Turkey haters this way......what's for Christmas dinner?

[Snowbility]

We're thinking of a nice rare beef fillet...I'm going for a less is more approach this year avoiding over crowding the plate and the palate. Some sprouts, dauphinoise - roasties for dd and a red wine jus. And then on Boxing Day either a ham with creamed leeks or roasted pork with apples and cider gravy.
Anyone else stepping away from turkey and doing something different/interesting.

[darkdays]

Slow roast duck and a ham. With all the usual trimmings.

[mousmous]

a goose

[AuditAngel]

We have rib of beef, have done for a few years now.

I'm not a turkey hater, we have a turkey crown for sandwiches (they have got sooooooo expensive)

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

rib of beef, with big fat Yorkshire puddings.
am really not bothered about turkey.
Also, if I am having it, I much prefer the dark meat to the light, so a crown is no good, and I'm not getting a whole bird for just the four of us.

[DameDeepRedBetty]

We had fillet of beef one year, mainly as I'd found three whole ones in Sainsburys all reduced to just £5, at the same time as having some space in the freezer.

Unfortunately it was the same year as the Christmas Day powercut, so the whole lot was bundled up and taken over to dsis's flat. And dsis cooked the poor things as though they were topside! I had no idea what she was doing until it was too late, as I was still ferrying children and presents and christmas stuff from my house to her flat.

They were virtually inedible after nearly two hours in her oven .

This year will probably be beef, most likely a set of ribs.

[aGnotherGnu]

We always have beef rib. An excuse to have Yorkshires, lovely cold in sandwiches. And not a cut we would normally have, so still special

[Snowbility]

Darkdays how are you doing the duck? Have never cooked duck before and I've read that it can very easily become a greasy mess but I want to try it just not on Christmas Day.

[moogalicious]

Pork belly and crackling.

[darkdays]

You need to cook it very high to start with about 230 c for half an hour then down to 160 for about five hours. Renders all the fat beneath the skin off. I usually roast it with garlic, onion., carrot, bay leaf and thyme. You end up with lots off fat to cook your toasties and beautiful juices for a heavy. I have duck every christmas, and sometimes more often, I love it!

[trinitybleu]

party food .... I can't get excited about a roast dinner! I'm thinking some pigs in blankets (as we all love them), filo pastry bits, nice cheeseboard, salami etc., warm potato salad, pesto rice ...

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

trinity I am envious
I am rather lukewarm about roast dinner, and would much rather have party food, but there would be a riot here if sprouts and roasts weren't making an appearance.

[ProfondoRosso]

Ham in cherry coke! With Dauphinoise potatoes. And shitloads of party food like sausage rolls, mini cheese and onion rolls, wee chipolatas.

[OhFourFiftyNineThirtyFive]

Rib of beef here too, and a ham for Boxing Day.

[Kahlua4me]

Salmon en croute and a roast chicken.

[BanjoPlayingTiger]

We do crispy duck pancakes! We cook the whole duck in the oven, shred most of it and eat it in the pancakes we buy in bulk from the chinese wholesalers. Its simple, as you only have to bung a duck in the oven and check on it every so often, leaving you free to enjoy the festivities in the living room. There is very little work, duck in oven, pancakes in steamer, chop up a bit of salad. It is very very tasty! Win win I say.

[HawtChocolate]

Only four of us this year, so am doing a large chicken with proper sage and onion stiffing, none of this chestnut nonsense and Nigella's ham in coke. Delish.

[cantheyseeme]

Fucking chicken... im thrilled cant you telll
Spending xmas with a family full of turkey haters
HEATHENS!

[trinitybleu]

CharlotteBronte come on over! There's only 3 of us, so we have a spare chair

[TheSurgeonsMate]

For 2 - Lobster Thermidor.

For 7+3 small children I did rib of beef last year. I have just thought of ham, I think the children would like it. But I'm not too keen on doing more than one thing, and I don't know if everyone would think it was right?

I have done goose. I remember three of us sitting on the kitchen floor just wetting ourselves with laughter when we realised how underprepared we were for the fat flowing out of the thing.

[sashh]

Snowbility

I know you didn't ask me but the more recipes the better.

I prick the duck all over and put it directly on the shelf in the oven with a roasting tray on the shelf below to catch the fat.

I used to have a roasting rack, no idea what happened to that but there is a lot of fat that comes off a duck and the trick is to not let the duck sit in it so that it roasts rather than fries.

[Snowbility]

Thanks Sashh agree that you can never have too many recipes!!!

[4merlyknownasSHD]

We did Haunch of Venison 4 years ago. It was fantastic. My mother reckoned it was the nicest piece of meat she had ever tasted! My wife, however was ill in bed the following day (actually Norovirus).

[schmalex]

I'm doing a goose and a glazed ham. I'm not a turkey hater, but I fancied something different this year. Would love to do rib of beef but the oldies would want it cremated and I can't bear to serve beef grey!

[fluffaduck]

Where having Duck this year. Non of us a really Turkey lovers or haters. We have had to order a 9lb Duck from the butcher as there will be 6 of us. The butcher said at 9lb it's an Ostrich not a Duck!

[Snowbility]

Ok I'm wavering over to rib of beef...maybe more dramatic looking that beef fillet. Our dcs eat meat bloody so luckily we don't struggle with that one. Still thinking of the duck, maybe next Sunday and will seek out goose in a festive lunch somewhere.