What do you do for Christmas dinner?

rachbc

buy a live turkey, keep it in the garden, at last minute loose nerve and realise have no idea what to do with it, call friendly neighbour and ask them to sort it for you.

Worked for my parents last year - lovely free range turkey for £15!

I'd get a goose if I thought it would feed my army of gannets but its just so expensive for the amount of meat you get - at least with a turkey there is plenty of leftovers etc

overlykeensaver

geese are definitely free-range as they just wwill not "adapt" to be intensively reared, apparently (can't remember where I read that, sorry!)

We are going for beef this year. Our butcher has good offers on half price sirloin roasts so we are going to get one of those and put it in the freezer. It will still work out at about £30 though but it seems more of atreat than a turkey!

parsonswife8

overlykeensaver wrote: »

geese are definitely free-range as they just wwill not "adapt" to be intensively reared, apparently (can't remember where I read that, sorry!)

We are going for beef this year. Our butcher has good offers on half price sirloin roasts so we are going to get one of those and put it in the freezer. It will still work out at about £30 though but it seems more of atreat than a turkey!

You can't beat a good beef roast but my OH is adamant about a goose for Christmas.
We haven't had one for about 3 years now, as we have spent Christmas with other family who won't eat it, so then, it has been chicken and turkey. Family are off abroad over Christmas, so goose it will be.

NiceGuyEddie_2

overlykeensaver wrote: »

geese are definitely free-range as they just wwill not "adapt" to be intensively reared, apparently (can't remember where I read that, sorry!)

Being pedantic, in a lot of cases it's not 'free-range'. It's true that geese largely aren't subject to battery farming, but they are normally confined indoors initially and then confined outdoors - whilst they have much more space than battery poultry and generally a better diet, the restriction on their movement means that they're not free range. It's a bit of a halfway house I guess, so not suitable for those who want to eat 'higher welfare'.

There are of course plenty of free-range suppliers of geese, and the meat will be marked accordingly. Waitrose def. do free-range geese.

Back to the OP, we do still have turkey but we have rolled turkey breast. We get it from our local (fantastic) butcher and it's lovely free-range meat - because we buy rolled breast rather than a whole turkey, we're paying for just what we eat rather than paying for a large cavity etc.

Downside is that it misses the aesthetic part of having a lovely big, golden whole bird to carve

motherhen2234

I don't really like Turkey so don't do it at xmas. We do a nice leg of lamb for the big meal.

I think the most important thing is to get what you like for xmas Its about having food you like and enjoying it with your family. If you remember that you don't tend to worry about not spending the earth on a turkey just because its traditional!

ALIBOBSY

We usually get a locally produced free range chicken and nice peice of well hung beef. Mind you OH loves my homemade yorkie puds and they aren't the same without beef. Never liked turkey myself so that suits us. On occasion we have got a couple of pheasants instead of the chicken, but not as much meat.

ali x

Triker

I splashed out and got an organic turkey with all the trimmings from the Well hung meat company.

I did however see them in my local Waitrose for far less money and will probably buy from there this year...unless that is I can find a local farm to buy from.

My top tip either eat something everyone likes e.g. roast beef or a free range chicken or pork joint.

There's no rule that you have to eat turkey.

My other tip is get to the supermarket at christmas eve where they will usually reduce their turkeys and geese....


**remembers the other year where I got 5 turkeys and a goose**:o:o Family and friends were very happy.:D

wyldeflower

We didnt have xmas last year as our dog died so we cancelled it .BUT i was shocked how much turkey had risen as i normally buy mine in November when they have offers on and keep them for xmas.I shall be buying one this year but will be looking for bargains.I dont fancy goose or lobster or even duck it has to be a turkey.

thenanny2die4

A couple of years ago I did goose from our local butcher. Having ordered it, I used to wonder which one was mine each time I drove past the field they were wandering around. :rotfl:

Last year I got wild boar, which went down a storm, although there's quite a lot of preparation - needs to marinate for ages.

No idea yet what we'll have this year.

pinkmami

There's gonna be the 5 of us & probably my dad & DH's aunt. Sadly, MIL passed away a few weeks ago so it's one less at our table this year (not that she ever sat at it, prefered to make DH drive to her house with a plate of food for her!). We'll be having roast turkey, stuffing (sadly Paxo!), roasties, boiled potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, yorkshires, sprouts, chipolatas & lashings of gravy, then rice pudding in the slow cooker.

Turkey is always over 21lbs & cooked on Christmas eve morning. Then when the kids are in bed & the presents are all out of their hiding places, DH & I have a sandwich & toast the Day in with a cold bottle of Budweiser. Can't wait!!