Turkey alternatives for Xmas

a) if the turkey you are eating is shite, then blame the cook... not the bird. Some amazing things can be done with a bird if done properly.

b) alternatives to turkey? Ham and goose are more of a traditional style meat for the Christmas season. Again, preparation of these are key to whether or not you have a good meal or a shite meal.
If neither of those tickle the palette, might I suggest a nice prime rib roast? Or just do something that is totally out of character for the season... and do up something that would be more of a summer main course. A couple of years ago I went and did a Pacific Rim theme for my holiday meal and folks loved it.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Sal

Niekon: unless Gordon Ramsay cooks your Xmas lunch, what the hell do with Turkey to make it 'good'? Regardless of chef or what the hell you do with it, it always just tastes like Turkey. Bland. And dry. Do tell me your magical secret.

Having said that, your flag has given me an idea: Haggis. I love it but it's been god knows how long since I had it.

As most of the Merkins are saying Ham; how is it usually prepared. Get a lump of ham here and it's usually salty as fuck, even if you soak it for 24 hours before hand. Are US hams prepared/sold differently or what?

Turkey: you want a non-dry bird? You want some added flavor to the meat? I'd suggest getting creative with your bird. An overnight brine works well. Water, kosher salt, and whatever else... my last brine included a pound (1/2 a kilo) of honey. The bird had a nice sweet taste to it... it helped that I smoked the bird as well.
Another option is doing something like slipping sage leaves between the skin and meat of the bird. While it may not sound simple, after doing so for the first time this year I found it rather easy once I got the hang of it.

Cooking time is a hot issue too. If you are shooting for 180F (82C) then I'd actually be pulling that bird out of the heat source at about 165-170F (74-77C) since there will be residual heat in the bird that will continue to cook after removed from the oven (or the grill in my case). Some would even go so far as to pull it at 160F (71C)... but that would mean playing the safety game at that point.
Sadly, most people who are preparing turkeys are in the oven up to the 180 mark and that's where you are seeing overly dry birds.


Now... on to the hams...
There are several varieties of ham... most folks in the States know the "city ham" style which is a wet cure. From what you are describing you're dealing with a dry cure which is extremely salty. But that can be dealt with rather easily...

Quote:

1 country (dry cured) ham
1 liter Dr. Pepper
1 cup sweet pickle juice, optional

Unwrap ham and scrub off any surface mold (if you hung in a sack for 6 months you'd have mold too). Carefully remove hock with hand saw. (If this idea makes you eye your first aid kit, ask your butcher to do it. But make sure you keep the hock, it's the best friend collard greens ever had.)

Place ham in cooler and cover with clean water. (As long as it's not too dirty you can use what southerners call the "hose pipe"). Stash the cooler in the bushes. If it's summer, throw in some ice. If it's freezing out, keep the cooler inside. Change the water twice a day for two days turning the ham each time.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place ham in a large disposable turkey-roasting pan and add enough Dr. Pepper to come about halfway up the side of the ham. Add pickle juice if you've got it and tent completely with heavy-duty foil. Cook for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, and cook another 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the ham over, insert an oven safe thermometer (probe-style is best) and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until the deepest part of the ham hits 140 degrees F (approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound total).

Let rest 1/2 hour then slice paper-thin. Serve with biscuits or soft yeast rolls.

Cooks note: Even after soaking, country ham is quite salty, so thin slicing is mandatory. If you're a bacon fan, however, cut a thicker (1/4-inch) slice and fry it up for breakfast.

That's an Alton Brown recipe if anyone is wondering... not a fan of the Dr Pepper but it did add something rather good to the ham when I prepared it myself.

And beyond those types of ham there are several more... with the honey-baked ham being a holiday staple it seems anymore in the States. Definitely well prepared... and easy for any host/hostess to prep. Toss it into the oven for a heating... and it's ready to go after that... remove a bone... and it falls into slices. ^_^

There's nowhere I can't reach.