As the countdown to December 25th begins, you may already be planning what to cook for the ultimate Christmas family dinner.
While turkey may be the hallmark of a classic Christmas Day feast, supply may outstrip demand this year, with turkey producers facing increasingly tough conditions as bird flu continues to wreak havoc for farmers and suppliers alike.
But with so many other delicious options available, this may be the year to ditch tradition and have yourself not only a ‘merry’ but an ‘alternative’ little Christmas. Step aside turkey, it’s time to consider the other options…
Rib Eye of Beef | Create a show-stopping people-pleaser by presenting your guests with a succulent rib eye of beef. The king of cuts, a rib of beef is something to be celebrated in itself. An outstanding and full-flavoured cut, carving rib of beef at the table is sure to impress, making it ideal for large get-togethers. Our ribs, sourced from a herd of Lincolnshire Red heifers, are something we pride ourselves on, exceptionally well-butchered with more meat than you’ll find on most rib joints. Best roasted low and slow, you’ll have plenty of time to prep your veg, open presents, sip a glass of port, walk the dog and set the table before serving this succulent option.
Chateaubriand of beef | The ultimate for luxury roasting, the chateaubriand is delicate in flavour, with a melting texture, guaranteeing a very tender steak. Proficient foodies will also find this is a great cut to use for Beef Wellington and the beauty of making this dish is it can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance for a more relaxed Christmas morning. Serve with a rich red wine sauce and all the trimmings. If you plan on serving this cut as a roast we recommend cooking it medium-rare to rare to ensure a flavourful dining experience.
Sirloin joint | A great boneless family roast which strikes the ideal balance of tenderness and flavour. Sirloin joint yields a rich, beefy flavour, which is surprisingly great for slow cooking – your festive guests won’t be disappointed.
Not a beef person? Not to worry – our range of pork for Christmas comes from a state-of-the-art Red Tractor farm in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds, where the emphasis is on animal welfare. Pigs are fed a diet grown and milled specifically for them on-site – a unique touch which is designed to produce the best in flavour and texture.
Pork belly | Cook a memorable dinner using a luxurious pork belly that yields crackling to die for. Roast whole or cut into strips and prepare to be wowed. The tasty seams of fat add so much flavour and juiciness, there is no wonder this great value cut is back in favour.
Loin of pork | This easy-to-carve pork roast is prepared using the traditional whole rib. It has a generous, natural covering of fat on the outside which makes this roast taste so good and provides the meat with full flavour benefits.
Shoulder of Pork | Richly marbled pork shoulder gives a succulent, flavoursome roast making it a good option for a festive centrepiece. Well-suited to slow roasting, it delivers rich, juicy, succulence as the creamy seams of fat render down, giving a fabulous flavour.
Gammon (unsmoked) joint | Our free-range Lincolnshire Christmas gammon is left unsmoked to allow the hearty flavour of the pork to shine through. Perfect for serving as a Christmas Day centrepiece, as part of a Boxing Day buffet, or for making incredible leftover sandwiches. Chef Rosie Dicker says her Blood Orange Glazed gammon joint takes a little bit of extra attention to create but the final result is sure to impress guests this Christmas. Serve with all the trimmings and don’t forget about her super simple red cabbage recipe.
We know that for some of you when it comes to a roast it always has to be lamb. So why not at Christmas? Lamb makes for a stunning alternative to turkey – hearty, healthy and sumptuous. Our grass-fed lamb is sourced from hand-picked Lincolnshire farmers, and we even have our own flock of pedigree sheep.
Boned and Rolled Leg Of Lamb | Great value for money when it comes to a roast joint that will feed the whole family, our boned and rolled legs are skilfully tunnel-boned to ensure you get as much meat as possible in your cut.
Boned and Rolled Shoulder Of Lamb | The foodies’ choice of lamb roast, a boned and rolled shoulder has so much to offer. Put it in the oven and forget about it for hours. We love roasting ours with lemon and thyme for a spectacularly tasty family dinner full of flavour.
Whole Boned and Rolled Leg Of Lamb | Skilfully tunnel-boned by our award-winning butchery team, a whole-boned and rolled leg of lamb is an all-meat, incredible value-for-money family roasting joint. Weighing approximately 3kgs, suitable for home freezing too, you can even cut this in half to create two smaller joints.
Crown of Lamb | This classic cut makes an unforgettable centrepiece for a Christmas gathering. Our crowns are created using both loins of lamb and tied together to create a succulent crown containing the equivalent of 14 chops.
Visit Lakings for all your Christmas dining needs, from show-stopping roasts to buffet essentials. With our next-day delivery options or in-store shopping, we’ve got your festive feasting covered.
