UKC

We are definitely a non-turkey household, so Christmas dinner is always something different. We will have one vegan (who is sometimes a bit flexible, but probably won't eat anything meaty), and one almost veggie (doesn't like red meat), so plenty of nice veg dishes already decided on. But we thought we would do a meat dish too (thinking rather than one main with sides, just do a mix of dishes and do it sort of like tapas). We have half a lamb in the freezer from a local estate. There is a full mix of legs, chops, flank, shanks, ribs and all other cuts you can think of. So I am campaigning to do something with some of that. Great quality local meat. 

My husband, however, says that lamb isn't for Christmas! Over the years we have done veal, venison, ham etc, so it's not like we have one that we always do. 

What do you reckon, lamb for Christmas, yay or nay?

Just ask yourself - what would Baby Jesus say? In your heart, you already know...

Go for it; a leg of lamb, browned then done slowly on a low heat for six hours or so, so that all the fat melts away and the meat can just be pulled apart at the table is a very fine thing indeed.

Although that might be a bit too in-your-face for some veggies.  If so, salmon might be an alternative and offers a relatively easy cook.

T.

Yay! I once did an amazing leg of lamb for Christmas, marinated for 3 days in all sorts of Indian spices, yoghurt, honey etc then cooked at 60 degrees for 8 hours… best Christmas dinner of my life.

Tell your husband he‘s getting venison for Easter and you‘ll be quits.

Would it be something like, "Cheers, shepherds, we'll have a bit of that for my birthday tea"?

The veggie and vegan are not that way for ethical reasons. For one it's ease of digestion and the other just doesn't like the taste, so neither will object to the presence of lamb, thankfully. 

Great point, well made 😀 

Oooh, that sounds lovely! It is certainly going to be a slow cooker option, whatever meat we do, as we will be running out of oven space 

And the Lion shall lay down with the Lamb, but the Lamb won’t be particularly happy (Isaiah 11:6, with a few amendments).

ps…we’re having Lamb!

Lamb dishes are great in winter so why not at Christmas. What would I cook? If you have time and an outdoor open fire then proper roast lamb (cooking it in an oven is baking not roasting). Failing this I’d cook either lamb Henry (red wine, tomato, mint and orange) or lamb Nihari (Bangladesh dish based on yoghurt, tomato, ginger and spices). We’re having Nick Nairn’’s slow lamb leg on Christmas Eve.

Our traditional veg curries from the local take away for us

I often do a slow roast leg of lamb for Christmas, sliced deep and packed with a rosemary, honey, mustard and soy mix in the holes and cooked for most of the time wrapped in foil, then crisped off at the end.

Never done a turkey, never will.  If I do a bird it’s a goose.

I'm certainly not opposed to a curry for Christmas. We do really enjoy cooking for people though, so if we did go for a curry (which isn't a bad thought. I do really like a lamb curry), it would be home made. 

Sounds lovely!

Someone at my husband's work give him some fillets of goose, but not enough for the meal for everyone, sadly. 

Some nice ideas there. I think, given we are in Mid Argyll, I won't bank on cooking outdoors!! We do have a great smoker and various outdoor cooking options, but probably not for December in the West of Scotland :-D

Why not? 

We bought a half lamb from a friend a couple of weeks ago and yesterday had a delivery of venison from a local estate.  After some thought we are having lamb on the 23rd, venison on the 24th and joining friends for an Indian on Xmas day. 

Aren't they huge?!

Had a peacock once.

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They are, and you want a tray that collects the fat as it’ll keep you in perfect roast potatoes for months.

Never found one for sale.  Any good?  I’ve just acquired a frozen partridge which will be a first for me.

Is it a sacrificial lamb?

Basically pheasant but larger. It wasn't sold but killed (instantly) earlier with garden loppers by the owner....

Goose is my no.1 choice for Christmas, if I get to choose (unfortunately not that often). They are big, but about half the weight renders out as fat (gorgeous fat, definitely not waste), so only big enough for 8 or so. I think they are definitely something special though, so worth it for Christmas 

I've done far too many turkeys. I always buy good ones from a farm where you can see them running about the week before. It's still utterly mediocre. The same farm will do a giant chicken that is far superior for a quarter of the price, so that's what I've got the last couple of years.

I'd be happy with lamb myself, but no one else would eat it

Defo ‘yay’. Tescos doing a good half price deal, so I bought 3X half legs and they’re in the freezer. Wife’s a veggie, my sons whose staying with us isn’t. Last week I bought a half leg, and made a paste with half a bulb garlic, 2 inch ginger, zest half lemon, loads fresh coriander, smoked paprika, salt. I put huge knife  slices in the lamb and shoved the paste in. Laid on a  bed of whole carrots in a roasting tin, lid on, 4 hours low heat. Best lamb I’ve ever had. 

Had Turkey once, a few years ago. My mum hated chicken etc so always had lamb or duck. The best thing about the Turkey was the Turkey rissole things I made for Boxing Day. 

Partridge is superb. Small, but like a really tasty free range chicken, but better. Don’t share it. 

"Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, grant us minty roast spuds & peas."

Lamb, yorkshires, mint sauce... perfect combo. 

I say Yey.. nay is more a Tesco beef 2018 thing iirc.

Baaa humbug.

we often have lamb for Xmas

Slow cooked mutton shoulder here, in a paste of anchovies, rosemary, garlic and butter etc.

We always have lamb.  Much better than terrible turkey.  We had goose for years, but the local butchers do amazing lamb, so we've switched to that.

Lamb wouldn't be my first choice, not least because I genuinely like turkey.

However if it's something your family will enjoy, have it. What you eat really isn't important, it's about being together and eating foods which you enjoy and don't require someone to spend the whole day in the kitchen.

Nice

My first choice in birds for years has been guinea fowl, either the ones I've eaten  straight from my friend's smallholding or the supermarket ones and there's really not much difference. For those who haven't tried it, i would describe it as stronger tasting than a quality free range chicken but less gamy than pheasant ( which isn't all that strong in any case). You might just be able to feed four from one bird .

Beans on toast 

"Having Lamb for Christmas" the Christmas smash hit that Chris Rea meant to write.

Since it's in bits, I'd say so!

(Also, for the OP, another +1 for "yeah, go for it": lamb of god / lamb for lunch seems like fine symbolism)

It sounds like you have most of the bits that are required for a crown roast.

I have eaten that for christmas dinner when visiting relatives and it went down exceedingly well.

Lamb's fine.

We've had salmon on a few occasions

A lamb isn't just for Christmas you know...