Deck the halls, it’s time for a holiday feast like no other! Today we’ll review popular recipes for dinners with a meat oriented main course. If prime rib isn’t your thing, we also have recipes for other types of meat below. Eat up and watch out for who’s under the Mistletoe (Click link for Mistletoe history 🙂 )!
Jump to Recipes: Roast Turkey Dinner | Cornish Game Hens | Apple and Walnut Stuffed Pork | Lamb Braised Pomegranate
Youtube Video – Chef John’s Prime Rib Video Recipe and Cooking Advice
More Holiday Favorites for Meat Eaters
Chef John’s Roast Turkey and Gravy Recipe
Top Of Page | Roast Turkey Dinner | Cornish Game Hens | Apple and Walnut Stuffed Pork | Lamb Braised Pomegranate
Source: AllRecipes.com
Video Instructions – Ingredients and Text Instructions Below
Ingredients
Yield: 1 Whole Roast Turkey with Gravy
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt – Morton Kosher Coarse Salt, 3 lbs.
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning – Frontier Poultry Seasoning, 1.34 oz.
- 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped – Bland Farms Sweet Onions Produce, 5 lbs.
- 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary – McCormick Organic Rosemary, 1 oz.
- 1/2 bunch fresh sage
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 bay leaf – Simply Organic Bay Leaf, 0.14 oz.
- 6 cups water
- 2 tablespoons turkey fat
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour – Pillsbury All Purpose Flour, 5lbs.
- 3 cups turkey pan drippings
- 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional) – Trader Joe’s Balsamic Vinegar, 17 oz.
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
- Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
- Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin.
- Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
- Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
- Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
- While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside.
- Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour.
- Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
- Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
*Note: For thicker gravy, double the amounts of turkey fat, butter, and flour in the gravy part of the recipe.
Source: AllRecipes.com
Cornish Game Hens with Rosemary
Top Of Page | Roast Turkey Dinner | Cornish Game Hens | Apple and Walnut Stuffed Pork | Lamb Braised Pomegranate
Source: AllRecipes.com
Video Instructions – Ingredients and Text Instructions Below
Ingredients
Yield: 4 Sevings
- 4 Cornish game hens
- Salt and pepper to taste – Tone’s Ground Black Pepper, 18 oz. Shaker
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons olive oil – Baja Precious Olive Oil, 750 ml Bottle
- 24 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup white wine – Goya Dry White Cooking Wine, 25.4 oz
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth – Campbell’s Low Sodium Chicken Broth, 10.5 oz x 12 Pack
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen.
- Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens.
- Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens.
- Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
- Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes.
- Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.
Source: AllRecipes.com
Apple Walnut Stuffed Pork Roast
Top Of Page | Roast Turkey Dinner | Cornish Game Hens | Apple and Walnut Stuffed Pork | Lamb Braised Pomegranate
Source: AllRecipes.com
Ingredients
Yield: 8 Sevings
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 apple – peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts – Diamond Chopped Walnuts, 4 oz.
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce – Musselman’s Natural Unsweetened Apple Sauce, 46oz.
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 5 cups dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Simply Organic Cinnamon, 2.45 oz.
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg – Simply Organic Ground Nutmeg, 2.3 oz.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger – McCormick Ground Ginger, 8 oz.
- 1 (3 pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the apple, onion, celery, and walnuts, and cook 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Mix in the applesauce, water, and breadcrumbs.
- Cook and stir until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the liquid. Season with cinnamon, kosher salt, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Unroll the pork roast, and place in a baking dish. Spoon the stuffing mixture over the roast.
- Arrange any excess stuffing around the roast.
- Roll the roast so that the fatty side is on top, and tie with kitchen twine.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).
Source: AllRecipes.com
Lamb Braised in Pomegranate
Top Of Page | Roast Turkey Dinner | Cornish Game Hens | Apple and Walnut Stuffed Pork | Lamb Braised Pomegranate
Source: AllRecipes.com
Video Instructions – Ingredients and Text Instructions Below
Ingredients
Yield: 6 Servings
- 3 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil – Pure Wesson 100% Natural Vegetable Oil, 24 oz.
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 cups pomegranate juice – VitaCoast Pure Pomegranate Juice, 16 oz.
- 1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 8 fresh mint leaves – Spicy World Crush Mint Leaves, 3.5 oz x 6 Pack
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste – YS Farms Organic Honey, 32 oz.
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds – Jansal Valley Dried Pomegranate Seeds, 1 lb.
- 1 tablespoon sliced fresh mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds – Hoosier Farms Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas), 1 lb
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- Generously season lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat.
- Place lamb chops in Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer lamb to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
- Stir onion and a pinch of salt into the Dutch oven; cook until onions are slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour pomegranate juice into the Dutch oven and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in balsamic vinegar, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
- Stir rosemary, mint leaves, and red pepper flakes into pomegranate juice mixture. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Return lamb and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven, spoon pomegranate mixture over lamb, and cover.
- Cook in the preheated oven until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to a plate and set Dutch oven on the stove top over high heat.
- Bring pomegranate mixture to a boil; cook, skimming any fat that accumulates, until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in honey and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Return lamb to the Dutch oven; stir to combine.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds, sliced mint leaves, and pumpkin seeds.
Source: AllRecipes.com
From Prime Rib to Turkey, or Lamb to Pork, PrimeRibDinner.com has you covered! 🙂
Anyone have the video for Chef John’s turkey gravy? I only see the turket prep and roast????
It’s on Youtube here: Chef john turkey gravy instructions
Great thanks, that’s the one! 🙂
Chef John killed Lamb Chop’s Play along. (Taht strange lady with the puppet)
It’s about time. Lamb Chop would be pretty old. She wouldn’t taste like lamb. Probably more like a HOward Johnsons frozen dinner.
Ho Jos makes food?
What kind of name is ‘laquain’? Haven’t you ever been to a Howard Johnsons?
What kind of name is Ebenezer, dog? Lay of the weed. Charles Dickens is way old school.
I really like the Apple Walnut Stuffed Pork recipe. Pork is leaner than prime rib, but still retains a great flavor.
The key is to use an apple that has a different taste than the apple sauce. The contrast makes it less bland. The walnuts add an earthy flavor and occasional crunch.
My favorite! 🙂
Where do I get Cornish Game Hens anyway?
Put some bird shot in your shotgun. Poke around in the woods. One will walk by. Let ‘er rip.
Might need a magnet to clean the damn thing.
Wrong Tagg (what a dumb name, BTW).
Cornish Game Hens are a fancy name for immature chickens. They are simply slaughtered much earlier than the usual full grown chicken. (Somewhat similar in concept to veal, which is calf meat).
The flavor is different, and their size makes them more amenable to gourmet cooking.
Shit, I must have been eaten squirrel all these years.
What’s you thought on Cornish Squirrel, Lizeth? (BTW, you got papers yet or still cleaning houses)
Chef John takes the guesswork out of Thanksgiving dinner with his great turkey roast recipe.
Many people liken cooking turkey to painting a masterpiece, when in reality just about anyone can do it.
I also like the Prime Rib recipe and Lamb and Pomegranate. For those wanting to sample the flavor of pomegranate, buy a small bottle in your supermarket’s juice aisle.
tried pommgarnate juice once and I got the shits.
Thanks for that thoughtful comment Dicky. Typically people keep their bathroom stories off recipe websites.
Sorry “chef”, just don’t want anyone else to go through 5 rolls of 2 ply in 1 hour.
For anyone looking to add some pizzazz to their Chef John Prime rib, I would suggest creating your own rub (applied prior to cooking), or buying a pre-made rub in the store.
The primeribdinner.com crew already did that: pre made prime rib rubs and seasonings (plus cooking instructions).
Thanks for that factoid on mistletoe. No luck this year yet with the guys at work. 😉
1. Drop prime rib and try rice cakes instead.
2. Brush teeth after your morning coffee.
3. Avoid Taco Bell at all costs.
Thanks jerk, all 3 are already taken care of.
LOL 🙂 Esmerelda, don’t mind Sha-Zam!, he or she is the comedian on these boards.
There’s a good chance most young men these days don’t know a thing about chivalry or the mistletoe tradition. Time for some book learnin!
Gina thanks for your kind words. I agree, some of the great traditions of the holidays are lost on most people these days.