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Original poster

Turkey haters this way......what's for Christmas dinner?

63 replies

Snowbility · 01/12/2013 08:48

We're thinking of a nice rare beef fillet...I'm going for a less is more approach this year avoiding over crowding the plate and the palate. Some sprouts, dauphinoise - roasties for dd and a red wine jus. And then on Boxing Day either a ham with creamed leeks or roasted pork with apples and cider gravy.
Anyone else stepping away from turkey and doing something different/interesting.

OP posts:
harbinger · 02/12/2013 20:46

I am wondering about the size of British ducks. I've just had a weekend in Prague and ONE portion of their duck was the equivalent of a whole duck here. I have never seen so much meat on a duck. DH was more than happy to act as a human dustbin this time.
What should I be looking for here? Normally a couple of ducks would barely feed four (hungry adults).

redpickle · 02/12/2013 20:48

We often have a haunch of venison, bit more 'special' than beef especially with a rich chocolate and juniper berry sauce. Very Christmassy indeed. Yum!

fluffaduck · 02/12/2013 20:56

I just went to my butcher and asked for a duck to feed 6. He said a 9lb free range would be fine. He's been my butcher for years and I actually look at him more fondly than my DH (a good butcher is like gold dust).

Clutterbugsmum · 02/12/2013 21:15

We normaly have Roast Rib of Beef. This year dh is instisting on Turkey, so I have told him to order one.

He went to my sister and as ordered a 'christmas box' from her butchers. It is £125 and included, 12lb/5.4kg Barn Fed Turkey, 1/2 Honey Glazed Gammon (about 3kg), 5lb/2.3kg Beef Topside, 8 Pork Chipolatas, A Tube Of Fresh Sausage Meat and 8 rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon.

harbinger · 02/12/2013 21:37

I've probably left it too late to find a wild duck conversant butcher Xmas Sad.
It would have been perfect, none of us likes turkey, so the opt out has been a crown for several years. It's a shame when the high light of the meal is the bread sauce/sausages.

AryaofhouseSnark · 02/12/2013 21:43

Beef, not too sure what cut yet. I don't mind turkey but we all love beef. Dts eat rare meat so don't have to worry about that.
Going to have dauphinoise potatoes and the rest of the usual Christmas lovely ness.
I will cook a ham Christmas Day for us to pick on.

CMOTDibbler · 02/12/2013 21:44

Beef I think. Only has to feed 5, one of whom is 7 and another will probably eat 2 tbsp in total.

My family never had turkey, so its not traditional to me. We always had a joint from a Smithfield prize winning carcass

AttackOfTheKillerMonsterSnowGo · 02/12/2013 21:50

Beef joint, already bought to avoid the inevitable price hike! With, now you have suggested it, Dauphinoise pots, yorkie a, and loads of veg. Then Boxing Day ham, bubble and squeak, pickles and warm red cabbage and apple dish. Nibbles on Xmas eve. Lots of champagne/red wine to wash it all down with! Yum!

AryaofhouseSnark · 02/12/2013 21:52

Dauphinoise make a wicked bubble, I am really looking forward to Boxing Day dinner, more so than Christmas Day dinner.

heidihole · 02/12/2013 22:55

Rib of beef every year! Yum yum

ouryve · 02/12/2013 22:58

I actually love turkey, but tend to buy it on boxing day, half price. Have ordered a salmon joint for christmas day.

TheZeeTeam · 02/12/2013 23:02

Filet Mignon. Not an enormous one though (I live in the States and some of them are the size of a small house) and then making more of the sides. I don't eat meat anyway, but I do LOVE the sides!!

ZoeZoeZoe · 02/12/2013 23:43

Also not a fan of turkey; we usually have beef or chicken.

I believe the idea behind turkey is more about it being an indulgent Christmas treat, rather than inherently about eating turkey.

I think it is better to have something the whole family will enjoy than turkey for the sake of it...

www.bbc.co.uk/food/0/20561421

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_dinner#United_Kingdom

sashh · 03/12/2013 10:05

I've probably left it too late to find a wild duck conversant butcher

Get a frozen one, I'm sure the German supermarkets will have nice ones

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 03/12/2013 10:26

We are having goose - that's been our Christmas dinner for a number of years now. I am not a turkey hater - for me, turkey is the celebratory meal for Christmas, because that's what I grew up with - but dh and his family hate turkey - they say it is dry and tasteless - so we have only once had it as our christmas dinner - the year we went to my Mum for Christmas.

Goose is delicious, and I love having it for christmas dinner, but I do miss the turkey leftovers. I did once insist on doing a roast turkey for Easter sunday, but the moaning from the family was too much to bear, and I won't be doing that again. The turkey was fine - not dry or tasteless - they were just moaning arses.

harbinger · 04/12/2013 21:09

Good thinking, Sashh , I've seen goose but not duck. The local one also has a three bird roast and a hog roast (all in freezer).
I don't live near Aldi, what do they have?

trinitybleu · 09/12/2013 20:04

We've decided now .... antipasti (meats and mozzarella plus a rocket salad, olives, roasted red peppers, sundries tomatoed), ciabatta, warm bacon and potato salad for lunch. Then a cheese board, sausage rolls, a mini sausage hedgehog and nibbly bits later. Grin

cantheyseeme · 09/12/2013 20:08

That sounds amazing trinity! Grin

Original poster
Snowbility · 09/12/2013 20:26

I like the sound of that too trinity. I could eat turkey, in that sense I don't hate it, but it doesn't taste like a treat and I can't get excited about it.

We decided on a rib of beef and I'm really looking forward to it - as are the rest of the family. Kids will get a turkey dinner at school, mind you if it's like the rest of the year it won't be up to much. Wink

OP posts:
DisappointedHorse · 09/12/2013 20:46

Fillet Beef Wellington.

I'll probably serve it with roast potatoes, sprouts and chestnuts, parsnips and red cabbage. A kind of hybrid Christmas lunch!

Bixing day I'll do a buffet with a ham, pickles, stuffing, pigs in blankets, cheeseboard etc.

CaptChaosGlitteryBaubles · 12/12/2013 12:34

Rib of beef, but god alone knows where I'm going to buy it from this year, as my last year's supplier has none left to order!!!!

SolidGold · 14/12/2013 00:15

We usually have chicken, but this year I'd like to do beef, but don't know what cut to buy or how to cook it Hmm I've never cooked roast beef. Any advice? My oven isn't fab, a little slow at times. I'll be buying a joint for 4 adults, one child and enough for sandwiches the next day.

didireallysaythat · 14/12/2013 00:21

Currently leaning towards a picnic style thing, apples, cheese, that sort of that. At a push fish finger sandwiches. And if the three old is to eat anything pasta, bread sticks and humous.

I love being an adult. I don't have to eat sprouts anymore !

Onefewernow · 14/12/2013 08:04

Solid, what I do with beef is fairly simple.

Put salt and pepper on it. Then brown/seal it first. You can put the roasting pan directly on the hob and spend a few minutes turning it to seal it, or put it in the oven on high -220, say for 20 minutes if it was preheated.

Then turn down to 180 and leave it for .. I think 30 minutes a pound.

BUT the key thing is that everyone likes their beef cooked more or cooked less. So take it out of the oven a couple if times to see what you think. The net has dozens of guides of cooking times for beef to use as a rough guide.

MrsAMerrick · 14/12/2013 12:42

trinity please can I come to your house on Christmas Day? Sounds like you will be having the most delicious Christmas dinner ever.

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