December 24, 2010 2:33 AM PST
Do you remember the Grinch? Roast Beast! And that's what I've called it ever since I started the tradition about 20 or so years ago. Everyone is sick of turkey so soon after Thanksgiving, and I for one am not a big ham eater, so it seemed only fitting to do the roast beast. I DO love my red meat. And it has to be rare. Smacked on the ass and passed over a flame, rare. But the secret to a heavenly roast beast, is in the cut of meat, the seasonings, and the cooking time. I buy a sirloin tip, about a pound per person (leftovers). Season with a dry rub (of your own making), then brown in sauteed onions. After browning, scrape all bits with a little water or broth, and laddle over the roast. Try to roast on a rack, if you can. Set oven temp. to 425 degrees for 20 minutes. After the 20 is up, turn oven down to 325 degrees, and roast for no less than 15 minutes per pound. For best results, use a meat thermometer and let it come to between 145 and 160 degrees for a rare roast. If you like your meat medium or well done, add 5 minutes per pound and let thermometer come to between 150-165 degrees. It is important to note that meat should be at room temperature when you start. Use only a small amount of salt while cooking, as this will dry a roast out over a long cooking period. If you like to roast your potatoes with your roast, I suggest adding them during the last hour of cooking time. I prefer smashed with mine, but that's just me. Try this out, you'll love the change, and I can guarantee that there will be nothing left after tomorrow, if it lasts that long...Ride and Eat Free
Tweek
December 24, 2010 5:15 AM PST
Well I grew up in a large family, so it was a case of first up, best dressed and the fastest hand survived, coming from a fishing village we always had salmon for Christmas dinner and still do, we keep the turkey and ham for new years day. Tomorrow we will have salmon stuffed with shrimp and red cabbage and some chilli....and lots of wine.
Nollaig shona dhaoibh mo chairde, agus ath bhlian duit. ( merry Christmas and happy new year....in Irish.)
December 24, 2010 5:27 AM PST
We all go down to my parents house around 9am and we eat a big southern style breakfast withe bacon and eggs, homemade biscuits and gravy. We exchange our gifts then we start snacking on vegetable trays and cakes and pies. My mom makes the best the best pineapple and carrot cakes ever. We sit down for dinner at about four oclock to a big roasted turkey and a ham that my sister gets at a bbq place near her house. My mom is world famous for her stuffing and everyone eats a ton of it. We have about 8to10 different sides and we eat so much that we all go out in the living room and lay on the carpet and complain about being too full. Everyone on here has such great stories that im getting hungry just reading them. Merry Christmas to all of My CF family members!!!
December 25, 2010 1:52 AM PST
The wife is from Mexico, so we typically have Mexican food. This year it is home made tamales.....yum.
December 25, 2010 11:48 AM PST
Honey baked spiral cut ham with all the trimmings. Eat until you can't move, nap for about an hour then dig into one of 5 or 6 fresh baked pies !!!!
December 25, 2010 12:45 PM PST
The last few years I have started a Seafood tradition and this year my son joined in to help cook. Richard made yummy mashed potatoes and gravy and of course a spiral cut ham, with some chocolate pie to top it off.. yummmm oh did I mention sweet potatoes.. my new favorite!!
December 25, 2010 1:51 PM PST
We've had the tradition of Ris-grot. Scandinavian meal consisting of rice simmered in milk and cream until the rice is almost completely cooked/dissolved. A thick porridge served hot with butter, sugar and cinnamon. One plate will put you in a food coma. Just the two of us this year, so we had Ris-grot when our youngest son visited at Thanksgiving. Hoppin' John made with black-eyed or crowder peas and ham hocks at New Years - a concession to my mom's Texas roots.