Turkey dinner, turkey sandwiches and, of course, the reliable turkey curry. If the thought of another big white bird isn’t exactly filling you with joy this Christmas, then perhaps it’s time to change the menu?

Yes, you read that correctly. You can still enjoy 25 December without basting, stuffing and giblets. Francis Twohig of Ó’Crualaoí Butchers in Cork says, “Turkey has become so popular, available right throughout the year, so sometimes families don’t deem it to be such a treat. As a result, we have definitely seen very good sales of goose, beef and lamb around the Christmas season.”

“Don’t get me wrong, sales of turkey are still very strong. However, many people are opting more for the breast meat or the boned and rolled option, rather than the full bird. It can be easier to cook, and it means you’re not stuck with the same meat for a few days in a row.”

Ducken a little different

You might be turning away from turkey, but you can still stick with the Christmas birds. “One thing that has become somewhat popular in recent years is ‘ducken’. This is where your local butcher takes duck, chicken and goose and bones and rolls them. It tastes lovely, but it’s still quite unusual and definitely is a special treat.”

Goose is the real traditional bird for Christmas. It can be expensive and harder to cook, so choose well says Francis. “Geese are a slow-growing breed that should be reared free range on farms, so be sure to buy from a recognised local producer and you’ll get a rich, buttery flavour from your grass-fed bird. A medium-size goose will be about 11lb in weight.”

Bit of Beef

“Other customers want to spend that bit more on an excellent cut of beef and really savour it. So sirloin beef on the bone or a rib beef on the bone is quite popular. If you’re opting for a beef rib on the bone, make sure it is a deep, dark-red colour.

“Look for marbling: the little streaks of fat running through the leaner muscle. This lets the beef ‘baste’ itself from within during cooking. Also, a layer of firm, creamy-white fat around the outside of a nicely marbled joint is a sign of a properly-reared, good-quality animal.”

Lamb is known as an Easter dish, but some families love it for the biggest dinner of the year. “Rack of lamb is cut from the best end of the animal so if you’ve got a small gathering, it will make a delicious roast.

“Get you butcher to french trim the racks. This will leave just enough fat to add flavour and retain moisture in the meat during cooking. Tender with fine, sweet flavours, a rack of lamb is a great choice if looking for something a little different.”

Spiced Beef

Finally, although spiced beef is a Christmas tradition in Cork and Dublin, it is getting more popular across the country. “Being a Corkman, I actually love to start Christmas Day with a slice of spiced beef. That’s my little festive tradition. It is cured (corned) beef that has been rubbed in spices.”

You might have to shop around for this one, though, in order to find the recipe that you like best. “Spices vary from butcher to butcher. Our recipe here in Ó’Crualaoí’s is over 50 years old, we’ve won a gold award for it and people come especially to buy it.”

John Hickey from the Craft Butchers Association of Ireland says the Irish Spiced Beef Awards really are a good indication. “The winners this year, Cosgraves butchers in Rathfarnham, Dublin, had a flavour profile that wasn’t dramatic but still had a bit of a kick, meaning it had broad appeal to a lot of palates.”

Francis says, no matter what option you are going for on Christmas Day, though, the best way to feel confident that you’re buying good quality meat is to buy it from a good butcher. “This is usually a local craft butcher, who buys from local farms and does the butchering of the animals themselves.” CL