5 Alternatives to Turkey for Christmas Dinner

For many people, Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without the festive turkey. Turkey has long been the traditional meal for Christmas Day, but alternative main courses are becoming more and more popular. Even though there are many ways to make turkey tastier than ever before, opting for an alternative meat for your main course this year is worth thinking about if you’re not the biggest turkey fan. We’ve listed some of the best main course alternatives to festive holiday turkey.

Ham

If you’re hoping to put your Christmas Dinner together as quickly as possible this year, ham can be a great alternative to turkey. This honey bourbon glazed ham is cooked in a sweet, sticky glaze, and takes only 25 minutes of cooking in a slow cooker, shaving hours off your festive meal preparation time. The quick preparation time of this ham also means that it’s great as a secondary meat option, so you could even serve up turkey as well.

Beef

Roasted beef is almost as traditional as roasted turkey when it comes to the main star of your festive meal. A crusted roast of beef is a tasty and filling alternative to turkey for your Christmas Dinner, and you can adapt many great recipes to create a cut of meat that’s seasoned exactly to your liking. For tasty results, make sure that you have a spice grinder at hand, as freshly ground spices are the most vibrant and flavorful. Check out this awesome recipe if you’re thinking of having beef for Christmas.

Lamb

Succulent, juicy lamb is one of the most popular alternatives to turkey for a Christmas Dinner, and using lamb shoulder chops means that you’ll be dealing with less leftovers than a traditional turkey. Lamb chops can be served with much the same trimmings as you would serve with your turkey, making it one of the easiest alternatives to prepare for Christmas Day, as there are little changes that you will need to make to your preparation and cooking routine.

Salmon

For those who enjoy eating fish and seafood, or vegetarians who don’t eat meat but still eat fish, salmon can be a great alternative to turkey for your festive meal. Salmon prepared in a spice rub and served with your favorite festive trimmings such as new potatoes, green beans and more vegetables can be a stunning, flavorful star of your main course on Christmas Day.

Vegetarian

For vegetarians, preparing the perfect Christmas meal can be tricky as meat is often the main dish. However, whether you are a vegetarian yourself or are hosting a veggie this Christmas, there are many great alternatives to turkey that don’t involve using meat at all. Stuffed mushrooms can be an excellent festive meal idea for vegetarians, whilst meat alternatives such as tofu or Quorn are also top choices. Don’t forget that turkey isn’t the only Christmas tradition, you should consider using brussels sprouts in your dishes too! Find a brussels sprouts supplier or visit your local supermarket and pick them up. Along with that, don’t forget that you can take advantage of snacks and starters with cheeses and vegetarian pies available from British Fine Foods.

What’s your favorite meat for Christmas Dinner? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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