Everyone celebrates Christmas differently, and that means the show-stopping centerpiece of Christmas dinner looks different in every home. Some families keep it classic with a succulent ham, while others opt for a Thanksgiving sequel with turkey. Or, maybe you want to go against the grain with a hearty holiday roast.
Some families swear by having a ham every Christmas, as they have been doing for decades. Others may be feeling a little tired of tradition and looking to shake things up a bit. Whatever your dilemma is, we're here to walk you through different options.
Turkey
While turkey is a classic choice for Thanksgiving, it may feel a little tired if you're having the same festive meal a month later. One of the quickest ways to ruin what should otherwise be a joyous meal is feeling like you're in a sort of culinary time loop. It doesn't help if your sides and desserts are the same as Thanksgiving!
Additionally, turkey can be finicky. You may be getting an incredible value of meat per dollar, but turkeys are easy to mess up—especially that precious white meat. Turkey's lean meat may be lower in fat, but the taste and texture isn't for everyone.
That said, turkey offers more variety for a larger crowd. Not only can you choose between light meat or dark, but turkey is more versatile for leftovers than ham. Additionally, turkey comes with a wishbone, which is always fun to break with younger diners.
Ham
While turkey may be a Thanksgiving classic, ham is undeniably the Christmas favorite—at least in America. Almost 3/4 of families hosting Christmas choose a glazed ham as the centerpiece for their meal. In total, Americans consume over 3 million pounds of Christmas ham a year.
While ham may not offer the same variety of meats that turkey does, it's easier to cook and carve, especially if you get a spiral ham. Ham is far less low-maintenance than turkey, both in terms of necessary prep and cook time. Ham also tends to be juicier than turkey and plays well with delicious glazes such as maple or brown sugar.
However, there is a downside to Christmas ham. While everyone talks about the residual food coma from turkey sulfates, ham is actually higher in sodium due to the way its processed. In addition, ham can have a rubbery texture if it is overcooked or prepared with added water; this texture can be off-putting to some.
Other Options
One of the easiest ways to satisfy all flavor palates is by having splitting the debate down the middle and having multiple meats. Perhaps a picnic ham and a turkey breast to satisfy both major contingents. Hopefully this means you won't have to fight over light meat or dark meat.
The possibilities are truly endless. Heck, you could even go for a British-inspired Christmas goose! Make sure you save all that delicious goose fat—it's liquid gold.
The only thing we aren't sure we recommend is a turducken. Our reasoning isn't entirely based on looks or vibes but rather quantity. A turducken is a lot of meat; eating leftovers for days on end is one of the quickest ways to lose your taste for all three birds.
Whatever you choose, you're sure to enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by family. Of course, if choosing is simply too difficult, you can always order Chinese!
