Alternative to Christmas Day Turkey Roast?

[ritzbiscuits]

DH and I have been chatting and I'm considering breaking with tradition and cooking an alternative meal this Christmas Day. I'm fed up with the amount of prep and feels like the meal dictates present opening and other activities. There will be four adults and one 5 yo.

Any suggestions for alternatives? I'm open to an easier hot meal (happy to prep the evening before) or even a buffet style? Experiences most welcome.

Thanks

I've done crispy duck and pancakes in the past - picky food, simple and not heavy..

Why not get it pre-prepared from Cook or M&S then all you have to do it put it in the oven and relax :)

If you don’t want to go down that route or to deal with all the prep and cooking of an alternative dish though, I’d just get everyone to help make their favourite pizzas.

M&S

Ready made beef Wellington or a baked salmon?

You could do marks and Spencer's like others have mentioned.

I know someone who's doing turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce rolls this year along with some simple christmassy finger foods cause she doesn't want to cook.

Beef wellington
Salmon en croute
Honey glazed ham, cheesy potato gratin, parsnips and buttered cabbage
Boeuf bourguignon
Venison casserole
Christmas pie www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2793/christmas-pie

We’re having hot roast pork sandwiches at lunchtime and a Champagne afternoon tea later on.

First Xmas alone for DH and me for more than 25 years. Grown up DS will be abroad and building work means we can't host other family members this time.
DH is cooking a selection of our favourite curries for lunch followed by a cheese-fest at teatime. Bliss.

Not a turkey fan personally, never had a problem even when a guest elsewhere of finding a frying pan or tray in the oven to put a little salmon fillet (prepped the night before) on for me.

I am thinking of doing mini Yorkshires with beef in, rosti potatoes in the shape of xmas trees, pigs in blanket all from waitrose. Gammon for the kids and I have seen a sausage roll wreath that might go down well. Not sure what else.

Thanks for all your ideas so far.

I do kind of feel I need to do something hot - Roast pork or turkey sandwiches sounds bloody lovely! I think my MIL may have a fit though!

I will also investigate M&S pre-prepared foods, but I did remember last year being shocked at how expensive the roast potatoes were. I'm a good cook, I just want to avoid all the faff.

Doesn't help my 5 year old is really fussy at the moment and doesn't eat potatoes/chips or any dairy. He'd be happy with a couple of homemade Delia sausage rolls and a pile of pickled gherkins!

Go for sausage rolls! I made this last year as a last minute extra to the feast and everyone said they loved it the best of everything .So much so that I ended up making it twice more over the holidays! ..

Prep in advance

My friend has made her stuffing, pigs in blankets and froze them already.
She has prepared and popped her sprouts in the freezer too.

I'm not that organised mind you.

We’re just having cheese, crackers, pate, pickles, ham and anything else we fancy. We always have a big breakfast at my mums - pigs in blankets, scrambled egg, beans and toast - and it seems a waste doing a roast but we will be having our roast on (chicken, we’re not fans of turkey) on Boxing Day.

@Laska5772 Oh I love homemade sausage rolls and make Delia ones every year. Agree they are definitely a buffet hit!

We usually have our Christmas roast on Christmas Eve, observing Dutch tradition. So on Christmas Day I might serve Nigella's Festive Ham with warm spiced red cabbage, watercress/rocket salad, and leftover roast potatoes. I also add crusty bread, a cheese board, pickles and chutneys. Everything goes on the table and it's a "help yourself" stress free meal. I love the look of the festive sausage wreath that Laska5772 shared so definitely making that too. Again, prep, freeze and then bring out to cook on Christmas Day (recipe says takes 55 mins from frozen). That will certainly appeal to both my fussy younger teen and the adults with us.

If you'd prefer to make your own meal rather than supermarket prepped (and I agree with you, I think it's too expensive and not always great quality) then here's what I do:

I usually take a Saturday afternoon in December to prepare and freeze roast potatoes, carrots, spiced red cabbage (I use a Good Housekeeping recipe that is incredibly simple and makes a good batch so you have plenty to bring out over the festive season, other than the main event), cranberry sauce, bread sauce and any stuffing that I want to serve too. There is nothing that makes me quite so happy as not having to chop & prep veg on Christmas Eve! In addition, I cook the ham on Christmas Eve morning & store in the fridge ready for Christmas Day.

We have family traditions of having a luxury fish pie for Xmas eve dinner and The Ham, baked potatoes and nice salads for Boxing day. I prefer both of those meals to an Xmas roast and would consider that instead.

I've known people go out for a curry on Xmas day and thought that's a great idea.

We're not in the UK. Whilst it's not boiling here at Xmas it could be 20 odd degrees so we're considering bbq lunch.

I prep loads beforehand.
'Jamie's get ahead gravy' is made days/weeks beforehand.
Sausage/stuffing balls, pigsIB the same.

Sprouts, beans, carrot, swede all part cooked/blanched in the week before and quick frozen.

Turkey (not my choice, I'd rather have pork) is done Xmas Eve.
Potatoes/Parsnips peeled and sat in salt water overnight Xmas Eve.

On the day the turkey is carved (cold) laid in a roasting tin, covered in chicken stock and put in the bottom of the oven to slowly warm through (and moisten).

All (now defrosted) veg goes into foil trays with a nob of butter and cooks in the oven

The only 'faff' is doing the potatoes on the day, because I don't like the texture of frozen roasts.

(Although this is academic this year - we are going out for Xmas lunch this year with DHs family. Have to say, I'm not looking forward to it, I rarely enjoy pub roasts)

Thanks for further comments everyone - I really appreciate your ideas.

I think I've decided to do an all day buffet on Christmas Day. I'm going to cook a ham and a batch of sausage rolls in advance and serve with cheeses, bread, crackers, pickles, chutneys, maybe some jacket/small potatoes too. Probably make a dessert like a chocolate log or trifle as well. There is a bit of prep there, but can make a couple of nice things in the run up to Christmas which I don't mind at all.

I can then fully focus on relaxing on Christmas Day with DH, DS and ILs, watching TV and playing games.

I'm then going to do a smaller roast for the three of us on Boxing Day, when the presents are opened and the pressure is off.

Sounds like a great solution ritzbiscuits