If you spent an enormous amount of time and energy preparing all of your holiday meals, you aren’t alone. It can be quite a time suck, but leads to some of the most rewarding moments of the holiday season!
To keep things exciting but simple on New Years Day, Chef Kieron has some tips on how to prepare the day before so that breakfast is a quick and easy no-brainer on January 1st.
Instructions
Bacon:
- Day Before: Bake your bacon to about 75% of the crispness you would like (around 10 minutes). Remove from the oven and drain off the fat into a metal bowl (you’ll want this for tomorrow!) Allow the bacon to cool, then place in the fridge overnight.
- Morning Of: Preheat your oven to 375°. Place your bacon in the oven for 5-10 minutes and it’ll be ready to go!
Breakfast Potatoes:
- Day Before: Peel and dice your potatoes. In the bottom of a pot, add thyme, rosemary, bayleaf, some garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Place the peeled and diced potatoes in the pot along with a teaspoon of baking soda. Cover with ice and leave this out on the stove. Your potatoes will be infusing with more and more flavor overnight!
- Morning Of: Preheat your oven to 375°. The ice should have melted by now, so turn on the stove and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain the pot and mix in the bacon fat that you saved from the night before. Place in the oven and bake until crispy.
Eggs:
- Day Before: Crack your eggs into a bowl (I prefer 3 eggs per person) and whisk. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge.
- Morning Of: Those eggs are ready to be scrambled. (Pro tip: rather than scrambling the eggs in a pan, place the bowl on top of the potato pot and turn on the heat. This will help speed up the potatoes coming to simmer and cook the egg gently with low stress.)
Pancakes:
- Day Before: Make your pancake mix, cover it in cling wrap and place in the fridge. If you make the mix the night before, it allows the gluten to fully hydrate and allows the mix to cool, which means you’ll have more control over the portions when you go to spoon it into the pan. Take out the syrup and butter and leave on the table overnight, these will be better at room temperature.
- Morning Of: In the morning this one of the first things to pull out of the fridge. Set a heavy bottom pan on a medium heat - the slow and steady cook is the best way makes for fluffy pancakes.
Muffins:
- Day Before: Make your muffin mix, spoon into your muffin pan and set in the fridge overnight.
- Morning Of: Pull muffins out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minute before baking.
Kieron's Tip
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Set out what you need: Place all your pots and pans in the right places so you can start cooking the moment you step into the kitchen.
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Set the table: This is one way children can help the night before, and it eliminates one more thing your morning to-do list.