Great Main Course Meat Alternatives to a Thanksgiving Turkey

It's almost time to celebrate Thanksgiving Day again. Most of us will sit down and enjoy the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. There are a lot of people who might want to try something a little bit different this year. Here's a couple ideas for your Thanksgiving meal.

Standing Rib Roast

Meat Casseroles

A standing rib roast is a cut of beef from the rib section where rib-eye steaks are generally cut from. A lot of my customers know this particular cut as "Prime Rib". It's called a "Standing Rib Roast" because it includes up to seven rib bones and is most commonly cooked in a "standing" position. To ensure you have enough to go around, I recommend a serving size of two people per rib, with a minimum size of three ribs. Anything less than that is basically a nice thick steak.

Thanksgiving Ham

Some of my customers love having ham for the holidays. You can buy hams either boneless or with the bone-in. As third a generation butcher, I always recommend bone-in hams because they provide more flavor and the bone can be used to make soup or even ham and beans. You'll want to have about one pound of boneless ham per every three to four people or one pound of bone-in ham for every two to three people or at your Thanksgiving meal.

Crown Roast of Pork

A crown roast of pork can capture the spirit of any holiday since it can be decorated to match any occasion. A crown roast comes from the rib section of the pork loin. It is called a crown roast because a butcher will take two rib racks and bend them into a circle. The sections are tied together to create a crown effect. Bones are left in this roast to add to the flavor and moistness of the roast. Plus, it adds to the presentation.

I suggest 1 rib bone per person or about ¾ of a pound per person. Most Crown Pork Roasts roast will serve about eight to ten people. Ask us to tie a smaller roast if you are serving fewer people.

Boneless Beef Rump Roast

A boneless beef rump roast is cut from above the back end of the hipbone. Generally this boneless roast is rolled and tied. A rump roast that contains the bone is known as a standing rump roast. I recommend a boneless rump roast since it is easier to carve. This is important when hosting a lot of guests at a Thanksgiving Feast. Rump roasts are very flavorful and are always a hit. Generally you want to about one pound of boneless roast per every two to three people at your meal.

Duck

Roasting a duck for a Thanksgiving feast is an excellent alternative to turkey. Duck meat is darker and usually more moist than meat from a turkey. Just remember, ducks are also a lot smaller. I tell my customers to roast one duck for every 2-3 people. This ensures that everyone has enough to eat.

Italian Thanksgiving

How about an Italian Thanksgiving? Columbus did discover (or re-discovered to be politically correct) the Americas. For those who want an Italian theme to their Thanksgiving feast you can add an Italian Roll. Italian Rolls are made from a thin cut round steak. Add a layer of mild or spicy Italian sausage to the round steak and roll it. This makes for a very flavorful addition to your Thanksgiving feast.

Steaks

Who doesn't love a great steak? There's rib-eye's, t-bones, porterhouses, and of course filet mignons. Everyone has their favorite cut steak and any of these steaks are the perfect addition to a Thanksgiving meal. As your local butcher to custom cut your Thanksgiving steaks to your specification.

Many people will stay with the traditional turkey for Thanksgiving meal while others will skip turkey altogether. Not sure if you're ready to skip out on Turkey this Thanksgiving? Stick with tradition, but serve an alternative with your turkey. It may be the start of a new Thanksgiving Tradition. Whatever your choice, enjoy the holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Great Main Course Meat Alternatives to a Thanksgiving Turkey

John Brooks is a 3rd generation butcher for B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli. A neighborhood grocery store that has been family owned and operated since 1922.

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