What are you planning for Christmas Dinner this year?

[thelegohooverer]

Anyone fancy some dinner chat?

We have always been hosting or hosted until this year and Christmas dinner has always been turkey and gammon and loads of trimmings. But this year it will just be our own little family.

I’m guessing that turkeys might be in short supply this year if families like ours that would have come together and eaten one big one between them are eating 3 or 4 separately. And while it’s usefully big for feeding a crowd, it’s telling that we rarely eat it (and never cook it) any other time of the year.

So we’re trying to decide what to have instead.

I fancy a nice roast beef but I’m not keen on cold beef and the left over sandwiches are nearly as important as the main meal in our house. I’ve never been particularly keen on gammon either, just cooked that for everyone else. I’d quite like goose, but dh finds it too gamey. We both love lamb but it’s the wrong time of year, I think. It will probably have to be pork. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a cold pork sandwich.

I’m used to thinking in such big quantities for Christmas that i have to make an effort to pare it back. 3 types of potato is probably over doing it?

I’ve always longed for a quieter Christmas with just ourselves but now I’m fretting that it might not feel festive without a crowd of big eaters!

I’d love to hear what everyone else is thinking/ planning

It's likely to just be me and the 3 DC this year, as it was last year.

We have a party food buffet type thing Christmas Eve.

Christmas day dinner will be:

Turkey crown (enough for the must have left overs)
Sprouts
Roast Potatoes (and mash last night - not sure about this year)
Yorkshire puddings
Pigs in blankets.
Veggies - Carrots, peas, broccoli.
Sauces - Gravy, cranberry & most likely ketchup for the youngest

Dessert tends to be 2 options, something chocolatey must feature & usually a cheesecake type option.

None of the DC like califlower cheese so not bothering with that this year. Looking at that, I really feel like I've forgotten something important! The table is dressed & we have crackers etc so that plus the mountain of food on the plates (and the left overs!) means it doesn't feel anything like a 'normal' roast dinner.

Last year even, not last night!

It’s been the 4 of us in the day the last 6 years (DS2 was a Christmas baby), just with relatives popping in for presents and mince pies. Boxing Day we normally have the ILs for a giant buffet. I plan on having a buffet still, but scaled down a bit for us (although I did order MILs favourite profiteroles from M&S just in case it’s allowed). Christmas Day we have a load of pastries, cinnamon buns, and the lime out on the table to graze at through the day. We’ve been getting M&S Christmas dinner and like the turkey crown (big enough for 8 so plenty of leftovers), pigs in blankets and stuffing balls. This year I’ve also ordered the beef shin for day after Boxing Day, as well as the massive Yule log.

Not decided. 2 meat eaters with veggie/ vegan teens, we havent done turkey for years as too much food. Often end up doing a big chicken, loads of roast root veg, Linda mccartney sausages for the teens, and vegan yorkshie puddings. One year we did slow cooked lamb instead which was also lovely. May try duck.

We always do Christmas Dinner just our little family with just 2 adults and 2 small children (plus a baby this year) :)

Honestly I would get what you fancy most and is most Christmassy to you. There are plenty of options for turkey for small parties, crowns, breast joints etc. I'm vegetarian now so there will be even less meat eaten but you can get these joints made for two, and good quality beef joints you can get so small that they will get nearly polished off by the dinner alone.

Alternatively you can also get sliced cold cuts in delis and supermarkets for sandwiches so you can get whatever cold cuts you like

As I have no idea how many guest I will have or if I get to go to my parents I can't even think about it. If it's just the two of us we'll probably have game or duck, perhaps beef ... just see what looks good at the butcher.

If just the vegetarian young lady turns up then might have a veggie main, if the meat eaters turn up then I'll go for a 3 bird roast (already in freezer serves 4) but still hoping my parents can have us, mum loves a houseful, but I might book the hotel around the corner for at least us to reduce number staying overnight.

The most disorganised Christmas ever

@GoneFishingAgain

5 bird roast is already in the freezer, as is beef wellingtons from Lidl (serves2) I'm covering my bases.

@Gurufloof

Aldi have very good lamb shanks in red wine gravy, frozen and boil in the bag if you want to cheat!

Same as usual - christmas ham with mustard and breadcrumb crust, potato casserole, swede casserole, salted salmon and maybe smoked salmon, pickled herrings, beetroot salad, maybe blazed salmon. Cook enough so we can live on leftovers for the next few days though I might in some extra side dishes on subsequent days.

For the past few years it has just been the 5 of us with DS's GF at some point. I absolutely love Christmas and am already thinking about it as feel like not much else to look forward to sadly.

DD and I love the planning-we are having a sparkly silver and white christmas table-in an effort to bring a bit of cheer to a grim year. Do all the prep Christmas Eve and everyone helps-carols playing and glorious smells of stuffing make it such a nice family time.

We have always laid Christmas table on Christmas Eve and gone out for dinner but this year we will be getting a takeaway and eating in the kitchen.

We don't have starters as such but lots of bits as we open presents-smoked salmon blinis, asparagus wrapped in pancetta, sausages wrapped in bacon, baked brie etc

Have already ordered big turkey from local farm and have ocado slots booked.

We have:
the turkey
mash and roast potatoes cooked with horseradish
sprouts with pancetta
honey glazed carrot and parsnip
sweet corn
stuffing
cranberry sauce
gravy
cranberry juice and orange sorbet
yorkshire pudding (may not be technically correct but always do-in my house any meal that has gravy can have yorkshires)
I feel like I am forgetting something?

Always make plenty of veg etc for bubble and squeak the next day served with ham.

And leftover turkey sandwiches are everyone's fav here so no chance of turkey curry!

Oh I forgot the pudding-

profiteroles are a must for DD, christmas pud and a big grazing cheese plate.

Fizz for present opening and wine with dinner.

We would normally go to our local with all of our neighbours for a drink at lunchtime but that won't be happening either which is a shame as it is dogs and babies and kids and feels so cozy.

@BiddyPop I make my mash with an electric hand mixer-splash of milk and butter and whizz away. No idea why except that is how my Nanna did it. Completely lump free. Might be worth a try?

@Carouselfish Could you please let me know the name of the wild boar supplier you used as I'd like to try that this year

Roast potatoes
Honey Roast parsnips and carrots
Stuffing balls
Cranberry sauce
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Marrowfat peas
Regular peas
Veggie gravy
Yorkshire puddings

Pudding will be done kind of cake

We will have turkey, sausage meat loaf, two sorts of stuffing (chestnut for me ), homemade bread sauce, Pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, sprouts yuk, peas, carrots and red cabbage. I've never had Yorkshire pudding with turkey, I would probably like it but no one else interested so one less thing to think about.
Christmas pud with brandy butter, plus a trifle for those who don't like pudding ... always do a cheese board as well but never get round to touching it before Boxing Day.

Op, why don't you go with duck? The meat is almost better cold than hot. You could have it with a potato and celeriac mash (prepped and piped in advance in to a dish for warming) with a variation of cumberland sauce. Green veg ...kale or green beans.

We are having an organic turkey from a local farm with all the trimmings.. They are not that much bigger then a chicken because they've been left to grow at a slow natural rate and the carcasses aren't pumped full of water. Fantastic flavour.

I sensibly had a good breakfast before opening this thread this morning It all sounds delicious.

Don't know about the actual day yet as we have family in different tiers even locally so will wait until if that changes hopefully.
If we are staying at home, then I really fancy a goose this year! I've had roast goose one and thought it was delicious. From what I remember it is darker yes but not overly gamey and very juicy. Like duck though it does shrink down a lot so there won't be many left overs I suspect! So ideal if there's less people than normal.
Probably serve with roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, sausage meat stuffing, veg etc etc.

I'll also probably do Nigella's ginger glazed gammon to have on other days, which is really good cold too. I usually make a chocolate yule log.

@thelegohooverer
Unusually I'm sick and sent DP shopping yesterday with a precise list and told him to get whatever he wanted for tea last night. It just so happens he got the lamb shanks you mention. As I'm really quite sick we have shoved in freezer til next week. Will try them next week if I'm better and if they are as good as or better than I can make we may well get for Christmas day. I'm all for easy as possible on the day me. Or lazy maybe.

Not sure. I am Vegan, DH isn't but we mostly eat the same main meals. DD is Vegan but will be at her Dad's.
Last 2 years I have made a fantastic nut loaf and then DH does all the spuds and veggies. But not sure if I want to this year.
DH always has a pre Christmas meal with his grown up daughter and she cooks a roast for them every fortnight at her place. So he won't miss out. I am just not a fan of roasts. Wasn't as a child when I ate meat or as a vegetarian teenager.
I would sooner have a nice sandwich 🥪

@LetterOfTheLawFella
Wild boar supplier was called The Wild Meat Company 🤣

I’m likely to be doing Christmas my way for the first time ever. To me, it’s all about the trimmings, feel like the protein is just an anchor to keep the sides on the fork . So far, I’m thinking:

roasted sprouts with bacon and balsamic glaze
Roasted asparagus wrapped in prosciutto
Glazed roasted carrots and parsnips
Roast pots
Gratin dauphinois
Pigs in blankets
Steamed broccoli with slivered almonds
Stuffing
Yorkshires
Gravy

Not a fan of turkey. Chicken boring. Already have pork. Not the season for lamb. Will be steak or a whole salmon.

Dessert will be home made tiramisu, trifle for the littles. Lots of grapes and clementines/ satsumas.

Lots of grazing on mince pies, cheese plate, olives, pickled vegetables etc throughout the day, breakfast will be toast and tea. Not too much booze or will feel leaden on Boxing Day.

Ok so DH has decided, it’s turkey this year.

If it’s the two of us only for dinner (which is a distinct possibility) we will keep it fairly simple - turkey, roast potatoes, gravy, two sides. If we are joined by others we’ll also serve a Christmas ham (which we’ll have anyway but not for Christmas dinner).

If we’re able to have everyone over at some point in the season I’ll also serve a traditional Julefrokost (Danish Christmas lunch/dinner):

Pickled herrings (trio) with various accompaniments and curried herring with boiled eggs
Smoked salmon with dill, mustard and honey sauce
Fried plaice with remoulade

Pork roast with very crispy crackling (we will have this anyway at some point in the season even if we are on our own, just not on Christmas Day)
Frikadeller (pork and beef meatballs fried in butter)
Duck
Various accompaniments - braised red cabbage, pickled cucumber slices, pickled asier (thick slices of large cucumber), boiled potatoes

Cheese board

Risalamande (rice porridge served cold, mixed with whipped cream, vanilla and flaked almonds, topped with a warm cherry sauce)

Aquavit and beer throughout, vanilla liquor or cherry liquor with dessert.

Coffee and spiced biscuits to finish!

🎄🎄🎄

We're used to being just the 5 of us so it wouldnt be much different for us.

We bought the turkey today, just a frozen one so that's simple & sorted.

It'll just be all the trimmings, boxing day is a buffet. DD8 doesnt eat roast dinner of any kind, so she will get her favourite......pizza.

I'll do all the trimmings but skip the turkey. Noone likes turkey. It's all about the sausages and roast potatoes. And noone likes Xmas pudding, those chocolate iced tube cakes things, so I'm thinking banana muffins later on in the day.