# Alternative to Christmas turkey



## di reston (Dec 6, 2016)

My OH has announced that he doesn't really want a large bird for Christmas as we'd be eating the leftovers right the way through to Easter!   So I'm thinking QUAIL.
I'm serious! We love quail. I do it in a truffle, porcini mushroom and Champagne reduction sauce, and serve each bird on a large crouton. OH likes that. Should do the trick nicely. Christmas Pudding, mince pies, Christmas cake will be done as usual. OH's favourite vegetables, except I'll do croquette potatoes, which he really adores. And no leftovers. That should do the trick. What do you think? Should I do duck instead? I'd welcome your views.


di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## medtran49 (Dec 6, 2016)

We do prime rib generally for Christmas, with a mixed mushroom savory bread pudding.  Sides can vary, though Craig usually likes to have his brussel sprouts with bacon, onion and balsamic glaze.   

Cornish hens are more readily available where we are, though we could get quail (I've never had them).  Your prep does sound really good.  Duck is good too.  

Guess I'm not much help, as all sound good. 

We did pretty good with leftovers from Thanksgiving this year.  One leftover meal and a couple of quart bags of shredded turkey that will go in pot pies or some kind of soup or ....


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## buckytom (Dec 6, 2016)

The quail sounds great, as does the prime rib. Duck is nice but a lot of work and worry, imo.

We usually do a ham, but right now I think we will have 15 people over, so 2 hams? 1 really large ham might suffice, but I want leftovers and bones for pea soup, and beet or collard greens, or chard.

DW informed me that if the number of guests goes any higher, we will be catering from an Italian joint nearby since I will be working Christmas eve and morning.

This is going to take some work.


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## Mad Cook (Dec 6, 2016)

di reston said:


> My OH has announced that he doesn't really want a large bird for Christmas as we'd be eating the leftovers right the way through to Easter!   So I'm thinking QUAIL.
> I'm serious! We love quail. I do it in a truffle, porcini mushroom and Champagne reduction sauce, and serve each bird on a large crouton. OH likes that. Should do the trick nicely. Christmas Pudding, mince pies, Christmas cake will be done as usual. OH's favourite vegetables, except I'll do croquette potatoes, which he really adores. And no leftovers. That should do the trick. What do you think? Should I do duck instead? I'd welcome your views.
> 
> 
> ...


We used to have pheasant when my parents were alive (courtesy of a cousin who used to beat for a local shoot - he was paid in kind for his services). Duck would be good as you may get some meat left over for another meal.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 6, 2016)

In the US, people generally don't have turkey for Christmas since it's so soon after Thanksgiving. We don't really have a tradition, but I've been doing a small prime rib for the last few years. I think quail sounds great. So does duck, actually 

I've been thinking about making a German dinner for Christmas, since DH and I both have German ancestry. My thought was a pork roast. At the last master gardener meeting, I mentioned this idea, of making a German Christmas dinner, to two women who immigrated here from Germany. One immediately asked, "Goose?" and the other said, "Duck?" 

So I guess I have to decide which region of Germany I want to represent


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## Andy M. (Dec 6, 2016)

I've been doing a beef roast for Christmas dinner since I started doing all my own cooking. 

I started out with tenderloin roasts but switched to rib roasts as I like the flavor better.  I'll probably reverse sear a boneless ribeye roast this year.


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## msmofet (Dec 6, 2016)

Cornish hens make a nice presentation. Half bird on the plate looks nice. You can probably use the same sauce you described but the hen would be to big for a crouton. If they are small you can stuff them. My mom would do that. I was thrilled as a child to see a whole little stuffed bird all for me. A nice stuffing on the side is also nice. 

I have also been making eye round roast for Christmas for a few years now.


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## Addie (Dec 6, 2016)

If you did duck, just think of all that wonderful duck fat you would find in the bottom of the pan. Pan fried potatoes in duck fat. Serve with any meal.


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## Daizymae (Dec 6, 2016)

I like to bake this as main dish for Christmas dinner:

Cranberry & Maple Glazed Lentil Loaf.

https://myvega.com/recipes/cranberry-maple-glazed-lentil-loaf/

_Mein Gott_, this is tasty.  Doesn't taste like lentils in the hands of so many cooks; this is gourmet (to us, anyway).


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## CakePoet (Dec 6, 2016)

Swedes have a buffet style table.  I did  a piece about it here.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f17/christmas-food-around-the-world-97013.html


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## Steve Kroll (Dec 6, 2016)

I'll be having Prime Rib myself. I'm not much of a turkey guy. Even on Thanksgiving I'll eat almost anything BUT turkey.


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## Dawgluver (Dec 6, 2016)

We usually have Mexican food.  In Mexico.  A restaurant owner friend there also serves a lovely Christmas dinner at her restaurant and invites us to eat with her employees at no charge.

This year, we won't be heading to Mexico due to various family events, so I have no idea what we'll have.

Your quail sounds delicious, di.  Never have been a big fan of duck, maybe because my dad would bring home mallards he shot during hunting season.


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## di reston (Dec 6, 2016)

Change of programme, for which I shall call a Board Meeting with the Chairman and ask him whether he wants a groaning boardful of Christmas delights, or whether he'd rather have one, or two, of these dishes every day for the Twelve Days of Christmas. I owe dinner parties to several friends, vegetarian, vegan, carnivores, on diets, the lot, and your recipes will enable me to return hospitality - very useful. They certainly will keep me away from groaning cook syndrome! Many thanks. Still looking forward to viewing other Xmas recipes, though! Christmas Day on our own, and friends on other days. What you've sent will enable to return the hospitality I've owed for quite a while, for which, again, many thanks!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast    Oscar Wilde


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## CWS4322 (Dec 6, 2016)

buckytom said:


> The quail sounds great, as does the prime rib. Duck is nice but a lot of work and worry, imo.
> 
> We usually do a ham, but right now I think we will have 15 people over, so 2 hams? 1 really large ham might suffice, but I want leftovers and bones for pea soup, and beet or collard greens, or chard.
> 
> ...


I am leaning toward a bone-in ham as well for split pea soup. I have a turkey breast in the freezer...as well as venison roasts. I might do venison roast on Christmas Eve with gjetost gravy, Jansen's Temptation, a fruit salad/something, and green beans with walnuts and bleu cheese. I have to keep my Mom's limited appetite in mind, my Dad's unwillingness to try new things, and that there will just be the three of us. The ham would be Christmas Day. I have to make up my mind by Friday. My Dad and I are going to the AF Base to grocery shop for Christmas and January (I will be back in Ontario for January--what a great time to go to Ontario--NOT).

Quail--I usually allow two/person, spatchcock it and make a cranberry glaze to baste on it as it cooks. I do the same with partridge breasts but prefer to use raspberry for the partridge.


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## CWS4322 (Dec 6, 2016)

CakePoet said:


> Swedes have a buffet style table.  I did  a piece about it here.
> 
> http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f17/christmas-food-around-the-world-97013.html


I would do a smorgasbord, but with just the three of us, we would be eating leftovers until Easter. Most fun Christmas Eves have been when 8-10 people would come over and we'd eat until midnight. It took us that long to get through the cold, hot, and dessert tables.


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## tenspeed (Dec 6, 2016)

Our traditional Christmas dinner is paella - hot Italian sausage, chicken, shrimp, and mussels.


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## FeralBoy (Dec 7, 2016)

Cornish hens


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## FeralBoy (Dec 7, 2016)

Or a nice crown roast


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## Kevin86 (Dec 16, 2016)

Christmas dinner must be turkey has cracked me up for awhile. In North America come Christmas 100 years ago a bird that you may still be able to find was a turkey and it was large enough to feed a crowd now it's a standard. 

History and geography make traditional meals I think. If you are a coastal resident I'm sure fish is a popular favourite, if your grandparents were raised on a beef or pig farm and that's what they slaughtered to feed the family you had prime rib or Christmas ham. Sometimes there would be trades between farms to help make it a different special dinner. I have friends that trap so a roast rabbit or Christmas goose dinner it is. Before the mass ease options from the 2 grocery stores in any town what your family provides and labours over with love is what Christmas dinner is about.  For years with my grandma it was known fresh lasagna was going to be on the table at there house. 

If you make it because it's a special favourite that makes it more of a Christmas dinner than just because it's turkey in my books. A bit long but I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas dinner


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## RPCookin (Dec 17, 2016)

Bought 2 rib roasts yesterday.  I decided that two 4-5 pounders made more sense than one 10-12 pounder, since I have guests coming with varied preferences in doneness.  I can roast one medium rare and one medium and make everyone happy (although I admit that it disturbs me to deliberately overcook one of them).


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## CraigC (Dec 17, 2016)

Prime rib here as well. Reverse sear on the Egg. Besides wild mushroom bread pudding, the sides are still being considered.


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## Rocklobster (Dec 17, 2016)

It was just going to be me and gf on xmas day this year so I wanted to do a stuffed pork loin roast with a stuffing very similar to turkey dressing..it has dried apricots, cinnamon, and the usual suspects(shallots, celery, etc) in it...keeping with tradition, I would still have gravy, and mashed taters with it..and I would make an orange sauce to compliment the meat..but...we've since had a few family members added to the dinner list so now we have a big ol' frozen turkey rolling around in the trunk of the car. Every time we take a corner I hear the body rolling around...makes me think of the movie Good Fellas...


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## buckytom (Dec 17, 2016)

The tarp, rope, and cinder blocks are supposed to keep the "turkey" from rolling around, Rock.

Jus' sayin'...


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## Rocklobster (Dec 17, 2016)

buckytom said:


> The tarp, rope, and cinder blocks are supposed to keep the "turkey" from rolling around, Rock.
> 
> Jus' sayin'...


I was just going to open the trunk and stab it a few times with the butcher knife...


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## Cooking Goddess (Dec 17, 2016)

Growing up, turkey was always for Thanksgiving, beef roast for Christmas, and pork roast for New Year's. One Christmas Mom decided to stray from the norm and roasted a capon for Christmas. Turns out there were no leftovers. Sad. We went back to big beef roasts on Christmas.


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## powerplantop (Dec 18, 2016)

I will be doing a ham on the Pit Barrel Cooker.


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## buckytom (Dec 18, 2016)

Hi, Power-op. Is the ham a fresh leg or shoulder, or is it already cured in some way before you pit it?


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## powerplantop (Dec 18, 2016)

buckytom said:


> Hi, Power-op. Is the ham a fresh leg or shoulder, or is it already cured in some way before you pit it?



Its an already cooked spiral cut one. But by doing it on the smoker the oven will be free for other things.


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## rodentraiser (Dec 18, 2016)

I was going to just get a pizza or Chinese food for Christmas, but I have so much food in my freezer left over from this month, I thought maybe I should save the money and just have something homemade, like meatloaf or a chicken breast.

I am feeling very grateful when it comes to food this year. In a little over 2 years of cooking at home as opposed to eating out or buying pre-made food, I have gone from running out of food three weeks into the month to having enough food to get me more than halfway through the next month. I now worry about having too much food and I know that's something not too many people can say in this country. Believe me, the fact that I can, makes me very humble.


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## Addie (Dec 19, 2016)

powerplantop said:


> I will be doing a ham on the Pit Barrel Cooker.



Hi powerplantop. Good to see you again. You should show up more often.


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## Addie (Dec 19, 2016)

powerplantop said:


> Its an already cooked spiral cut one. But by doing it on the smoker the oven will be free for other things.



One year (and I can't remember for what holiday) I waited until the day before to buy a ham. All he had left was the whole pigs hind leg he hadn't cut up yet. He just wanted to get rid of it so he could close the store and go home. The price was right so I bought it. I had no idea what I was going to do with it.

I took some dark brown sugar, pineapple juice and made a paste. I scored the whole thing in that traditional diamond pattern, poured the extra juice over it, then smeared the paste over it, pushing it into the sliced openings, and then placed whole cloves on it with the pineapple rings. I let it sit in the fridge covered for two days. That was the best piece of ham I have ever cooked or eaten. And I winged the whole thing. I doubt I could repeat it again.


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## erehweslefox (Dec 19, 2016)

Goose, it is kind of Dickensian, I know. And it is a turkey like fowl, so your ideas about turkey might be the same. 

Tons of fat, make way to store it, and it, like duck, will trash your oven.

TBS


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## RPCookin (Dec 19, 2016)

erehweslefox said:


> Goose, it is kind of Dickensian, I know. And it is a turkey like fowl, so your ideas about turkey might be the same.
> 
> Tons of fat, make way to store it, and it, like duck, will trash your oven.
> 
> TBS



We always had goose for Christmas dinner when I was growing up.  Most of the family preferred dark meat, and that makes goose the ideal fowl.


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## msmofet (Dec 19, 2016)

I made a goose one year for Christmas stuffed with an apple stuffing and a ham. I am so glad I had the ham. The goose was so greasy and made my house stink for a week!! none of us liked it. I packed the whole thing up and gave it to my uncle. He had goose every year when he was a kid (my aunt couldn't stand the smell either so she never made goose) and was happy.

Now I make beef roast and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas.


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## erehweslefox (Dec 19, 2016)

msmofet said:


> I made a goose one year for Christmas stuffed with an apple stuffing and a ham. I am so glad I had the ham. The goose was so greasy and made my house stink for a week!! none of us liked it. I packed the whole thing up and gave it to my uncle. He had goose every year when he was a kid (my aunt couldn't stand the smell either so she never made goose) and was happy.
> 
> Now I make beef roast and Yorkshire pudding for Christmas.



I actually think I am changing my tack on this one, more towards your view msmofet. Beloved Wife and I are doing Xmas alone at home this year, and we had a damn big turkey for Thanksgiving, we've been eating fowl for weeks, which B.W. pointed out to me. So a goose is going to be a) big and b) more fowl. 

So I think I'm going to do a Beef Wellington. I've been doing enough pastry/baking stuff recently that I'm confident with it (which I wasn't always), and it is a dish I've always wanted to try. I can also get from this farm I've started frequenting, a nice beef loin to use. Serious, this place is great, they do their own beef, turkey, chicken, eggs and milk. And they are 5 minutes from where I live. I love them. 

Question is do I do it from scratch, or do I use a prepared puff pastry? Secondary, chicken liver pate mushrooms and onions, or just mushrooms and onions?

Anyone got good experience with the beef wellington? Sir Loin?

With that I have some great late season squash, simple spinach salad, apple pie. Think I have a tentative meal plan.

TBS


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## Addie (Dec 20, 2016)

erehweslefox said:


> I actually think I am changing my tack on this one, more towards your view msmofet. Beloved Wife and I are doing Xmas alone at home this year, and we had a damn big turkey for Thanksgiving, we've been eating fowl for weeks, which B.W. pointed out to me. So a goose is going to be a) big and b) more fowl.
> 
> So I think I'm going to do a Beef Wellington. I've been doing enough pastry/baking stuff recently that I'm confident with it (which I wasn't always), and it is a dish I've always wanted to try. I can also get from this farm I've started frequenting, a nice beef loin to use. Serious, this place is great, they do their own beef, turkey, chicken, eggs and milk. And they are 5 minutes from where I live. I love them.
> 
> ...



https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100113164326AADOPmU

I remember when she made this, she took the extra scraps and with an egg wash, she created designs on top of the enclosed Wellington before baking. 

I would suggest you buy the boxed puff pastry. Depending on how many pieces of meat you will be encasing, there are two sheets per box. Julia made her own puff pastry. And it took almost a full pound of butter. Good luck and Bon Appetite!

http://homecooking.about.com/od/breadrecipes/r/blbread85.htm

Do you really have all that time in make your own puff pastry?


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## CraigC (Dec 20, 2016)

erehweslefox said:


> Question is do I do it from scratch, or do I use a prepared puff pastry? Secondary, chicken liver pate mushrooms and onions, or just mushrooms and onions?
> 
> Anyone got good experience with the beef wellington? Sir Loin?TBS



We made it once. Karen made the pastry and duxelles. Like I said we made it once.


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## medtran49 (Dec 20, 2016)

Addie said:


> Do you really have all that time in make your own puff pastry?


 
Addie, you aren't chained to the kitchen.  The actual hands-on time isn't that much.  You can clean house, cook other things, go to the store, etc in between rolling out times.  

Fox, you have to be careful and not "break" the layers of dough when you are rolling if you decide to make it yourself.  And I rolled it out/folded more times than most recipes call for to get extra layers.  Maybe if I was making a very, very special meal I'd do it again, but Pepperidge Farm puff pastry isn't a bad product.


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## buckytom (Dec 20, 2016)

Beef Wellington sounds fantastic.

I just found out that along side a ham, DW wants to make a kielbasi with potatoes and kraut. We usually do those two for Easter, so I'd like to do something else. Plus, someone might already bring that weird kielbaso coins in duck sauce thing.

I'd love to make a leg o lamb, but that's also more of a springtime thing.

Maybe a fresh pork roast? Hmm, I have an old recipe for a bone-in pork sirloin roast made in the slow cooker with apples and herb butter gravy. Gotta look that up.


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## powerplantop (Dec 20, 2016)

Addie said:


> One year (and I can't remember for what holiday) I waited until the day before to buy a ham. All he had left was the whole pigs hind leg he hadn't cut up yet. He just wanted to get rid of it so he could close the store and go home. The price was right so I bought it. I had no idea what I was going to do with it.
> 
> I took some dark brown sugar, pineapple juice and made a paste. I scored the whole thing in that traditional diamond pattern, poured the extra juice over it, then smeared the paste over it, pushing it into the sliced openings, and then placed whole cloves on it with the pineapple rings. I let it sit in the fridge covered for two days. That was the best piece of ham I have ever cooked or eaten. And I winged the whole thing. I doubt I could repeat it again.



When you know how to cook winging it can be the best way to cook.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 20, 2016)

buckytom said:


> Beef Wellington sounds fantastic.
> 
> I just found out that along side a ham, DW wants to make a kielbasi with potatoes and kraut. We usually do those two for Easter, so I'd like to do something else. Plus, someone might already bring that weird kielbaso coins in duck sauce thing.
> 
> ...



Porchetta! http://nytimes.com/2014/12/17/dining/a-porchetta-pork-roast-recipe.html


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## msmofet (Dec 20, 2016)

Addie said:


> https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100113164326AADOPmU
> 
> I remember when she made this, she took the extra scraps and with an egg wash, she created designs on top of the enclosed Wellington before baking.
> 
> ...


I may have vision issues but I read the recipe on the first link and I don't think the weight or cut of meat is in the ingredient list. Only mention is in instructions and it seems like there are several pieces. 

Did I miss something?


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## medtran49 (Dec 20, 2016)

BT, 

GG's sugestion of a porchetta is great.  They are absolutely delicious and one of Craig's favorites.  You can use leftovers for sammies with caramelized onions and melted gruyere (to die for), fried rice, and sliced really, really thin for a pizza topping with caramelized onions again, OMG, some people also put a raw egg in among the onions and pork and let it cook to where the cheese just melts and the egg is still runny.  We have to make another porchetta soon.


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## Addie (Dec 20, 2016)

I went back and looked at the list of ingredients. I am assuming it was taken directly from*The Art of French Cooking.* Since it is a boneless piece of meat, I am guessing that the "filet" is what they are referring to for the meat. I did look for a YouTube edition, but non showed up. (Of course.)


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## GotGarlic (Dec 20, 2016)

medtran49 said:


> BT,
> 
> GG's sugestion of a porchetta is great.  They are absolutely delicious and one of Craig's favorites.  You can use leftovers for sammies with caramelized onions and melted gruyere (to die for), fried rice, and sliced really, really thin for a pizza topping with caramelized onions again, OMG, some people also put a raw egg in among the onions and pork and let it cook to where the cheese just melts and the egg is still runny.  We have to make another porchetta soon.



I was just reading an article in the current Cooks Illustrated about porchetta. I'm definitely going to make it soon. Thanks for the additional info


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## GotGarlic (Dec 20, 2016)

msmofet said:


> I may have vision issues but I read the recipe on the first link and I don't think the weight or cut of meat is in the ingredient list. Only mention is in instructions and it seems like there are several pieces.
> 
> Did I miss something?



In the mushroom section, it says "4 (8 ounce) filet of beef." I think this is it.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 20, 2016)

erehweslefox said:


> So I think I'm going to do a Beef Wellington. I've been doing enough pastry/baking stuff recently that I'm confident with it (which I wasn't always), and it is a dish I've always wanted to try. I can also get from this farm I've started frequenting, a nice beef loin to use. Serious, this place is great, they do their own beef, turkey, chicken, eggs and milk. And they are 5 minutes from where I live. I love them.



If your goal is to make something English, you might want to pick something else 

http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/beefwellington.htm

Or, simplify things and make Gordon Ramsay's Beef Wellington. Takes 20 minutes to prepare and uses store-bought puff pastry. 

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/164868/Gordon-Ramsay-s-beef-Wellington


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## erehweslefox (Dec 23, 2016)

Picked up the roast today, and I did go with a box of the pepridge farm premade pastry. I'd love to do it from scratch, but I work until 7 tomorrow, and the time/effort vs. benefit equation seems to be on the side of prepared.

Got a great sirlion roast, though, looks beautiful. Also some lovely yams and broccoli to use as sides. 

Decided also to go with mushrooms and onions instead of a pate with the Wellington. I like liver a lot more than my wife, and I couldn't find chicken livers that I loved, but did get a nice mix of mushrooms. i'll just add some extra butter to fat it up and carry the flavor nice.


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