Every year that little thought runs through the mind of at least one member of every family: is there a nicer alternative to turkey as the centrepiece of the Christmas meal?!

Let’s face it, lovely as turkey is for sentimental reasons at this time of year, there are more exciting options out there. In our latest post, we’ve taken a look at five meaty options you might want to consider if you really do want to tell the turkey to get stuffed!

Roast Beef

Whether you want to go for rib of beef or are feeling fancy by deciding to go for a fillet, the truth is that beef is a hearty dish that is just perfect for Christmas. A few years ago I enjoyed one of the finest Christmas dinners I have ever eaten, complete with Christmas Yorkshire Puddings! As expensive as beef might be, you should still have a bit of change leftover from your turkey money!

Roasted Gammon

Covered in honey and mustard, boiled first and then roasted, you simply cannot beat this combination when it comes to roast gammon. Well you can, you can put a few cloves on top of it! Christmas gammon is normally a Boxing Day affair eaten cold, but why miss out on the succulent melt in the mouth flavour of the warm gammon on Christmas day?

A multiple bird roast

These come in all shapes and sizes and can set you back anything from £10 to over £100. Essentially the idea is that you get the flavour of a range of birds and stuffings and these layers should make for a more unusual taste. I’m not convinced these aren’t just a gimmick, but we’re cooking a three bird Aldi roast for our ‘mini Christmas’ this year so we’ll bring you some feedback on this when we have tried it!

Goose

Think of the goose grease you will have left for your next set of roast spuds and you might feel slightly less put off at the cost of this very traditional roast. Goose is very fatty and runs the risk of going dry and offering little meat if cooked badly but offers a great traditional flavour. If you are feeling flush and want to get a feel for one, you could always use one as a tester for a pre-Christmas get together with some friends and family and then save on the fat you’d buy later for your roast spuds. Who knows, you may even be converted to going back to the traditional Christmas meat that was enjoyed during the times of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington is one of the most majestic looking centrepieces on a table when it is done right. Of course home made is best but you can get all shapes and sizes from the shops. Given the cost of a traditional turkey, this wouldn’t even feel like a luxury and would certainly leave you feeling satisfied at the Christmas table. Who can argue with fillet steak on Christmas day and mopping up gravy with the remaining pastry?!

Do you have any other tips? Do let us know in the comments section below!