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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Anyone have beef or venison for Christmas dinner.

52 replies

Whathappenedtothelego · 16/10/2020 16:19

It's looking like it's going to be just our immediate family for Christmas Day.
So no point getting a turkey, and chicken doesn't seem that special.

Thinking about venison or beef instead.
But then all the accompanying veg and side dishes would be different too.

If you have roast beef or venison for Christmas, what cut do you get, and what do you serve alongside?

OP posts:

JosephineDeBeauharnais · 16/10/2020 18:05

Sirloin or topside of beef with all usual trimmings. Duck on Boxing Day. We only have turkey if it’s our turn to host because our adult kids insist on it 🙄. I don’t eat it myself.

JaJaDingDong · 16/10/2020 18:11

I did see the duck in the M&S catalogue and thought it looked lovely, might think about that seriously.

If you want leftovers you'll need one duck per two people, and even then there won't be a lot left after the first meal.
Goose, duck etc haven't been bred to provide as much meat as a chicken does.

SilenceOfTheEmu · 16/10/2020 18:13

We do lamb shoulder and gammon - I know they don’t ‘go’ together but we don’t really like turkey, lamb is all the adults favourite meat and gammon is the kids favourite (plus great for Boxing Day leftovers)
And we serve it with all the usual things you would serve with turkey.

Fridgeandkitchen · 16/10/2020 18:23

We had the Shin of Beef from M&S last year. Have ordered it again for this year. Plenty of mash, carrots, peas and broccoli with loads of gravy.

Ninkanink · 16/10/2020 18:30

I’d definitely do two ducks...

Goose is worth it even though it only feeds 4.

Duck and pork roast are both very traditional in Denmark where I’m from. Perhaps you should go all out and do a full Danish spread just for fun!

Ninkanink · 16/10/2020 18:35

If you buy a full joint of beef rib then yes, it does have bones in it - the ribs. But you just cut those out before you carve. Or you could carve it in huge slices like you do with a rack of lamb...that’s my daydream, because I’m a piggy and I want a huuuuge slice.

jocktamsonsbairn · 16/10/2020 18:35

If my parents can't join us (in a support bubble at the moment) then we'll probably have beef or lamb as DD doesn't like turkey. We always have Yorkies anyway as DC insisted on them from when they were little. Pigs in blankets will be a no brainier as they love them! Will have roasties and then I'll have to face the argument from DC to scrap all vegetables as they are teenagers and seem to have grown averse to them over the years! They were not eat stuffing, chestnuts, cranberry sauce or anything like that... heathens!!

jocktamsonsbairn · 16/10/2020 18:36

In fact if Dominoes was open DC would be pushing for that!!

Ninkanink · 16/10/2020 18:37

I’m seriously so excited for Christmas dinner!!

WeAllHaveWings · 16/10/2020 18:37

We had M&S beef Wellington last year for £60. The Fillet of beef inside was lovely, served 3 generous portions (never 4-6!) but the pastry etc was split and fell apart which was a little bit disappointing.

Took photos of it split when we opened the packet and after cooking and gave m&s feedback saying it was tasty but presentation was poor. Got a full refund. 👍🏼

I would have a quality cut of beef again for Xmas, much tastier than turkey, but have ds the choice and he wants turkey this year.

WhiskersPete · 16/10/2020 18:40

We never have turkey. This year I was going to do a Wellington but now I've seen that M&S are doing a nice looking rib of beef so may change my mind and do that.

goose1964 · 16/10/2020 18:45

We did rib of beef one year for Boxing day. We though it seemed expensive but as FiL was happy with the price, he was paying for it, we went ahead. When it came to cook it the butcher has deboned it so instead of meat and bones we just had beef. That explains why it was expensive, we also had a vast amount of leftovers.Yo can just do the same veg as usual. A saddle of venison would also work, and you could still have cranberry sauce.

Original poster

Whathappenedtothelego · 16/10/2020 18:46

This thread is making me more excited about the idea of beef! Perhaps I just need to be less bound by convention with regard to the trimmings.

I don't think I would fit two ducks in my oven. Maybe duck breasts for Boxing Day though.

OP posts:

Babypug · 16/10/2020 18:54

We always have a chateaubriand/ fillet of beef and it doesn't disappoint. Had it once after always having turkey with the family for years and haven't looked back!

jocktamsonsbairn · 16/10/2020 20:43

@Babypug

We always have a chateaubriand/ fillet of beef and it doesn't disappoint. Had it once after always having turkey with the family for years and haven't looked back!

Now there's an idea...

Lovely1a2b3c · 16/10/2020 22:35

We have had beef wellington before. You could opt for an m&s turkey crown if you don't need a whole turkey.

Deereamer · 17/10/2020 06:40

We always have a beef rib roast with roast potatoes, roast carrot and parsnips, cauliflower cheese, braised red cabbage, Yorkshire’s (although a slightly different version) and sausage meat stuffing.

Ninkanink · 17/10/2020 11:30

You could do a couple of your usual sides for beef, plus a selection of the traditional Christmas sides. It’s Christmas, after all, so there should be pigs in blankets no matter what!

Also I’d suggest just do a buffet lunch/dinner on Boxing Day - that way you can chill and relax and properly enjoy the day.

SuperFairy · 17/10/2020 14:28

Rib of beef here, in fact I ordered mine from Donald Russell earlier this week! We never have turkey, often we’ll have stuffed pheasant or partridge which look super cool and Christmassy as you have a bird each.
All the usual trimmings incl. pigs in blankets etc.
I can’t wait!

DontGoIntoTheLongGrass · 17/10/2020 14:35

I haven't cooked Xmas dinner before and this year looks like may have to if we can't visit PILs or parents. I've got roast beef in and will serve with Yorkshire puds, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, peas, broccoli, stuffing, pigs in blankets and mint sauce. Making it as easy as possible by buying frozen veg, potatoes and puddings. May make soup for starters too

AlwaysDancing1234 · 17/10/2020 14:38

A couple of years ago I won a £30 voucher for the local butcher in the run up to Xmas, instead of turkey we got a lovely bit of beef.

Had roast beef, Yorkshire’s, honey roast parsnips, sprouts (obligatory) cauliflower cheese, carrots, peas and lashings of gravy.

Everyone agrees best Xmas dinner ever and was easy for me to cook.
Not going back to turkey!

Lily193 · 17/10/2020 19:37

We're having rib of beef this year with traditional sides. None of us likes venison.

percheron67 · 17/10/2020 19:44

Yes. We sometimes have Lobster.

DaphneFanshaw · 17/10/2020 20:03

The rib of beef we have every year always has bones in it.
I suppose you could take the bones out but I love the flavour of cooking red meat on the bone, it is beautiful.
We have rib of beef, dauphinois potatoes, parsnips, Brussels With bacon and chestnuts And red cabbage.
Then all the other bits like sausage meat stuffing, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire pudding etc.

Dailyhandtowelwash · 17/10/2020 20:13

Rib of beef makes a wonderful Christmas lunch and it needs the bones in - cooks better and keeps the meat juicier. You can make whatever sides you like - how about adding port or Madeira to the gravy rather than just red wine, to make it more special?

We always have goose which is gorgeous, and gives us enough fat for weeks of fab roast potatoes afterwards too. You have all the same sides as turkey too, although you can be a bit creative with the stuffing if you like. Goose and bread sauce is divine.

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