Christmas dinner for 5 people - what meat?

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

Very unusually we are having Christmas dinner at home just the 5 of us this year. Me dh and 3 dcs. And I'm wondering what we should have to eat. Turkey seems overkill for 5 of us - we don't eat huge portions of meat. But whatever we choose, I must have stuffing and dh will want pigs in blankets

Don't want too much in the way of leftovers as we are going to family on Boxing Day. I think turkey or goose might be too big, duck perhaps too small? Any bright ideas?

Beef....and then take what's left with you on Boxing Day?

I generally don't cook turkey/goose myself for Christmas dinner as my family prefer it.

You could have a turkey crown which isn't too big.

Chicken?
or one of those 5 bird roasts from Aldi: would give five of you a taste of everything and no waste at all?

Turkey, and have loads of leftovers.

Goose

As you don't want leftovers a decent sized chicken would work or any other roast you fancy

Personally, I'd go for the Lidl three (or is it 4?) bird roast and then put all the effort into the trimmings.

I would go with turkey crown, the left overs will keep till the day after. We are going to family for dinner this year but I am buying a turkey crown to cook the next day for the three of us as I cannot bear the thoughts of Christmas without turkey and stuffing and cranberry sandwiches!!!

I will cook all the trimmings with it and knowing this allows me to not really get worked up over what we do or Don't get served on the day itself as e next day I will have it the way I like it and it will just be the three of us which is also how I like it.

Last year we bought a frozen turkey crown from Iceland for Thanksgiving. It was the one they advertised on TV. It was amazing. Just pop it in the oven in its plastic bag for 2.5 hours, and it came out perfectly moist. I think it cost about £10. We loved it so,much we bought another one to keep for Easter.

The downside is that you don't get gravy but it is easy enough to buy ready made gravy at Christmas.

Nice pork loin roast or thick juicy chops, or chicken. A turkey crown then freeze any left for curry. Basically you can have stuffing and pigs in blankets with anything you want on Christmas Day. It's the law. Basically have whatever you fancy, then put the extras with it.

Please can I have the extra 'basically' back?

I always used to get rolled turkey breast - our butcher has massive ones in and you just get as much cut off as you need. No waste at all and as long as I basted it/put bacon over etc, didn't dry out.

Oh and because lots of people are a bit squeamish about giblets, I was always allowed some despite not having a whole turkey to use for stock.

You can get free range geese from 4kg upwards and ducks about 3kg upwards. For the number of people you are feeding I would suggest a 4.5kg goose as they taste wonderful and is also the traditional meat for a Christmas feast. I get mine from Great Clerkes Farm in Essex and they have always been a delight. All this food talk is making me hungry.

We have pork, it's the only meat everyone likes. DH won't eat turkey, kids don't like beef....

Haunch of Venison. It is something a bit special and if you have any left over can cut beautifully as cold meat for sandwiches on Boxing Day. I marinate in Olive Oil and Rosemary and cook it to Rare/Medium Rare. Heaven on a plate!

Duck will be too small I think - 2 breasts, 2 legs - feeds 4 max.

How about a Beef Wellington? Or poached Salmon?

We get a smallish Turkey, I cook it on Christmas Eve and carve and divide the meat up into 3 lots, One lot goes into the slow cooker with some gravy on Christmas morning, One lot stays in the fridge and we do the same on boxing day with that as we did with the Christmas day lot and the 3rd lot goes into the freezer when cooled.

No waste - that's between 4 big eaters - you could probably do a couple of freezer lots if you aren't big meat eaters.

We're having beef Wellington, 3 adults, 2 kids with stuffing and pigs in blankets. I don't care if they don't go - it's Christmas!

Turkey Crown, but I love turkey so I am biased.

Another option is roast beef - maybe a beef wellington?

Oh! Xpost

A large organic free range chicken.

I find that a 5kg goose will do Christmas dinner for 5, with leftovers for one meal - that's perfect, for us. And you can have stuffing and pigs in blankets with it too. I serve it with gravy, bread sauce (because bread sauce is the one thing I have to have), and apple sauce with spices (ginger, cinammon, mixed spice).

we get a capon / cockerell (4kg) for 5 / 6. Really nice & fat birds, so super juicy but no black / gamy meat. Packington is I think the farm.
With a turkey crown, do they dry out because there's none of the fat from the legs etc?

Chicken, goose, beef, venison, turkey crown - whatever you want!

Do you want a full roast dinner or a more relaxed buffet/picky type dinner?

I prefer the latter, but I'm well aware I am in the minority here, as I prefer to graze throughout the day rather than get full on one meal that I can't do justice to and be starving again a few hours later once it's all been put away.

But for meat, turkey crown, large chicken or capon, pork loin, beef, venison