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7 Noche Buena hacks: Chefs give tips to make food preps this Christmas easier and more enjoyable
Let’s be real: Preparing the Noche Buena spread is never an easy job. Planning the menu alone is a tricky work of art, what more the actual cooking.
So we asked chefs for their tips and hacks on how to make Noche Buena easier for our moms and lolas.
1. Prep ahead!
Much like any other enormous task, breaking down Noche Buena prep into smaller, manageable pieces will make it less stressful. For Chef Jay MacCarthy, a consultant for the Texas Beef Council, the Nebraska Beef Council, and the US Meat Export Federation, preparing ahead and getting things ready beforehand will allow you more time to enjoy Christmas Eve.
“Like, you can cook a brisket ahead. It takes a little bit of time, but when you reheat it for the event, you can just throw it in the oven and go hang out with family and friends and pull it out and it’s ready to go," Chef Jay said at the recent Holiday Hoedown, hosted by the U.S. Embassy.
"Normally, I’ll do a pork loin or brisket and cook it ahead to free my time up for when family and friends come over. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the kitchen and everyone’s there and you don’t get to catch up and see what’s going on. So I’d rather put in a little effort ahead so I have more time and energy to put into family and friends,” he added.
2. Shop local and buy what is in season!
Noche Buena is definitely a time of high imagination. We want the best for our families, sometimes even aiming for the most complex dishes if it means serving something special.
But according to Chef JR Royol, shopping local and sticking to what’s in season will save you not just a few Pesos but a lot of energy, too.
“I'd say you visit your local markets. That's definitely the best place to shop for fresh ingredients,” he says. “May mga times din kasi na kunwari, yung pechay Baguio or repolyo, pumapatak lang ng mga P30 sa palengke. You’ll never find that sa grocery. So what I suggest para mas ma-maximize mo yung ingredients mo is you sort it locally, ideally sa palengke para hindi lang yung ingredients ma-maximize mo, pati rin yung budget mo.”
3. Order in!
“Call The Plaza Catering and we’ll take care of your Noche Buena,” Chef Carla Reyes of The Plaza jokes.
But there’s a lot of truth in what she said. There is no shame in ordering in. The Plaza has party trays, roasts, pastrami, and of course, the ever famous ham.
Meanwhile, Bizu has a whole roast turkey, a 10-hour roast beef, conchinillo, and a slew of other dishes sure to make an impression on your Noche Buena table. Here’s a list of potluck favorites you may also want to consider.
According to Chef Carla, ordering in is something she and her family actually do during Christmas. As caterers, they have their hands full during the holiday so they really just order in. “At home, we order from The Plaza, something easy like roast beef and ham and then I just make a quick pasta or salad at home.”
4. Cook with the fam!
Noche Buena is an enormous task that shouldn’t just fall on one person’s shoulder. So for Chef Jose Sarasola, why not involve the whole family?
“You know, you make your brother chop onions or the garlic. Yung sister mo, pwedeng mag-palengke," he said. While at it, have the kids assemble your charcuterie board, get your dad to chop the lechon — give everybody a role.
"Make this Noche Buena fun and get the whole family involved,” Chef Jose said.
5. Don’t discount box mixes and frozen items
Much like ordering in, consider easy kitchen fixes, says Chef Nathaniel Uy. “For desserts, there’s no shame in using box cake mixes. Frozen items in specialty stores such as callos, and other stew items are also great,” he says.
He suggests using cheaper alternatives, too. “Use cheaper cuts. If you want beef for your celebration, instead of ribeye, you may opt to use rump or brisket to help reduce the cost. Learn how to use all part of ingredients. Chicken is versatile, bones can be used for stock and as flavoring for rice dishes such as paella, meat can be used as main course, and trimmings can still be used for vegetable dishes.”
6. Build your menu around one star item
What is the one dish that simply must be in your Noche Buena spread? Start from there. It will simplify your life, quiet down your mind, and make the whole process easier.
Chef Carla Reyes considers ham as the basis.”If you only have the ham, consider a chicken or a beef — those would be the easiest and then a salad and a pasta. Two viands, pasta, rice if you want, and salad. That should solve it.”
7. Use quality products
According to Chef Jay MacCarthy, you can save time and effort by having a really impressive centerpiece that won’t need too many bells and whistles. “But you have to start out with quality products,” he says, pointing out quality products from the US. “If you don’t have a good product to start with, you’re going to run into other problems that you’ll need to mask, cover, or fix.”
For Chef Jay, it’s roast or lamb. “Those will work with simple salt and pepper and a rosemary. And then I’ll just make quick sides like potato salad or coleslaw. Very simple, few ingredients, impressive.” — LA, GMA Integrated News
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