Christmas isn't just one day, so for special meals throughout the festive season, why not cook a quality roasting joint? If you fancy something a little different to turkey, follow our guide to choosing and preparing Christmas meats – from succulent roast beef to sumptuously salty gammon.
Beef
From tender topside to showstopping Châteaubriand, treat your guests to top-quality British beef from our trusted farmers. Selecting your joint will depend on the number of people you're serving, how long you want to spend cooking and the type of flavour you're looking for – take a look at our handy roast guide.
Beef sirloin
Sirloin joints produce lean, tender slices of beef, excellent with all the trimmings and delicious served when quite rare. Baste regularly during cooking.
For up to 6 people: take your roast to the next level with our new meltingly tender No.1 British Wagyu Beef Sirloin Joint with Berr Malt Glaze & a Herb Crumb
Roasting time: roughly 45 minutes for a 1kg joint cooked medium-rare.
Wing-rib of beef
The go-to joint for a succulent beef roast, which has an eye of tender, marbled meat.
For up to 20 people: try our No.1 Dry Aged Native Breed British Wing Rib of Beef
Roasting time: roughly 2½ hours for a 2.5kg joint cooked to medium
Topside beef
A premium, tender cut with a fine marbling of fat for extra succulence.
For up to 6 people: try our Highland Corner Cut Topside of Beef
Roasting time: roughly 1½ hours for a 1.25kg joint cooked to medium
Châteaubriand
The ultimate showstopper – tender beef fillet topped with roasted garlic & chive butter and garnished with bay leaves.
For up to 3 people: try our No.1 Châteaubriand with Garlic & Chive Butter
Roasting time: roughly 24 minutes for joint cooked to medium rare
More turkey alternatives
Venison
Lean, tender British venison is at its seasonal best at Christmas.
The earthy flavour of No.1 Douglas Fir Smoked British Half Rack of Venison, which serves up to five people, is enhanced by cold smoking in the wood of Douglas fir trees, which naturally grow where deer roam. Pour over the sweet, gamey venison jus when serving to bring out the full flavour of the dish.
Or, to serve up to four people, try our No.1 British Venison Wellington – venison loin topped with a porcini mushroom duxelle, plus juniper and blackberry to bring out the meat's unique flavour, all wrapped up in classic puff pastry.
Shop Christmas venison and veal
Duck
A whole duck is a thing of beauty, and roasting it couldn’t be easier. Basting the bird in its buttery pan juices during cooking will add flavour, moisture and crisp the browning skin. Reserve the cooking liquids to either toss with roasties or pour over thick slices of potato. Look for a delicious alternative to turkey? Our British Easy Carve Duck with Plum & Chestnut is rich and succulent with a fruity hedgerow glaze
Shop Christmas duck, goose and poultry
Lamb
Our English and Welsh in-season lamb makes a reliably delicious main for any occasion. A leg or shoulder joint cooked low and slow, or roasted on the bone, will be juicy and sweet and goes perfectly with all the usual Christmas trimmings. A rack is best served medium rare, slightly crisp on the outside, and rosy pink inside.
To feed a crowd: Try this Slow Cooked British Bone-in Lamb Shoulder with Cranberry & Shallot Jus, which has been slow-cooked for 10 hours with garlic and herbs for ultimate tenderness and flavour. Serve with the deeply savoury, fruity jus made with redcurrant jelly, cranberry and shallots.
Gammon & ham
Our fresh gammon and ham is always British, always bred outdoors, and always a hit for Christmas. Choose smoked or unsmoked cuts with a glaze, or make your own by drizzling with a mix of honey, cloves and mustard during cooking. Once cooked, this tender meat is delicious hot or cold.
If you're hosting a festive meal or buffet, try our new No.1 Bone-in Gammon with Muscovado and Wildflower Honey. Serving up to 13, this is a British unsmoked bone-in gammon joint, sweet dry-cured with muscovado sugar and spices, with a sachet of muscovado and wildflower honey to finish.
