So, what meat should you cook at your holiday dinner?
At most holiday dinners, there’s a centerpiece of a wonderful meat dish. It might come from a supermarket or a local butcher, but people always fawn over it. Of course, there are family recipes passed down through the generations, but perhaps you’re looking for a change!
Turkey
While turkey is traditionally a thanksgiving centerpiece, it is a great meat to have for any time of the year. The meat itself is relatively healthy compared to red meat. In addition, it has many flavor characteristics that make it ideal.
One thing to bear in mind about turkey, though, is that the meat tends to absorb a lot of flavor from whatever you happen to cook it with. This is why several healthy recipes recommend cooking turkey mince in place of beef mince – you can rely on nutritional additives to flavor the meat instead of beef additives.
I’d recommend serving turkey, pheasant, quail, or stuffed Cornish hens at a Holiday dinner for a classic choice that will be wonderfully in keeping with the season.
Chicken
Chicken might seem a little too dull to serve at a holiday dinner where your entire family is sat around the table. Still, there’s no way to ignore the fact of the matter: chicken is a crowd-pleaser. Having a roast chicken at the center of the table will ensure that you’re able to feed a crowd cheaply and easily.
The other advantage of chicken is that it’s so commonly eaten by everyone. You probably already have a favorite family recipe that you like to use for roasting the bird for your family. This means that you can take some of the stress off the holiday season, as you know the meal will be good. Even if you look up an alternative recipe, it will likely be wonderful – chicken is really versatile!
I’d recommend chicken if you’re looking for a simple thing to cook that will easily feed a crowd.
Pork
Pork is an excellent idea for a holiday dinner. It’s a truly rich and flavorful meat, which can be enhanced by some fantastic seasonings and cooking techniques. For centuries, people have been curing ham specifically to roast and eat it on Christmas day. As a result, the flavors are unparalleled in a lot of the food world, leading to a beautiful meal that your guests may well have not tasted before.
The other wonderful thing about pork is how versatile it is. You could effortlessly bake some ham or, if you’d like, there are a fleet of different recipes online that you could go for. For example, it might be an excellent idea to opt for a pork belly recipe to get a rich, indulgent, and impossible to decline meal for the family.
I’d recommend pork if you’re looking for meat that, while not cheap, will undoubtedly have people coming back for seconds. In addition, it’s so versatile that you’re bound to make a wonderful meal with it!
Beef
Beef is an excellent option as it’s a staple in so many roast dinners. Some people prefer beef for the texture and flavor, and even if you’re not one of them, you’ll be able to benefit from all the research and cooking that they’ve done.
Nearly every culture has “the perfect” roast beef recipe that stands out from the crowd, allowing you to easily and quickly whip up a beef dish that people won’t be able to say no to.
If you’re struggling to think what cut of beef you might like to use, I’d suggest trying brisket. I’m sure some of you tried the meat before, but you may not have cooked it! If that’s the case, I’d certainly recommend it – it’s easy to get a tender and decadent brisket if you can find a wonderful recipe.
I’d recommend beef to anyone that’s looking to put a modern spin on a traditional classic!
There are so many options to serve at your holiday dinner, and these options are only a few of the suggestions that I have. You could also go for a meat-free centerpiece, such as roasted tofu, or a non-traditional centerpiece, like a hearty stew.
There are a thousand options out there, so make sure to go for what you love the most! That love will come through in the food, and your guests will love to eat it.
Vegetarian
For the vegetarians in your life when it is a meat-eating bunch; there are always ways that you can please the palate of those who do not eat meat. For example, instead of beef or chicken stock, try mushroom or vegetable stock. I have tried moc duck, jack fruit, plant-based ground, and tofu that replace the meat in many dishes and use some of the same ingredients.