I don't want turkey!

[Doje]

It's 'just us' this year. No parents to please and the kids are young enough that they don't care what's for dinner.

I don't want to do turkey, I want something that's a bit special, but easy to do. Like Beef Wellington, but easier. I think I still want all the veg / pigs in blankets usual stuff, but could be persuaded otherwise.

Can you hit me up with your ideas and preferably tried and tested recipes please!

I really dislike turkey and so does my adult daughter. Seeing as it's just me, her and my partner at home this year, I'm doing gammon and lamb. We always have gammon but other years have had beef or even chicken instead of turkey. Gammon is fabulous because the leftovers are easy to work into any meal of the day.

Try smoked salmon instead

We're doing chicken and gammon. I'd rather have turkey but one of the kids doesn't like it

I’d probably have lamb rack with rosemary garlic breadcrumb crust!

I’m very jealous. I’d either do duck or beef. I’m very grateful that my parents host everyone for Christmas but my dad will not let anyone help with the cooking so Christmas dinner is always dry as a desert Turkey accompanied by soggy over boiled veg with zero seasoning on anything.

Buy a beef wellington?
I'm trying to imagine smoked salmon on a Xmas dinner
Have you got a slow cooker? You could do a small ham which is minimum effort and lasts a few days cold once cooked.

I don't think you can beat a good chicken. I get a free-range high-welfare one from a good indie butcher.
DP makes great roast potatoes, and we usually also have a grain of some kind like quinoa with pomegranate seeds and almonds, then something green like beans or cavolo nero, another veg or salad, and yoghurt dips/hot sauce/pickles etc.
Or you could have fish? Whole baked bass or mackerel look lovely and festive.

We've had venison in the past.

We did roast gammon last year, with all the usual xmas day trimmings. Then plenty of leftovers sliced up for boxing day and beyond.

Thanks everyone, there's some lovely ideas in there!

I never though about buying a beef Wellington, that's a great idea!

For some reason fish doesn't seem right on Christmas Day. 🤔 I couldn't pinpoint why though.

I love the idea of rack of lamb, but have never cooked it, so would be a bit nervous about trying it first time on Christmas day - especially when there's so much else going on. I might Google a few recipes and see what's involved.

We're having venison this year, DH hates turkey so we never have it. It'll just be roast venison with all the usual trimmings, can't wait :)

I do like turkey and usually get my fix at the works Christmas dinner. Which has been cancelled so I think I might miss out this year!

For some reason fish doesn't seem right on Christmas Day. 🤔 I couldn't pinpoint why though.
I think it's much more a European thing. I was introduced to it by Spanish friends. It does make sense when it's in context and cooked by someone for whom it's normal and a special-event food. I think having fairly large fish makes it more 'festive' as you can slice/carve it and it feels like sharing.

We're having Jamie's 6 hour roast pork this year

We have gammon. So easy and so delicious.

Wild boar in dark beer with a fig chutney on and in.

Beef and pork in our house!

we wanted a goose last year but the farmer had a visit from the fox

so we had a chicken instead. tbh it was ace, no leftovers and everyone liked it.

If I wasn't hosting this year (at the moment!) I'd probably do a rib of beef, expensive but lovely.

I second roast rib of beef. We had it a couple of years running and it was really good. Worked well with all the usual trimmings. And I did Yorkshires too. I did turkey Wellington one year. Never again. It was delish but such a faff.

We’ve got a really decent welsh leg of lamb and a small piece of beef. My preference would be a rib of beef or rack of lamb but as the rest of the family like well done meat it wouldn’t work unfortunately!

Duck, it still seems special and it's easy to cook and you can roast your spuds by putting the duck on the rack and a large ( bigger than the duck)deep tin and let the duck fat drip over the potatoes.

The tin on the shelf below with spuds in.

Guinea fowl?

Or just do the trad Christmas without the turkey, and load up instead of stuffings, bacon and sausages - perhaps adding devils on horseback (even better if you stuff a medjool date withbstiotin and then wrap in bacon)

We're having chicken and pork.

@chantico

Guinea fowl?

Or just do the trad Christmas without the turkey, and load up instead of stuffings, bacon and sausages - perhaps adding devils on horseback (even better if you stuff a medjool date withbstiotin and then wrap in bacon)

bstiotin ? please let me know as I love dates xx