Not having turkey for Christmas dinner

[MamaFi]

and if you're not what are you having?

We're having home-made parsnip soup then big prawns and smoked salmon then 10oz fillet steaks / potato dauphinoise / veg finished off with a massive belgian chocolate yule log and posh ice cream.

Are we bonkers... are we the only ones in the world not having turkey? Turkey meat/cranberry sauce/stuffing etc isn't my idea of a treat... I'm guessing I'm in the minority.??!!

Goose with whatever else DH cooks.

I'm a Vegan.

Usually I have a nice pack of Vege Christmas dinner, made by a company named after a tree, real easy to cook, along with nice roast potatoes, sprouts, vege gravy.

Hmmm now I'm getting hungry!!

A few years ago DH was working nights over Christmas (pre DC) so we decided not to bother with the traditional Christmas dinner & instead had a lovely buffet of breaded cheese bites, smoked salmon, sausages wrapped in bacon, king prawns etc & it was delicious, we also stayed in our PJs all day - I definately want to do it again (the buffet not just the PJs)!

OP - your plans for Christmas dinner sound utterly delicious!

Ok i was planning on Turkey and gammon as is traditional!
But goose or duck sounds nice - but fear duck rather fatty and would need lots of

Please tell me how to cook goose and how big id need for 4 adults & 3 children?

Im tempted - would i get one in supermarket? If not where from

Racmac, I get my goose from Waitrose and it's yummy. I'm sure Sainsbury's also do goose. also local farm shops.

Have a look at the Waitrose website, they've got some good recipes. Very slow cook on low temp. The main thing is that goose is veeerrry fatty so you need to keep on draining the fat and also best to cook it on a rack or a bed of veg (chopped onions, carrots etc). Mine always turns out lovely and moist.

Pony, I'm 37 weeks pg but have been naughty and ordered some lurvely pate for Christmas. As a one off, surely it's ok. Had it a couple of times in my previous pregnancy and DD is perfectly fine. If you have any Foie Gras left please send it over

racmac You probably need to order goose from a farm shop or similar, that's what we have done previously. There is a lot of fat under the skin but the idea is you render it throughout the roasting process and then you end up with the most amazing supply of goose fat to make fabulous roast potatoes for ages to come! I would think 5 or 6 kg would be plenty big enough, and I suppose it would be similar size guidelines as turkey etc. Takes less time to cook than turkey and will be a whole lot more moist and tasty.

Cross post with whiffle - thanks for the tip! Maybe I'll be brave with some pate... mmmm.

thanks - i will talk to dh later and check out our lcoal farm shop - how does it compare price wise?

I checked Sainsburys - they only have frozen ones - would they be ok or better with fresh?

I'm a veggie so will probably be having something along the lines of roasted chestnut and button mushroom pie? mmmmmmm?

However, when I did eat meat (which was when I still lived with my parents), we had goose every year, which I loved. Never understood the turkey obsession, it's really not that great. The only time I've ever eaten it was the Christmas before I became veggie, knowing it was my last chance. And goose would still have been better.

Vegan here too, thinking stuffed peppers to go with the veggie turkey roast. Nephew has nut allergy so no nut roasts here. There is always so many trimmings the meat or meat substitue is secondary to the roast pots, chestnut stuffing, skirlie, veg etc etc

we NEVER had turkey when I was growing up. we would have beef or gammon, or goose. One year we were camping at Christmas and simply had bacon and mushroom rolls for Christmas lunch. It was still fab. I really don't get this idea that 'it's not Christmas without turkey'

QofD where on earth were you camping at christmas? not in UK i hope

We have had in the past

Beef
Lamb
Partridge
Goose
Venison
Duck
Ham

Some of my friends have pork but I don't like it.

We'll be doing Lucas Hollweg's Duck with Clementines - from last Sunday's Style magazine. Plus sprouts, carrots, roasties, pigs in blankets, stuffing, and as is family tradition, yorkshire puds!

Another family tradition is a seafood lunch of green lip mussels and garlic prawns, then straight to the roast mid afternoon without starter. No-one likes Christmas pud really apart from my father so I'll get him a miniature and something cholatey for everyone else! Waitrose is doing a rather tasty chocolate yule log FYI!

oh to those talking about crackling, my MIL swears by rubbing the skin with half a lemon, before patting dry and rubbing with salt.

Personally I find taking it off and giving it 5 mins under a hot grill usually saves it anyway. Mouth is watering now! Wish my chinese delivery would hurry up!

early no it wasn't in the uk. Not that the weather was great, we had flash floods that Christmas.

Rack of lamb with salad and something else I have not yet thought about.

Will have the turkey, that nobody likes but is radition on boxing day for ILs.

Another one here that has a capon instead of turkey - far nicer. The rest of the menu is fairly traditional otherwise except i'm rebelling and not making trifle cause I don't eat it

ooh. capon bit weird!!

Racmac, best to go with fresh. Check in the waitrose store, they should have some.

This year we're having pheasant. I've also ordered some wood pigeons probably for Boxing day. Grateful of any tips on how to make the most of pigeon as I've never done before.

DH loves anything gamey/wild so we try all sorts at ours. Last year he tried to bring me brace of pheasant, feathers and all . I'm just not that kind of gal though

I'm having a turkey butterfly at my mums that is so moist it falls apart as you take it out the oven...

don't really see the issue with turkey - I love it when it's cooked properly (ie not dried out or cold by the time it's served)

Home cured gravadlax followed by locally reared (dressed by me) turkey with the usual trimmings - except cranberry sauce yuk! - but cooked very very very slowly overnight so that it doesn't dry out, then Georgie Porgie's Puddings Orange & Cointreau Pudding (as we all hate christmas pudding in this house) and plenty of cheese.

Goose is lovely, but I'd need to cook 3 for my greedy bunch!

Good on you ladies going for the rib of beef, Keeps us beef farmers in business!!!!!

Chilled Andalucian almond soup, roast beef with crispy roasted veggies, yorkshires & homemade gravy, Christmas pudding icecream (not Christmas pudding with icecream)

Not a cranberry or dried out sprout or stuffing ball in sight!

Later in the evening, roast chickens, fattoush salad, lemongrass pannacotta. Plus the obligatory mince pies and yummy clementines.

We may be in the minority, but we will be very merry.

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Agree, turkey is vom. We'll be having salmon terrine with dill sauce & soda bread, then roast duck with all the trimmings. Dessert will be Christmas pud.

Just trying to think of a time to eat so we can actually enjoy it rather than eat in a rush whilst dodging various missiles from DS' highchair.