help a life-long veggie feed 2 meat eaters on christmas day!

[JACKIEwrappingPAPER]

ok i need help, please.

i'm veggie as are the dcs, dh doesn't usually eat meat at home.

So, my dad is coming over for christmas dinner and wants him and dh to have some meat to share, but not turkey or chicken (apparently turkey is too dry and chicken not special enough). they have not offered any ideas as to what they would like, although my dad mentioned a waitrose 3 bird roast (but won't that be too much just for the 2 of them?)

It's got to be quite small as must fit into the little oven (table top oven, the size of a microwave) as main oven will be full with nut roast, pots, veg, stuffing, yorkies etc.

i have no idea what to get them, oh and also i don't want to have to do anything with it iykwim (like stuff it)

help very much appreciated!!

Tell him that if he wants meat, he can choose it, cook it, and bring it with him. Especially if he's going to be fussy about what it is - a three bird roast feeds about 9 iirc

Marks and spencers do ready to roast meat joints. They are boneless so you just have to roast them and carve them - you could get your Dad to do this. They do all sorts, but I'm sure a small beef joint would be good and would go nicely with your menu.

thanks sam, will check out marks. I'd also rather it was free range if possible. can you get free range? didn't think of beef,that sounds good as i don't want to fanny around with it or mess with it at all. will investigate.

no hope of entrusting my dad with either the buying or cooking. He would prob turn up with an unplucked whole goose or something, and if it can't be cooked in a microwave he can't cook it. (phoned me the other week for instuctions on how to cook pasta...)

what about duck? can you get 2 little duck breasts or something that i can just chuck in the oven?

Why not get DH to fry a couple of steaks?

I'm not sure if M&S does duck to roast, they definitely do beef and lamb, turkey and chicken(although I know your Dad said he didn't want them) They also do gammon roast joints, but that may not be special enough either. The ones I mean are all ready to go you don't even have to touch them if you don't want, which I know most veggies don't want to do (I have a lot of veggie friends)You could also look on the hot counter at your local supermarket they often have ready cooked meats as well and you could probably buy the quantity you wanted rather than a full joint.

thanks for all the help, that sounds great, i just want to chuck it in the oven and be done. will steel myself to go and peruse the meat aisle at M&S , at least i know what i'm looking for now. what are they called? just ready to roast joint or something? ta

oh and thanks tizzy, but i can't be doing with dh under my feet in the kitchen while i'm doing the christmas dinner, and i really don't think i could fry em! thanks for the suggestion tho x

I think they would just be in the area where all the other meats are. The ready to roast joints (that they have fully prepped for you) are generally packaged in boxes with a picture of the finished joint on front, whereas the joints to prepare and roast yourself will be in see-through containers (as a general rule) But just ask one of the staff, I'm sure they'll point you in the right direction. Good Luck!