Donald Russell Christmas Simplicity Box – A Review
I absolutely love cooking a Christmas dinner but was excited to try the Simplicity box from Donald Russell when we were asked to review it. Essentially it is a Christmas dinner that comes all ready to cook in an hour! How easy is that?
What does the Donald Russell Christmas Simplicity Box contain?
We received the Christmas Simplicity Box for 5-7 people. The photo above shows all the pack contained which is:
- 1 Slow Cooked Turkey Crown with Gravy 1.78Kg.
- Goose Fat Roast Potatoes, 200g per pack – 3 packs.
- Brussel Sprouts with shallots and bacon, 200g per pack – two packs.
- Caramelised Carrots, 200g per pack – two packs.
- Braised red cabbage, 200g per pack – two packs.
- 16 Pork chipolatas wrapped in bacon, (2 packs of 8), 315g per pack.
How easy was it all to cook?
All the vegetables required the same amount of time in the oven which I think is great.
When you are constantly in and out of the oven adding things at different times it drives me crazy! The turkey takes just 90-95 minutes from frozen or 50-55 from defrosted.
The instructions were clear and easy to follow. I found that all cooked well in the time stated. After the completed time I checked all with my Thermopen thermometer to ensure they were cooked thoroughly.
The only issue I found was that the gravy in with the turkey seemed to caramelise a little and overcook so was not fluid enough to pour.
The Taste and Portion Sizes
As I am a vegetarian I have to rely on Stuart and Ben for their views on the taste of turkey, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and pigs in blankets. I however tried the carrots and cabbage. Between us all, we agreed the flavours are great of all the items and now I have a lot to live up to.
The portion sizes of the turkey and chipolatas were good for 5-7 people.
Looking at the vegetables, however, I did think were based on very small portions and I felt these needed topping up with more ourselves. This is of course easily done by boiling a few veggies but worth bearing in mind if you order this pack in my opinion.
If you have children or don’t like too many vegetables then all you need to add is some bubbly and maybe gravy/cranberry sauce and Christmas dinner is easy!
Cost and where to buy a Donald Russell Christmas box
The Donald Russell Simplicity box for 5-7 is currently £84. This of course is more expensive than buying it all yourself and making it. It all really depends on what price you put on your time and how confident you are in cooking it perfectly.
Just remember to factor in any vegetarian foods, sauces and extra vegetables to see if it is right for your family. There are other boxes available from Donald Russell that may be more suitable so do have a look.
The Donald Russell Simplicity box is available here.
Just remember to factor in any vegetarian foods, sauces and extra vegetables into the cost. This way you can decide if it is right for your family. There are other boxes available from Donald Russell that may be more suitable so do have a look.
Disclaimer – I was sent this box in return for an honest review. All views above are my own and those of my family.