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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

ideas for food other than turkey

29 replies

georgedawes · 25/10/2013 18:15

Dh and I are not huge fans of turkey so looking for other ideas, not necessarily expensive! DD is 3 and eats most things, may also be joined by my sister. In the past we've had rib of beef which was lovely, and curry (not as nice as the takeaway!).

Doesn't have to be expensive, just nice and perhaps something we'd not have every day.

Also looking for ideas for boxing day as probably will have the inlaws then.

Only thing that I've thought of so far is venison stew (never cooked it myself but had in a restaurant and loved it) and beef wellington (ditto).

OP posts:
celebmum · 25/10/2013 18:47

a glazed roast ham? delish anf lots leftover for boxing day sandwiches Grin

Original poster
georgedawes · 25/10/2013 19:26

that is a good idea, there is a gorgeous butcher near us that does beautiful ham..only thing is it's one of the few things DD won't eat. So perhaps for boxing day instead?

OP posts:
Blu · 25/10/2013 19:29

If there are only 2 of you and the 3 year old, do you like duck?
Or pheasant?
Venison stew or beef wellington would be gorgeous!
Or wild boar stew (I saw it in a rick Stein book - no idea where to get wild boar)
A rack of lamb?

ellaballoo · 25/10/2013 19:31

Pizza..I am tempted to fire up our chimnea on Christmas eve.I have had a festive lasagne in the past, festooned with an asparagus christmas tree.

MisForMumNotMaid · 25/10/2013 19:32

Rib of beef, yorkshire puds, all the trimmings.

Or goose.

balia · 25/10/2013 19:35

Ooh, agree goose. We had it one year (gift from a friend who had raised them). So easy, bunged it in a foodbag and left it. Lush. Rest of my family are 'traditional christmas' geeks so we have to have turkey so envy you the choice.

Original poster
georgedawes · 25/10/2013 19:36

Lasagne for Christmas eve sounds great, dh makes a mean lasagne.

Funnily enough was just talking with dh about duck, that's definitely a good option, I love it and bet DD would too.

Not sure where to get boar although it does sound good! Ditto pheasant!

Pizza is great but something we do have a lot, will definitely have it over the festive period though.

Never had goose but always fancied it. Love rib of beef but perhaps it's a bit much money for us 3 really.

I think at the minute top two choices for xmas day are venison stew or duck, with the others more for boxing day - new year.

OP posts:
Original poster
georgedawes · 25/10/2013 19:37

What does goose taste like, if you can describe it?

OP posts:
Blu · 25/10/2013 22:37

Umm, if goose was meat, it would be lamb.

Quite rich, bit greasy in a good way.

mineofuselessinformation · 25/10/2013 22:45

How about a choice of meats, with the usual accompaniment of roast veg and yorkshires? When I was at home with my parents and siblings, (being meat-lovers) we used to have chicken, pork and beef, or a pheasant thrown in, or a nice lamb joint..... You get the idea. And the left-overs were used in cold cuts for the next few days, usually supplemented by a gammon joint.

mineofuselessinformation · 25/10/2013 22:46

And goose needs careful cooking, as it can end up terribly dry.

MichaelBoobleBloodbath · 25/10/2013 22:48

Gammon
potato dauphinoise
peas mushrooms

yum yum yum yum not vair posh but do not care

soontobeslendergirl · 25/10/2013 23:16

we have duck at Christmas a lot as the boys would never eat a Roast bird so anything else was too big for the two of us. A duck used to give us just enough for two days.......however, now they do like roast bird and especially duck and they eat adult size portions so I am put off duck as there will be no leftovers :(

We did Turkey last year which was really lovely but i miss my Christmas Duck :(

I suppose I could get two??

Anja1Cam · 26/10/2013 07:11

For a grand roast I'd second the goose, we're having one every year... There's a good recipe from BBC good food that's never failed me yet and it is not dry but with crispy skin
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/76606/christmas-goose-with-root-veg-sticky-pears-and-bra
I don't bother with the fruit and make normal gravy.
The meat is darker and more flavourful than turkey.

Otherwise a roulade is pretty impressive - sorry only have a German recipe to hand but you should get the idea from the pics. Basically a Swiss roll type roast of meat(mince) and spinach&cheese
www.chefkoch.de/rezepte/111041046526210/Hackbraten-Roulade-mit-Spinat.html
You roll it before baking like a big roast. Yum :-)

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 26/10/2013 07:30

I always do goose, it is amazing and actually more traditional. It is fabulous with Christmas flavours like plum sauce and I also make roasted mulled wine carrots. Also on top of the usual roasties and bits I make some Ptolemy type salad. Their middle Eastern flavours work beautifully with goose and take Christmas back to is roots which was a Victorian way to celebrate all corners of the Empire, hence all the dried fruit, spices and booze!
Mind you I tend to run myself ragged at Christmas, last year I made 14 dishes for the six of us!

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 26/10/2013 07:31

Ptolomy salad??? I mean Ottolenghi!

Original poster
georgedawes · 26/10/2013 08:33

Goose does sound nice although I'd be slightly concerned about drying it put!

Selection of meats sounds nice but maybe too much for 3. I know we could eat it as leftovers but it still seems a lot.

At the min it's between duck, venison stew, beef Wellington or goose.

OP posts:
Splatt34 · 26/10/2013 11:53

We're talking about venison pie this year. Something that can mainly be made the day before as last year DH spent so much of the day stuck in kitchen. But it is just us and DDs age 3 & 7 months

HeyMicky · 26/10/2013 12:01

We did individual poussin last year - was a huge hit. But did venison steaks two years ago, and they were delicious - felt very luxurious

MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams · 26/10/2013 12:02

Beef Wellington, dauphnoise pots, green beans, red wine jus

Original poster
georgedawes · 26/10/2013 12:10

venison pie sounds gorgeous. Think that is one of the reasons we were thinking of the stew - doesn't require much cooking! How did you do the venison steaks micky?

I do like the idea of beef wellington. DH has concerns that whenever he's had it it hasn't been cooked well, so would have to test it out first. Could be expensive! I need to have a look at recipes I think.

OP posts:
HeyMicky · 26/10/2013 16:08

Seared in the pan then finished in the oven, rested very well

Pollywallywinkles · 26/10/2013 16:20

A chicken instead of turkey? That what is eaten in our house.

Original poster
georgedawes · 26/10/2013 22:24

Think DD more likely to eat venison stew, but I'm very tempted by the steaks. Need to try it out!

Chicken is lovely but we eat it a lot. I don't want to spend loads at Christmas but it would be nice to have something just a little different. Not necessarily expensive (at all) just perhaps a little different to normal.

OP posts:
GobbolinoCat · 27/10/2013 00:22

LOVE rib of beef, we wanted that for past few xmasses but as you say for three very pricey, currently have one sat in freezer, reduced from waitrose. Half price.

M&S does nice xmas food, three birth roasts?

Duck....ummm we got one last year and I felt it was a bit of a let down...what about goose?

Pheasant?

One year we had selection of baby birds, and a pheasant. I adore pheasant...

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