what if I told you there’s a way to enjoy all those classic Christmas flavours without the fuss? Enter the Christmas Hotpot: a comforting, indulgent one-pot wonder that brings together turkey, sausage, chestnuts, and a creamy gravy, all topped with buttery, golden potatoes. It’s everything you love about Christmas dinner, but simpler. Let’s dive in!
Ingredient Breakdown
- Good-Quality Pork Sausage Meat: Provides a savoury, juicy element to the dish, creating a rich base for the hotpot.
- Onion: A fundamental aromatic that adds a sweet and savoury undertone.
- Cooked/Ready-to-Eat Chestnuts: Adds a subtle sweetness and nuttiness.
- Fresh Sage: Adding an earthy, aromatic quality that pairs perfectly with poultry and pork.
- Fresh Rosemary: Rosemary brings a fresh, pine-like aroma.
- Nutmeg: Adds a hint of festive sweetness.
- White Wine: Adds acidity and depth, deglazing the pot and enhancing the flavours of the hotpot.
- Turkey Thigh Fillets: Tender, flavourful turkey thighs are more succulent than breast meat, ensuring the hotpot remains moist and rich.
- Chicken Stock Cube: Provides a concentrated burst of savoury chicken flavour.
- Plain Flour: Helps thicken the gravy, creating a luxurious, creamy sauce.
- Whole Milk: Adds creaminess and richness to the gravy, ensuring it’s indulgent but still light.
- Potatoes (Maris Piper or Baking Potatoes): Used to top the hotpot.
- Unsalted Butter: Ensures the potato topping is golden, crisp, and deliciously rich.
The Joy of One-Pot Cooking at Christmas
There’s something inherently comforting about a one-pot meal, especially during the festive season. The Christmas Hotpot brings together the joy of Christmas flavours in a way that’s both convenient and utterly satisfying. By keeping everything in one pot, you retain all those beautiful flavours that can often get lost in the hustle of a big Christmas dinner. The sausages and turkey release their juices, which mingle with the onions, chestnuts, and wine to create a luscious base. This method also allows the ingredients to cook together, resulting in a dish that’s deeply flavourful and wonderfully aromatic.
The Secret to a Perfectly Creamy Gravy
The magic of this hotpot lies in its gravy — a light, creamy concoction that pulls all the ingredients together. The key to a perfect gravy is layering flavours from the start. By browning the sausage meat and turkey separately, you build a robust foundation. The flour and milk work together to thicken the mixture, creating a sauce that’s velvety and rich without being heavy. And let’s not forget the chicken stock cube, which amplifies the savouriness, bringing the dish to life. This gravy is not just a sauce; it’s a flavour-packed binder that turns simple ingredients into a festive feast.
Why Turkey Thighs?
You might wonder, why turkey thighs instead of the more traditional breast? The answer lies in the flavour and texture. Turkey thighs are juicier and more flavourful than breast meat. They can stand up to longer cooking times without drying out, making them perfect for a dish like this, where the meat is simmered in a creamy gravy. The result is tender, succulent bites that are far more satisfying than the potentially dry and flavourless breast meat. Plus, turkey thighs are often more economical, making this dish a cost-effective choice for feeding a crowd.
Potatoes: The Ultimate Christmas Comfort
A hotpot wouldn’t be complete without a crispy potato topping. Thinly sliced Maris Piper or baking potatoes are ideal for this. They cook evenly and develop a delightful crunch on top while remaining tender underneath. Brushing the top with melted butter ensures the potatoes turn a beautiful golden brown, adding a buttery richness that complements the creamy filling. The key to achieving the perfect potato topping is slicing them thinly — I recommend using a mandolin for uniform slices. Covering the pot for the first half of the baking time allows the potatoes to steam and become tender. Then, removing the cover and cranking up the heat gives you that perfect crispy finish. For an extra touch, a quick blast under a hot grill adds a final layer of golden, bubbly perfection.
Elevating the Christmas Experience with Simple Sides
While the Christmas Hotpot is a meal in itself, serving it with a few simple sides can elevate your festive table. Steamed green vegetables, like tenderstem broccoli or green beans, provide a fresh, vibrant contrast to the rich hotpot. A spoonful of tangy cranberry sauce on the side offers a sweet, tart counterpoint that cuts through the creaminess of the dish. Together, these simple additions create a balanced, festive plate that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas Hotpot
- Prep Ahead: You can prepare the filling a day in advance. Let it cool completely before covering and storing it in the fridge. When ready to bake, top with sliced potatoes and follow the baking instructions.
- Customise Your Hotpot: Feel free to switch up the ingredients. Swap turkey for chicken thighs, or add a handful of peas or spinach for a pop of colour and extra nutrition.
- Make It Vegetarian: Omit the sausage meat and turkey, and add more chestnuts and some hearty vegetables like mushrooms or butternut squash. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and a plant-based milk to keep it creamy.
Bringing It All Together
The Christmas Hotpot is more than just a dish; it’s an experience. It’s a way to enjoy the classic flavours of Christmas without the stress and endless washing up. It’s about bringing joy back into the kitchen, making the most of quality time with family and friends. This festive season, embrace the simplicity and indulgence of this one-pot wonder. Gather your loved ones around, serve up generous portions of this delicious hotpot, and create new Christmas memories around the table.
Happy cooking, and Merry Christmas!
PS: For more Christmas recipes, check out my Christmas Recipe Collection, where you’ll find a curated selection of festive recipes, perfect for the holiday season. From indulgent mains and comforting sides to delightful desserts and warming drinks, each recipe is crafted to bring joy to your Christmas celebrations.
Christmas Hotpot
Turkey, sausage, chestnuts, onions and more in a light, creamy gravy, topped with buttery sliced potatoes. Indulgent? Yes. But it’s Christmas!
Christmas lunch is one of my favourite meals of the year, but it does require a huge amount of work. This delicious recipe gives you classic Christmas ingredients and flavours with a fraction of the work. Added bonus: it all comes together in one-pot! Christmas dinner has never been so easy, and delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Meat
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 450 g good-quality pork sausage meat
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 150 g cooked/ready-to-eat chestnuts, chopped
- 2½ tbsps fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1½ tbsps fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 100 ml white wine
- 1 kg diced turkey thigh
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 3 tbsps plain flour
- 300 ml whole milk
- 750 g potatoes (Maris Piper or baking potatoes), thinly sliced
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 200℃.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage meat and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or whisk (it works surprisingly well!), around 4 minutes.
- Add the onion and season with sea salt-and freshly-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, around 5 minutes.
- Add the chestnuts, sage, rosemary and nutmeg and season again with sea salt-and freshly-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to incorporate any stuck bits. Cook, stirring frequently, until almost all the wine has evaporated. Transfer the contents of the Dutch oven to a bowl.
- Return the Dutch oven to the stove and add another splash of olive oil. Add the diced turkey thigh and season with sea salt-and freshly-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock cube, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and stir to incorporate.
- Sprinkle the flour over the turkey and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the turkey is evenly coated.
- Add the milk and stir to combine. Return the sausage meat mixture to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the gravy is thickened, around 3 minutes.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning.
- Layer the potatoes over the filling. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Turn the oven up to 220℃. Bake uncovered for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and tender. To get some browning on the top, you can pop it under a very hot grill for 5 minutes.
- Serve with steamed green vegetables and cranberry sauce and enjoy!
- Note: you don’t need to make this in a Dutch oven. You can also make the filling in a normal pot and transfer it to a roasting tin. Cover with the sliced potatoes and bake as instructed, first covered tightly with foil then uncovered.
