1. Turkey
Let’s admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas. Since then, it rapidly became the meat of choice for those in England and even appeared in the famous English Christmas dinner scene in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843).
With Christmas turkeys ranging in sizes, they can effortlessly feed a crowd (we know that you might have the whole family over for the day) – this versatility mixed with its tender and lean nature, means they’re a great choice for the special feast! Why not add a bit of stuffing or cranberry sauce to go with it?
Turkey is definitely the most traditional meat for Christmas dinner and you can take a look at our wide selection of whole, rolled and diced turkeys here – perfect for your traditional Christmas dinner!
2. Beef
Beef often comes to mind when choosing Christmas meats and for good reason. A tender side of beef for Christmas is the height of luxury. The succulent juiciness of a sirloin or a slow-cooked beef brisket served with a jus made from the meat’s natural juices, is something that deserves to be on your Christmas dinner plate this year!
When preparing this year’s Christmas beef, season it with herbs and spices, roast it at a high temperature initially to sear the exterior, then lower the heat for slow roasting. You can also use a meat thermometer to achieve your desired level of doneness, whether it’s rare, medium-rare, or well-done!
Christmas is a special time of the year and your choice of meat should match. That’s why we stock a variety of the highest quality beef cuts, to ensure your festive dinner is one to remember.
3. Ham and Gammon
What’s Christmas without a joint of ham? Delicious both hot and cold, gammon is versatile, tender and perfect for a Christmas dinner. Cuts of ham (smoked or unsmoked) drizzled in a homemade honey glaze and slowly cooked throughout the day, makes an irresistibly sweet meat for your Christmas dinner.
Cooking a joint of gammon for Christmas dinner doesn’t actually take up much time or effort, which gives you plenty of time to focus on the vegetables, stuffing and all important pudding. What’s even better, is that with your leftovers you can serve up cold slices of ham for Boxing Day – perfect for all members of the family!
Cook up a traditional Christmas feast with our special hams and gammons.
4. Pork
Pork is a staple of any Christmas, whether that be a shoulder joint, leg or fillet. With so many different cuts of pork available, there really is something for everyone this Christmas. As well as getting a prime piece of pork, crispy crackling is a must for the dinner table – guests will be holding out their plates for more!
For families on a tighter budget for this year’s Christmas, pork can be a great alternative to a more premium cut of meat. Whilst pork can generally be cheaper than its counterparts, it certainly doesn’t lack flavour!
To see how to cook the perfect Christmas pork, check out BBC Good Food’s selection of festive recipes.
5. Lamb
Last but not least… Lamb. Lamb too comes in a wide choice of cuts and our shanks, shoulder joints and legs are a great choice for your traditional Christmas dinner.
Whether cooked low and slow or roasted on the bone, you’ll be guaranteed juicy and sweet slices of meat. Having a slightly crisp outside and rosy pink inside is sure to be the highlight of your festive meal.
Our lambs are reared in farms across Hampshire which gives it that sweet, hearty British flavour – perfect for a traditional Christmas dinner!
Traditional Christmas Meat Ideas
Now you know what meats people have for their traditional Christmas dinner, you can now plan on getting them ordered for the special day!
Over the last 40 years, Owtons have supplied domestic and trade customers with meats for their traditional Christmas dinner and this year is no different. If you want a mixture of meats for the festive period instead, we also offer specially selected Christmas boxes – perfect for the busy Christmas schedule!
About the Author.
R Owton Wholesale Butchers
Traditional Family ButchersThe Owton family have been farming the land at Chalcroft Farm for over 750 years, and in business since 1976, so you can be sure we have the experience, knowledge and expertise about all things meat! We specialise in butchering locally sourced and traceable meat, working with over 40 farmers within Hampshire and Dorset to offer some of the finest meat produce in the south.
