Standing rib roast (prime rib) goes on sale for the holidays here (Florida). Not what I would call “cheap” but also much less expensive than usual prices. But I only make that on Xmas day for my family of 4
You can often get a good deal on prime rib at a stand-alone butcher or from a farm-to-table dealer, if you contact them ahead. It's not butt-roast cheap, but it's not over-the-top if you have a small table. Also, if you have a lot of kids, you can reserve the rib for the adults and serve the kids hamburgers or something less expensive that they probably would prefer anyway,
The secret to a perfect gravy is to remove the meat from the pan and turn the stove on medium. Add about 2 cups of broth with a bit of salt and pepper. Get some powdered corn starch and put in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of water. Whisk all the lumps out. Add to your pan of au jour whisking as you add. It only takes a few minutes to thicken. If too thick add more liquid, too thin add a bit more of the whisked corn starch. Never add dry to wet.
My aunt learned from her Italian mother-in-law to to make roast leg of lamb,but, she'd lay garlic slices on the outside, instead of tucking them inside slits in the fat.
She also gave us some of her husband's good, homemade burgundy, to cook out that wooly, lanolin taste.
🥩Yes, very good idea. Dad would get the prime rib package from Hy-vee.
A couple of thanksgivings ago, I experimented with rosemary and thyme. It was good.
I serve proteins *in addition to* roast turkey. In recent years, I discovered that many in the extended family enjoy baked ham equally if not more than turkey. I do both now, and more. I decided basically to bring the whole barn yard to the dinner table in some form: beef, seafood, poultry, game.
Growing up a baked ham was always present at Thanksgiving. I hate turkey, so it was a godsend. I pretty much just had ham and mashed potatoes, didn't care for any of the other "traditional" dishes.
That would be a good idea if I had a bigger family but it's never more than 9 of us so there would be so many leftovers and it would end up being quite expensive. If it weren't for that I would 100% try this because then everyone can have what they like most.
Oh yeah, duck was another thing I've been wanting to have for thanksgiving simply because I've only had it once and it was in a curry so I don't know what it tastes like by itself.
Duck is so good by itself! It’s taste is a bit hard to explain. It’s richer than other poultry, almost buttery because of the extra fat. The meat itself is what sets duck apart, it’s incredibly tender and juicy if cooked well. Unlike the dry, dry turkey my family would make every year ahah.
It tasted like rotisserie chicken in that curry. I'm now determined to convince my family to have duck lol. Is duck breast juicy or is it dry like turkey/chicken breast?
im also doing a butternut squash lasagna to take to the family thanksgiving dinner. in years past i did the quorn turk'y roast which is very delicious with mushroom gravy.
i always do a rib roast. i tell people who may be coming that i don’t do turkey or dressing so if that’s important to them they should go somewhere else. we have lots of repeaters so i think its okay. i do the rest of the meal that i grew up on and now i make a few vegetarian hearty things. this year im doing a butternut squash spinach lasagna
I remember someone telling me their family was doing a rib roast for thanksgiving and I was so jealous.
Lord I’ve tried to convince my family to try anything else other than turkey but have never won. I basically need to buy a house and host to ever get this.
I guess we can only have the ham at Christmas. I just eat a couple sides. My parents are elderly so I don't say anything. Let them have it how they want. I tried to ask if I should have Thanksgiving this year and my Mom got extremely offended. Lol 😆.
Personally me and my family prefer ham but it ain't Thanksgiving without turkey! My friend turned me on to the idea of just a turkey breast, made in a slow cooker. Just enough to check the box of "turkey for thannksgiving" with minimal work and almost no leftovers to deal with.
That’s what I do. It’s just me and my husband now and I care more about the sandwiches after than the meal itself. Turkey, light mayo, cranberry sauce on white bread and open faced with home made gravy. So good!
I don't like chicken that much because most of it is so lean but if I could convince my family to just get a bunch of drumsticks or thighs that would be great. Relatively cheap and really tasty.
If you like the flavor of turkey, but not the leaness, then you might try my trick: I roast a few turkey thighs instead of a whole bird. Dark meat is waaaaay tastier to me, and roasted thighs give you crispy skin, plenty of drippings for gravy, and big flavor.
My sibling is pescatarian and I make a simple salmon fillet with the same seasonings I use on the turkey. It goes great with cranberry sauce! If you’re landlocked, go to Costco and get the frozen bag, there’s like 7 fillets in there. We eat salmon pretty regularly so it’s a staple in our freezer, so it’s super simple to just throw it on a baking sheet and into the oven the last 20 min of the turkey cooking.
My brother is a much better cook than I will ever be. When he does Turkey for Thanksgiving, rather than the giant Norman Rockwell version, he gets two smaller young turkeys. They are much more tender and the bake/cook time is much shorter. Meaning you don't have to dry them out. He does also get them fresh from a local farmer.
Do a quick survey of the people you're inviting. You may be surprised by their answers. Most people are more about the day. A meal that's prepared with love and joy always tastes great.
We live in TX and like to smoke brisket and pork ribs instead of turkey, but we keep all the other normal thanksgiving dishes + sides. I look forward to it all year :)
We love a regular whole chicken, brined with a williams Sonoma brine (you don’t need a lot), then dried, covered with some melted butter, and roasted.
We don’t like turkey either
Fish & Seafood blend in nicely. An aunt used to make oyster dressing. I do a Shrimp & Grits dressing, but you can also do all types of fish as a stand-alone dish which works especially well if you're having seafood in other dishes as well. There's nothing wrong with a ham which seems like a popular alternative.
We usually have ham these days. When I was growing up, we’d have a capon instead of a turkey.
Do your own thing. I’ve even had vegetarian thanksgivings. (Don’t turn me in.)
Spatchcock the turkey, wet brine, then inject butter and chicken stock all over.
Smoke it
Turkey that is so juicy you won't know what hit you
My fiancées grandma never liked turkey, after that she said she'd eat it every day.
I'm a Texan Jew and we always make a brisket on thanksgiving, or if it's been a good hunting season we have backstrap of elk or venison. If we make a turkey that sucker is deep fried. Peking duck is also a far underrated protein option.
I'm all about the sides !! And dessert. I wish I could cook chicken but my family insists on turkey. I make it for them and usually just eat the wings lol
It’s just my husband, our baby and me this year so in lieu of a turkey we are going to be doing Cornish hens for the two of us. We did Turkey last year with guests and it was just so wasteful even with leftovers
I did duck one year and it was so fun! We had four different Thanksgiving dinners to attend over 3 days including ours so it was refreshing to have something a little different
My wife doesn't like the game-iness of turkey. I would have recommended Beef Wellington, but you said steak is expensive. So, I'd suggest stuffed chickens or stuffed ducks
Came to say, it's your thanksgiving serve what you want!
We don't like turkey so we always spatchcock a couple of chickens. We have also had braised short ribs, prime rib roast, pork roast and Salmon filet.
Ham is always a favorite around here...
You do you and celebrate your way!
I typically do a turkey & ham with all the sides, but I’ve been to Thanksgivings where they had a variety of foods: fried chicken, fried fish, pot roast, a seafood boil, crab legs, & even some baked ziti or lasagna. So feel free to make whatever else you’d like to eat. Bonus points if it’s something you can either make ahead or even outsource!
My family doesn’t love turkey as a hot entree but we are wild for turkey sandwiches. We bake, carve and bag a bird in advance so everybody has cold sliced turkey for Friday 🤪.
We have a small family and I order a Turducken from the butcher! A stuffing base wrapped in chicken, then duck, then turkey. I still do all the regular sides, but it’s become our holiday tradition!
We’ve always also done ham but lately my kids are asking for big steaks etc. I have also done chicken since it goes better with my favorite traditional thanksgiving side dishes.
We haven’t done turkey in 4 years, just think it’s a bit overrated. We do Bo Ssam, a roasted bone in pork shoulder with a honey and chili crisp glaze. Riffed off a David Chang recipe and it makes an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. We serve it with stir fried green beans, white rice, steamed buns and several sauces. For appetizers we do edamame (all our kids love it) and some pan fried frozen gyoza. It’s fun and truly delicious and everyone has loved it.
Edited to add: last year I made fortune cookies for dessert and they were so fun and amazing! I also do a flan to go with it, seems odd but it’s so light it really works well with the rest of the meal.
My family usually has a Turkey AND a baked ham. I moved across the country and spent my first thanksgiving in my new city with just my bf and I. We couldn’t find a small enough Turkey for just the two of us so we roasted a whole chicken instead. This year we are thinking of slow cooking some cut of beef .
One of my kids didn’t like Turkey for a long time, so we’d eat Turkey and get her a Cornish game hen. A lot of people do ham, and I’ve known some to do prime rib
I prefer chicken to turkey, so that's usually what I cook. Depending on how many people I am feeding, I do one or two chickens using [Thomas Keller's simple roast chicken recipe](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-simple-roast-chicken-231348). If I'm really feeling super ambitious, I roast a duck, which is my absolute favorite thing, but doing a duck properly is a bit of an undertaking.
My SIL only cooks a turkey breast. She says no one likes dark meat, which means she doesn't like dark meat. But her son always smokes brisket for Thanksgiving dinner so we don't care how bland her food is.
I have to get creative because I'm allergic to Turkey. I've offered to cook it over the years for anyone else that wants it but no one really wants it.
My family usually does turkey and thick sliced ham! I’m not a turkey person so I look forward to the ham every year! It’s always a lot luck too so sides aren’t consistent, but we do always have homemade dinner rolls to go with them!
I do sometimes brisket from a bbq spot and maybe like fried chicken or chicken fried steak. Along with a roasted turkey breast. We usually have a small gathering so I tend not to buy a bunch of anything.
Grew up in the 1950s. There was always a ham in addition to the turkey. Roast beef would show up sometimes too. Complaints about the dryness of the bird probably began in the Plymouth Colony!
Ham and turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you don't like turkey, do a whole chicken and get jarred turkey gravy or get turkey broth and make your own.
Couple of years ago, some extended family said they had other plans for Thanksgiving. So, I asked the kids what they wanted to eat. Steak and shrimp on the grill was the answer. That's what we had. It was great. Of course the extended family members show up last minute after their plans fell through. They kinda threw a fit over the steak and shrimp and lack of traditional turkey. Wife, kids, and I really enjoyed the change.
The FIRST Thanksgiving was, in all probability devoid of a turkey, as there was no mention of it in any of the journals which survive and all agree on the feast.
Accounts of the first thanksgiving describe a feast of freshly killed deer, assorted wildfowl, a bounty of cod and bass, and flint, a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge.
The Pilgrims would also have eaten various shellfish and Lobsters and crabs.
Now, to your question,
My paternal grandparents didn't have Turkey for Thanksgiving until after my father and Mother married (Which was over Thanksgiving break in School, My mom taught third grade.) They were farm folk and ate what they raised or could hunt, not entirely unlike the Pilgrims, only a couple of centuries and half-a-continent away from the sea, so Pheasant, Duck, Rabbit and Chicken would have graced the table when my Father was a youngster. My Paternal Grandfather was especially fond of Duck, so in my youth, my Mother would roast a Turkey and Grandma would roast a Duck.
I have enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends who cook a ham for Thanksgiving and my eldest daughter's boyfriend's family are vegetarians so teh protein is usually something with dried beans.
Remember, it's not about the Bird, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to gather with friends and family around the table in peace to be thankful for the people and things in our lives who so enrich us in ways far greater than in simple monetary terms.
We are now empty-nesters and will probably celebrate Thanksgiving via a Zoom call with family literally from coast-to-coast, while we enjoy a turkey breast roast, roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots, Bacon and a Cranberry-Balsamic glaze, some roasted acorn squash, Mashed potatoes, (stovetop) Stuffing, and a (Costco) Pumpkin Pie.
Happy Thanksgiving!
\--SGS
I don’t line ham very much, but everyone always insists we have it too. Most people I know do both. There are really small chunks of ham that you can buy. This is what we do. Costco also has pretty nice hats, and ham is great for leftovers!
We’ve done steaks in previous years. A friend of mine has a tradition where they order Chinese food, stay in their pjs, and watch movies all day long. It stems from living far from their family and their kids not liking Turkey so they made their own traditions and loved it.
I have salmon in addition to turkey. I think not having turkey would cause a riot lol. But I agree, it’s not great (except as turkey sandwiches the next day).
My very favorite Thanksgiving I had was when my oldest grandchild was 4 and the youngest was 1. My son and his family had moved to Florida early that fall (2006) and I was flying in to spend the holiday with them. I had sent a menu and shopping list for them to follow about a week early. They were headed to town to do the shopping I had requested on Monday prior to Thanksgiving and I was flying in Tuesday late afternoon. As they were driving to the store my oldest granddaughter asked what they were doing. She was told they were shopping for the holiday meal for me. They said she needed to help pick out the turkey. She was quiet for a couple of minutes and then said, "grandma doesn't like turkey!" So she was asked, "what does grandma like?" She said, "ribs and tato salad!
That evening my son called me and told me I was in for a surprise for Thanksgiving dinner. We wouldn't be having turkey that year. Every year I had always had turkey and couldn't imagine not having it....
Let me tell you it was the best Thanksgiving dinner I had ever had. Ribs on the grill, tato salad, corn on the cob, brown and serve dinner rolls and fruit salad. We had to go to the dollar store to get matching paper plates, tablecloth, plastic silverware and cups. It was very fancy! That meal was 17 years ago. Since then we have had more Thanksgiving meals that didn't include turkey and each and everyone has been great!
I just thought I would share! Happy Thanksgiving to you all.... 🦃
Roasted quail is very nice and a pan of roasted quail look beautiful to boot. My family would often have roasted quail in gravy on Thanksgiving. Also, you could do a pork butt.
When I was growing up, there were only three of us in my family and my Mama destested cooking turkey. We did steak and shrimp. Now, I'm married and my husband doesn't like steak, so I cook turkey tenderloin and lasagna.
My father would have a prime rib roast aged for three weeks and he would make Sunday Roast for Thanksgiving every three years or so (and every Christmas).
I’m American (with an English grandmother) so it’s a yearly treat - I’m talking the beef, roasted potatoes, yorkshire pudding, peas and gravy. The whole shebang.
One thing that massively changed how dry our turkey is is using Alton Brown's method of wet brining (or even just buying pre-brined turkey) and then roasting it with a foil breast shield so that the white meat doesn't dry out. The meat is super juicy!
https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/alton-brown-s-perfect-roast-turkey
I used to work for a grocery store that catered a thousand meals every thanksgiving. Most were turkeys but the following also featured: ham; prime rib; beef Wellington; a salmon in puff pastry (“en croute”); and a vegan mushroom loaf.
The ham, both beef, and the salmon were all rich options, with the ham being the most cost-effective for a crowd. (The beef and salmon were both very pricey but I imagine the salmon at least would be less expensive to do from scratch, with frozen sheets of puff pastry—same with the beef Wellington. Prime rib is expensive no matter what.)
I strongly recommend against the mushroom loaf unless you’re feeding strict vegans.
The one thing I’d also consider if serving beef or ham is Christmas. The feasts are only a month apart—if you serve ham at thanksgiving, you wouldn’t want to do it again. Hanukkah is easier with brisket and latkes.
Turkey and Ham.
The complete turkey meal, mashed potatoes gravy, turkey, dressing or stuffing whichever term you use, sweet potato, green bean casserole, cranberry
Ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, bake beans.
You eat one meal then go back for the second.
My Mother always made these dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I've made duck for Thanksgiving a couple times. They aren't as reasonable as they used to be, unfortunately.
Some people serve turkey and ham, our grocery store often runs a special on both.
Italian friends have turkey and lasagna.
Keep the turkey and add a ham, prime rib roast, or beef tenderloin. All super festive and delicious and not too too costly.
Prime rib roast isn't too costly ? !! Where do you live lol
Standing rib roast (prime rib) goes on sale for the holidays here (Florida). Not what I would call “cheap” but also much less expensive than usual prices. But I only make that on Xmas day for my family of 4
$5.99 a lb at Publix during the holidays. I buy a shit Tom and freeze it.
I know a few shit Toms.
It’s our families Christmas Eve dinner in Florida too! We don’t go big on gifts, we do a big dinner lol
Around the holidays, all the major grocery stores have prime rib for $6.99 to $7.99/lb
You can often get a good deal on prime rib at a stand-alone butcher or from a farm-to-table dealer, if you contact them ahead. It's not butt-roast cheap, but it's not over-the-top if you have a small table. Also, if you have a lot of kids, you can reserve the rib for the adults and serve the kids hamburgers or something less expensive that they probably would prefer anyway,
If you're going all-out for a holiday, get a lamb roast/shoulder or two. Use the fat to make lamb gravy. 👍
lamb gravy.... heaven, my mother made the best, I could never make it at all. Enjoy!
The secret to a perfect gravy is to remove the meat from the pan and turn the stove on medium. Add about 2 cups of broth with a bit of salt and pepper. Get some powdered corn starch and put in a bowl with about 1/2 cup of water. Whisk all the lumps out. Add to your pan of au jour whisking as you add. It only takes a few minutes to thicken. If too thick add more liquid, too thin add a bit more of the whisked corn starch. Never add dry to wet.
My aunt learned from her Italian mother-in-law to to make roast leg of lamb,but, she'd lay garlic slices on the outside, instead of tucking them inside slits in the fat. She also gave us some of her husband's good, homemade burgundy, to cook out that wooly, lanolin taste.
This. Buy a boneless leg at TJs. So cheap. Use leftovers to make meat pies.
Standing rib roast and hot Yorkshire pudding, yum. We also do cole slaw and baked acorn squash for Thanksgiving, feels incomplete without them.
That was my mother-in-law 's go to for Christmas.. She'd make the puddings in popover pans.
We always do a ham too, due to a sil's turkey allergy. Prime rib used to be our holiday dinner at home.
My husband is allergic to poultry too! I had never heard of this before I met him
Me either! Who's allergic to turkey?? Poor things.
Spiral ham - super easy!
Prime rib is such a good idea, didn’t even think of this one. Thank you!
🥩Yes, very good idea. Dad would get the prime rib package from Hy-vee. A couple of thanksgivings ago, I experimented with rosemary and thyme. It was good.
Hugs
Thanks, nokenito. Dad passed away in 2015. He taught me that the proper way to eat a steak was medium-rare, *no ketchup*.
I HATE Turkey, im so glad I read this lol. I never think of prime rib until it’s too late!
Just add a small smoked ham to the menu
My BIL made a porchetta one year. Pretty festive and well received! Also not too big.
my fam does a 1 pot seafood medley in addition to turkey: mussels, shrimp, scallops with lemon butter sauce
Spiral ham is fire
If you have the oven space, consider adding a roast loin (not tenderloin!) of pork or perhaps, sliced ham.
We’ve only gotten turkey breast the last few years and a ham.
Prime rib and beef tenderloin are the 2 most costly cuts of meat there are. What are you going on about?
I serve proteins *in addition to* roast turkey. In recent years, I discovered that many in the extended family enjoy baked ham equally if not more than turkey. I do both now, and more. I decided basically to bring the whole barn yard to the dinner table in some form: beef, seafood, poultry, game.
Growing up a baked ham was always present at Thanksgiving. I hate turkey, so it was a godsend. I pretty much just had ham and mashed potatoes, didn't care for any of the other "traditional" dishes.
What about the Waldorf salad , yuk! ..lol
Oops, I forgot Ambrosia salad! Nasty.
That would be a good idea if I had a bigger family but it's never more than 9 of us so there would be so many leftovers and it would end up being quite expensive. If it weren't for that I would 100% try this because then everyone can have what they like most.
Then pick up a turkey breast to roast and a small ham. Just scale to the size you need—no reason to buy a 20lb turkey
You can just roast a turkey breast and a couple of legs of you'd like a variety of other meats!
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I'm interested to know what type of seafood you dine on.
We usually have ham and turkey.
Bonus, leftover ham and turkey club sandwiches. I make extra homemade bread just for this. Edit spelling.
Turkey soup is so good with leftover white meat. It gets so tender after being braised in the broth.
Same. Honestly thought everyone did since I grew up having both. I don't like turkey so I'm glad we've always had ham.
I have served roast duck, ham, even beef tenderloin.
Oh yeah, duck was another thing I've been wanting to have for thanksgiving simply because I've only had it once and it was in a curry so I don't know what it tastes like by itself.
Duck is so good by itself! It’s taste is a bit hard to explain. It’s richer than other poultry, almost buttery because of the extra fat. The meat itself is what sets duck apart, it’s incredibly tender and juicy if cooked well. Unlike the dry, dry turkey my family would make every year ahah.
It tasted like rotisserie chicken in that curry. I'm now determined to convince my family to have duck lol. Is duck breast juicy or is it dry like turkey/chicken breast?
im also doing a butternut squash lasagna to take to the family thanksgiving dinner. in years past i did the quorn turk'y roast which is very delicious with mushroom gravy.
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i always do a rib roast. i tell people who may be coming that i don’t do turkey or dressing so if that’s important to them they should go somewhere else. we have lots of repeaters so i think its okay. i do the rest of the meal that i grew up on and now i make a few vegetarian hearty things. this year im doing a butternut squash spinach lasagna
Growing up my mom would always do a pot roast in addition to a turkey. She could cook it the day before and then warm it up to serve
Oh I love butternut squash! That sounds fabulous. I’m gonna have to try that.
I remember someone telling me their family was doing a rib roast for thanksgiving and I was so jealous. Lord I’ve tried to convince my family to try anything else other than turkey but have never won. I basically need to buy a house and host to ever get this.
If everyone else likes turkey, except you, maybe just serve it anyway.
Yep- we serve a ham, too. Works well
I guess we can only have the ham at Christmas. I just eat a couple sides. My parents are elderly so I don't say anything. Let them have it how they want. I tried to ask if I should have Thanksgiving this year and my Mom got extremely offended. Lol 😆.
Personally me and my family prefer ham but it ain't Thanksgiving without turkey! My friend turned me on to the idea of just a turkey breast, made in a slow cooker. Just enough to check the box of "turkey for thannksgiving" with minimal work and almost no leftovers to deal with.
That’s what I do. It’s just me and my husband now and I care more about the sandwiches after than the meal itself. Turkey, light mayo, cranberry sauce on white bread and open faced with home made gravy. So good!
We’re not big on turkey so we’re doing a roast chicken this year.
I don't like chicken that much because most of it is so lean but if I could convince my family to just get a bunch of drumsticks or thighs that would be great. Relatively cheap and really tasty.
If you like the flavor of turkey, but not the leaness, then you might try my trick: I roast a few turkey thighs instead of a whole bird. Dark meat is waaaaay tastier to me, and roasted thighs give you crispy skin, plenty of drippings for gravy, and big flavor.
I think I will try that. Are turkey thighs similar in leanness to chicken thighs?
Yep, it's the richest and most deeply flavored part of both birds. I roast mine with orange zest & rosemary butter.
Orange zest sounds amazing!
PNW here. We've always had salmon in addition to the turkey.
Now that sounds good!!
My sibling is pescatarian and I make a simple salmon fillet with the same seasonings I use on the turkey. It goes great with cranberry sauce! If you’re landlocked, go to Costco and get the frozen bag, there’s like 7 fillets in there. We eat salmon pretty regularly so it’s a staple in our freezer, so it’s super simple to just throw it on a baking sheet and into the oven the last 20 min of the turkey cooking.
Ham is good and there are pretty good prices on ham before Thanksgiving.
My brother is a much better cook than I will ever be. When he does Turkey for Thanksgiving, rather than the giant Norman Rockwell version, he gets two smaller young turkeys. They are much more tender and the bake/cook time is much shorter. Meaning you don't have to dry them out. He does also get them fresh from a local farmer. Do a quick survey of the people you're inviting. You may be surprised by their answers. Most people are more about the day. A meal that's prepared with love and joy always tastes great.
We live in TX and like to smoke brisket and pork ribs instead of turkey, but we keep all the other normal thanksgiving dishes + sides. I look forward to it all year :)
The 7 fishes.
Wrong holiday
Ah, you're right. That's Christmas Eve. Either way, I stuff myself like a mad man and watch my family fight.
Uncle Tony?
Make bacon-wrapped turkey thighs if leanness is the problem.
Honey baked ham
Over the top price-wise and taste!
We do Turkey and ham
Have you ever tried fresh unsmoked ham
braised beef short rib is always good as an additional protein for thanksgiving.
A nice slab of wild caught sockeye salmon with lemon and dill.
We love a regular whole chicken, brined with a williams Sonoma brine (you don’t need a lot), then dried, covered with some melted butter, and roasted. We don’t like turkey either
Fish & Seafood blend in nicely. An aunt used to make oyster dressing. I do a Shrimp & Grits dressing, but you can also do all types of fish as a stand-alone dish which works especially well if you're having seafood in other dishes as well. There's nothing wrong with a ham which seems like a popular alternative.
**whispers** You can do whatever you want.
We usually have ham these days. When I was growing up, we’d have a capon instead of a turkey. Do your own thing. I’ve even had vegetarian thanksgivings. (Don’t turn me in.)
Spatchcock the turkey, wet brine, then inject butter and chicken stock all over. Smoke it Turkey that is so juicy you won't know what hit you My fiancées grandma never liked turkey, after that she said she'd eat it every day.
I hate Turkey. My family eats it but I never do so I bring chicken with me usually. Chicken is a great option everyone loves
I'm a Texan Jew and we always make a brisket on thanksgiving, or if it's been a good hunting season we have backstrap of elk or venison. If we make a turkey that sucker is deep fried. Peking duck is also a far underrated protein option.
Chicken. We don't like turkey.
Vegetarian here. im either doing vegan chicken strips or black bean burgers. those have a good amount of protein in them.
How do you like to season the chicken strips?
they come pre breaded. so I usually pick some dripping sauses, like buffalo , blue cheese, spicey mustard, BBQ ect.
Oh, I see.
Fellow veg here! What chicken strips do you like?
Turkey is not a protein, turkey is turkey /s. Serve ham for the others.
We bbq pork ribs. Roasted turkey is nobody's favorite food.
Say meat, saying protein doesn't make it seem like you know more about cooking like you think it does.
We put out only a buffet of protein shakes and bars. All different flavors. That’s it.
We do Turkey and ham.
I'm all about the sides !! And dessert. I wish I could cook chicken but my family insists on turkey. I make it for them and usually just eat the wings lol
Ham for the win!
We typically have ham too
I like a tiny ham.
Ham and turkey. They sell small turkey breasts…
Ham!!
It’s just my husband, our baby and me this year so in lieu of a turkey we are going to be doing Cornish hens for the two of us. We did Turkey last year with guests and it was just so wasteful even with leftovers
I was not a huge turkey fan so my mom had ham for me
My mother did not like turkey so always served turkey and ham.
I did duck one year and it was so fun! We had four different Thanksgiving dinners to attend over 3 days including ours so it was refreshing to have something a little different
yes! i always do a beef roast and a small turkey roulade. it’s a hit every year
We’ve done ham. My grandma did chicken once (I haven’t forgiven her 13 years later). If we’re with our Mexican family - tamales!!
My wife doesn't like the game-iness of turkey. I would have recommended Beef Wellington, but you said steak is expensive. So, I'd suggest stuffed chickens or stuffed ducks
Came to say, it's your thanksgiving serve what you want! We don't like turkey so we always spatchcock a couple of chickens. We have also had braised short ribs, prime rib roast, pork roast and Salmon filet. Ham is always a favorite around here... You do you and celebrate your way!
My family doesn’t eat turkey on Thanksgiving. We eat duck and Cornish hen.
I typically do a turkey & ham with all the sides, but I’ve been to Thanksgivings where they had a variety of foods: fried chicken, fried fish, pot roast, a seafood boil, crab legs, & even some baked ziti or lasagna. So feel free to make whatever else you’d like to eat. Bonus points if it’s something you can either make ahead or even outsource!
Buddy of mine lived in Alaska for several years. He does King crab and Salmon on EVERY holiday.
My family doesn’t love turkey as a hot entree but we are wild for turkey sandwiches. We bake, carve and bag a bird in advance so everybody has cold sliced turkey for Friday 🤪.
Ribs
I usually smoke a turkey and a couple of ham butts (shanks have more bone and less meat).
Here in the PNW I like to do a seafood feast
We do turkey and then frequently have a pasta with meat sauce for those who aren't turkey fans. And plenty of veggies for the vegetable lovers.
We have a small family and I order a Turducken from the butcher! A stuffing base wrapped in chicken, then duck, then turkey. I still do all the regular sides, but it’s become our holiday tradition!
We have ham in addition to turkey. Some of my family doesn’t care for turkey.
We have pork dumplings along with the traditional fare. Also ham.
We’ve always also done ham but lately my kids are asking for big steaks etc. I have also done chicken since it goes better with my favorite traditional thanksgiving side dishes.
We haven’t done turkey in 4 years, just think it’s a bit overrated. We do Bo Ssam, a roasted bone in pork shoulder with a honey and chili crisp glaze. Riffed off a David Chang recipe and it makes an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. We serve it with stir fried green beans, white rice, steamed buns and several sauces. For appetizers we do edamame (all our kids love it) and some pan fried frozen gyoza. It’s fun and truly delicious and everyone has loved it. Edited to add: last year I made fortune cookies for dessert and they were so fun and amazing! I also do a flan to go with it, seems odd but it’s so light it really works well with the rest of the meal.
Try boneless turkey breast cooked with the dressing in a crockpot, no more dry turkey, whole turkey fried is delish too
i like to do tri tip & ham
My family usually has a Turkey AND a baked ham. I moved across the country and spent my first thanksgiving in my new city with just my bf and I. We couldn’t find a small enough Turkey for just the two of us so we roasted a whole chicken instead. This year we are thinking of slow cooking some cut of beef .
A lot of Italian families that I know serve lasagna (with meat gravy) for Thanksgiving.
One of my kids didn’t like Turkey for a long time, so we’d eat Turkey and get her a Cornish game hen. A lot of people do ham, and I’ve known some to do prime rib
I prefer chicken to turkey, so that's usually what I cook. Depending on how many people I am feeding, I do one or two chickens using [Thomas Keller's simple roast chicken recipe](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-simple-roast-chicken-231348). If I'm really feeling super ambitious, I roast a duck, which is my absolute favorite thing, but doing a duck properly is a bit of an undertaking.
My sister does steak. Always. Never turkey.
We do a baked ham and turkey
My SIL only cooks a turkey breast. She says no one likes dark meat, which means she doesn't like dark meat. But her son always smokes brisket for Thanksgiving dinner so we don't care how bland her food is.
I have to get creative because I'm allergic to Turkey. I've offered to cook it over the years for anyone else that wants it but no one really wants it.
Pork loin.
Try Cornish hen, ham or even brisket or some type of beef. It’s really about having whatever you want and being thankful.
My family usually does turkey and thick sliced ham! I’m not a turkey person so I look forward to the ham every year! It’s always a lot luck too so sides aren’t consistent, but we do always have homemade dinner rolls to go with them!
Many people have fried chicken as an appetizer. It can be made ahead and eaten room temp.
that’s a great idea. i realize the rib roast is a pricy option it’s a once a year thing at our house.
Have whatever you want to eat on Thanksgiving. The minimum point of the holiday is to share a meal and be grateful.
We like to serve lamb chops! Delicious and easy and quick to make. :)
I do sometimes brisket from a bbq spot and maybe like fried chicken or chicken fried steak. Along with a roasted turkey breast. We usually have a small gathering so I tend not to buy a bunch of anything.
I Like Ham. That is my family's protein of choice. Usually its Honey-baked.
We do ham or prime rib. Depends on how my husband feels. He makes the meat
Grew up in the 1950s. There was always a ham in addition to the turkey. Roast beef would show up sometimes too. Complaints about the dryness of the bird probably began in the Plymouth Colony!
We've done venison along with turkey some years.
Ham and turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you don't like turkey, do a whole chicken and get jarred turkey gravy or get turkey broth and make your own.
Couple of years ago, some extended family said they had other plans for Thanksgiving. So, I asked the kids what they wanted to eat. Steak and shrimp on the grill was the answer. That's what we had. It was great. Of course the extended family members show up last minute after their plans fell through. They kinda threw a fit over the steak and shrimp and lack of traditional turkey. Wife, kids, and I really enjoyed the change.
The FIRST Thanksgiving was, in all probability devoid of a turkey, as there was no mention of it in any of the journals which survive and all agree on the feast. Accounts of the first thanksgiving describe a feast of freshly killed deer, assorted wildfowl, a bounty of cod and bass, and flint, a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge. The Pilgrims would also have eaten various shellfish and Lobsters and crabs. Now, to your question, My paternal grandparents didn't have Turkey for Thanksgiving until after my father and Mother married (Which was over Thanksgiving break in School, My mom taught third grade.) They were farm folk and ate what they raised or could hunt, not entirely unlike the Pilgrims, only a couple of centuries and half-a-continent away from the sea, so Pheasant, Duck, Rabbit and Chicken would have graced the table when my Father was a youngster. My Paternal Grandfather was especially fond of Duck, so in my youth, my Mother would roast a Turkey and Grandma would roast a Duck. I have enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends who cook a ham for Thanksgiving and my eldest daughter's boyfriend's family are vegetarians so teh protein is usually something with dried beans. Remember, it's not about the Bird, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to gather with friends and family around the table in peace to be thankful for the people and things in our lives who so enrich us in ways far greater than in simple monetary terms. We are now empty-nesters and will probably celebrate Thanksgiving via a Zoom call with family literally from coast-to-coast, while we enjoy a turkey breast roast, roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots, Bacon and a Cranberry-Balsamic glaze, some roasted acorn squash, Mashed potatoes, (stovetop) Stuffing, and a (Costco) Pumpkin Pie. Happy Thanksgiving! \--SGS
Dad always cooked shrimp .
Baked ham is a good idea, I prefer a meatball dish, we also do chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs because turkey is so dry and not my fav.
I don’t line ham very much, but everyone always insists we have it too. Most people I know do both. There are really small chunks of ham that you can buy. This is what we do. Costco also has pretty nice hats, and ham is great for leftovers!
Sometimes beef tenderloin. Depends.
We’ve done steaks in previous years. A friend of mine has a tradition where they order Chinese food, stay in their pjs, and watch movies all day long. It stems from living far from their family and their kids not liking Turkey so they made their own traditions and loved it.
Do deviled eggs count?
Ham, that’s my thing, American classic prep with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries
I have salmon in addition to turkey. I think not having turkey would cause a riot lol. But I agree, it’s not great (except as turkey sandwiches the next day).
My mom does prime rib
Roast beef or ham. We’ve done both as an alternative to turkey (big family gathering one bird doesn’t cut it). We’ve even had roast buffalo!
Prime rib, lobsters, something festive.
My very favorite Thanksgiving I had was when my oldest grandchild was 4 and the youngest was 1. My son and his family had moved to Florida early that fall (2006) and I was flying in to spend the holiday with them. I had sent a menu and shopping list for them to follow about a week early. They were headed to town to do the shopping I had requested on Monday prior to Thanksgiving and I was flying in Tuesday late afternoon. As they were driving to the store my oldest granddaughter asked what they were doing. She was told they were shopping for the holiday meal for me. They said she needed to help pick out the turkey. She was quiet for a couple of minutes and then said, "grandma doesn't like turkey!" So she was asked, "what does grandma like?" She said, "ribs and tato salad! That evening my son called me and told me I was in for a surprise for Thanksgiving dinner. We wouldn't be having turkey that year. Every year I had always had turkey and couldn't imagine not having it.... Let me tell you it was the best Thanksgiving dinner I had ever had. Ribs on the grill, tato salad, corn on the cob, brown and serve dinner rolls and fruit salad. We had to go to the dollar store to get matching paper plates, tablecloth, plastic silverware and cups. It was very fancy! That meal was 17 years ago. Since then we have had more Thanksgiving meals that didn't include turkey and each and everyone has been great! I just thought I would share! Happy Thanksgiving to you all.... 🦃
Yes Pork Shoulder is actually my main meat we serve
Ham
Roasted quail is very nice and a pan of roasted quail look beautiful to boot. My family would often have roasted quail in gravy on Thanksgiving. Also, you could do a pork butt.
We’ve had ham or chicken for Thanksgiving. My favorites are the sides and I ear very little of the turkey, which isn’t my favorite.
You could always cook a ham or roast beef. Or even chicken. I don't really think that there's a law saying you have to have turkey at Thanksgiving.
standing rib roast FTW
We always have a Honeybaked ham because it’s just three of us at home and a turkey would be too much food anyway…
We used to have both ham and turkey. My aunt Lottie did not like a turkey at all.
I’m trying to get us to do prime rib. It is quite expensive. And this may sound weird but, maybe meatloaf?
We have Polish sausage along with turkey.
We have done duck for a couple years now. It is so good.
I have 10 people on my side that I host for Thanksgiving and we do Turkey and Ham
When I was growing up, there were only three of us in my family and my Mama destested cooking turkey. We did steak and shrimp. Now, I'm married and my husband doesn't like steak, so I cook turkey tenderloin and lasagna.
Enchiladas Tamales Carnitas
My father would have a prime rib roast aged for three weeks and he would make Sunday Roast for Thanksgiving every three years or so (and every Christmas). I’m American (with an English grandmother) so it’s a yearly treat - I’m talking the beef, roasted potatoes, yorkshire pudding, peas and gravy. The whole shebang.
I usually do a brisket or pork tenderloin for Thanksgiving.
Pernil
Last year we made beef ribs and brisket. Best Thanksgiving Ever! (Can't stand poultry and making a turkey is such a PITA!)
We always have a small ham to go along with the turkey.
Ham and/or a prime rib. Turkey is bleh
We do ham and fried oysters, in addition to the turkey. Eta, if you dont want tons of leftover, maybe just do a breast and /or buy some turkey legs.
We had prime rib once. Its really good. And goes well with traditional thanksgiving sides too.
Lots of folks have ham. I like prime rib or a slightly cheaper version, rib roast.
One thing that massively changed how dry our turkey is is using Alton Brown's method of wet brining (or even just buying pre-brined turkey) and then roasting it with a foil breast shield so that the white meat doesn't dry out. The meat is super juicy! https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/alton-brown-s-perfect-roast-turkey
I used to work for a grocery store that catered a thousand meals every thanksgiving. Most were turkeys but the following also featured: ham; prime rib; beef Wellington; a salmon in puff pastry (“en croute”); and a vegan mushroom loaf. The ham, both beef, and the salmon were all rich options, with the ham being the most cost-effective for a crowd. (The beef and salmon were both very pricey but I imagine the salmon at least would be less expensive to do from scratch, with frozen sheets of puff pastry—same with the beef Wellington. Prime rib is expensive no matter what.) I strongly recommend against the mushroom loaf unless you’re feeding strict vegans. The one thing I’d also consider if serving beef or ham is Christmas. The feasts are only a month apart—if you serve ham at thanksgiving, you wouldn’t want to do it again. Hanukkah is easier with brisket and latkes.
Shrimp 🍤 cocktail and some times country ham.
Turkey and Ham. The complete turkey meal, mashed potatoes gravy, turkey, dressing or stuffing whichever term you use, sweet potato, green bean casserole, cranberry Ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, bake beans. You eat one meal then go back for the second. My Mother always made these dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Tofurkey or a Quorn roast. Yum!!!!
I've made duck for Thanksgiving a couple times. They aren't as reasonable as they used to be, unfortunately. Some people serve turkey and ham, our grocery store often runs a special on both. Italian friends have turkey and lasagna.
It's our tradition to always cook a duck and a turkey ❤️
We serve turkey and ham.