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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas dinner ideas that aren’t turkey.

39 replies

MustardScreams · 30/09/2019 11:02

I am sick of turkey. I’m going on turkey strike and refuse to cook it this year.

What is everyone else having? I thought perhaps a goose and a sirloin roast, but I’ve never had goose so not sure if it’s delicious or hideous! Any ideas welcome.

OP posts:
PullingMySocksUp · 30/09/2019 11:04

Ham! Easy in the slow cooker with no liquid, just brown sugar and a tsp of mustard. It’s the only thing my slow cooker doesn’t wreck...

formerbabe · 30/09/2019 11:04

I love goose...it's very fatty but I like that GrinBlush

Other ideas are beef Wellington, salmon en croute, rack of lamb?

mogtheexcellent · 30/09/2019 11:05

Ive always wanted goose. Ive never had it either. But bland turkey we must have at parents or inlaws. One day I will host and have the goose I have dreamed of. Or steak and chips.

Ninkaninus · 30/09/2019 11:06

Goose is really delicious. Like turkey but much more tasty. It’s one of our favourite Christmas roasts. It’s also more straightforward as you can cook it safe in the knowledge that it’s almost impossible to dry out the meat (plus you get goose fat out if it that will last you throughout the rest of winter!).

You could also do duck.

Rather than sirloin steak I think I’d do a big piece of beef rib, as it looks so dramatic and would make a great dinner centrepiece.

SoyDora · 30/09/2019 11:08

Literally anything! We’ve never had Turkey.
We had venison Wellington last year. Not sure yet about this year.

MrsLeclerc · 30/09/2019 11:09

We had guinea fowl one year for a bit of a change. Small game birds can be lovely although they can be an acquired taste so may be worth trying it first.

Goose is very fatty which can be deceptive when choosing the size of the bird and it’s fiddly to cook. There is definitely a knack to draining the fat from the bird while it’s roasting. Alas I do not have this skill so was a bit disappointed.

Have you considered a beef Wellington? You can get pre-made or Gordon Ramsey has a great recipe. It’s special enough for a fancy dinner but moderately simple to cook. If we get an invite to my parents this year I’ll be splashing out on a pre-made one for Boxing Day!

Ninkaninus · 30/09/2019 11:10

Honestly those of you who haven’t had goose, you really must try it. It’s pretty much ruined turkey for me (although I still like it for sandwiches). It’s just a much more flavoured, fatty, unctuous version of its bigger, blander cousin.

Bear in mind you don’t get a lot of meat off a goose so if you like a lot of leftovers (we do!) or if you’re feeding a crowd, you will need a very big one, or maybe 2.

AmIThough · 30/09/2019 11:10

Aldi do a 3 or 5 bird roast if that's something you could work with?

averythinline · 30/09/2019 11:11

Goose is nice - but I've not tried it again - we were prepared for the fat but not how much it shrunk!
DH hates turkey an dI;m not fussed so we do a turkey crown/joint for them that wants it and have had -Steak, rib of beef , venison (my favourite) game birds so roast a few pheasant maybe wild duck (whatever at farmers market) chicken, belly pork ...all sorts...
this year maybe salmon? or possibly venison again that was great and went well with all the pickles/chutneys etc
although last year we had a massive curry fest and that was great!

we do a ham in the slow cooker as well- small carton apple juice and cinnamon stick (smells lovely) and that tides over for meals/sandwiches etc

Ninkaninus · 30/09/2019 11:12

Yes we always have a ham too. But for me that’s an accompaniment - I need a bird too!

Oh I do love a Christmas dinner!

Womaninbeige · 30/09/2019 11:12

Gammon (and turkey) every year here.
Seriously considering a take away curry this year though! (after 30 years of cooking it all)

notso · 30/09/2019 11:14

I don't like goose. I don't know what I was expecting but it was like a very greasy turkey leg. It also doesn't seem to go very far.

However for me turkey and ham taste of Christmas so maybe I'm not a good person to ask.

Xiaoxiong · 30/09/2019 11:17

I do turkey at Thanksgiving and refuse to put myself through it again a month later. In the past we have done:

Goose (tasty, got pots of goose fat for potatoes but not much meat to go round)
A poussin each (easy)
Ham (lovely studded with cloves)
Beef wellington (fiddly and expensive but impressive)
Three bird roast from the butcher (lazy but nice)
Massive rib of beef (as above for wellington)
Suckling pig (a PROJECT)
Side of salmon (easy but not quite Christmassy enough - better for Christmas Eve)

But our ALL TIME favourite now is cockerel/capon. It's a chicken the size of a small turkey and it's lush and so much easier to cook than a bloody turkey. We got ours from farmison.com which is an online butcher.

theatrenerd31 · 30/09/2019 11:25

We always do chicken and a gammon joint in the slow cooker. Both meats together work out cheaper than the gammon too to boot. None of us are fond of turkey

Pootles34 · 30/09/2019 11:33

Depends on how many you will be feeding - the only drawback with a goose is how small they are - as others have said, they really shrink. Perhaps a goose in the oven and a ham on the slow cooker?

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 30/09/2019 12:35

We are having Wellingtons. Beef for me, dh and fil and a vegetarian version for dm, mil and the kids.

Mil is cooking a turkey with all the trimmings on Boxing day when all dh's siblings are free so we still can't escape it completely.

choirmumoftwo · 30/09/2019 12:36

Rib of beef on the bone, can't beat it!

Cherryrainbow · 30/09/2019 17:19

My stepdads normally made the family duck or pork with crackling as no one in our family is a big fan of turkey. My son last year just had pigs in blankets as his meat with all the veg and trimmings

Liverpool52 · 30/09/2019 17:30

We alternate every year. Duck was amazing. Slow cooked lamb also good.

Trewser · 30/09/2019 17:32

We always have fillet of beef. Goose is a huge faff and was disappointing. We have turkey on boxing day and then live off the leftovers for days.

Heismyopendoor · 30/09/2019 17:35

I do a couple of gammon joints and a whole chicken. I usually cook the gammon in the slow cooker the day before :)

BertrandRussell · 30/09/2019 17:39

One of our Christmas traditions is the annual family debate about what we’re going to have for Christmas dinner. Sometimes we agree. Sometimes we have to put ideas in a hat and pull one out. We try and have something different every year- even though ds always argues eloquently for Beef Wellington.

Original poster
MustardScreams · 30/09/2019 17:42

I do a big ham on Xmas eve for the festive period (ie me hacking chunks off every time I walk past the fridge).

Goose is off the menu! Whilst I do like fatty meat, it sound like a hassle and there’s 12 of us so I’d need to do 2 anyway.

Liking the rib roast or wellington. I definitely want a second meat though.

OP posts:
ChikiTIKI · 30/09/2019 17:42

We always have lamb. Goose is lovely but obviously better for a smaller crowd.

BertrandRussell · 30/09/2019 17:42

We’ve had goose, salmon, a nut roast, beef, pork, lamb , an amazing spiced vegetable pie several ducks.- anything but turkey.