Roast beef? A leg of ham? A whole turkey or goose? What meat are you serving for the holidays? Something traditional or will you go a little unorthodox this year? Maybe even a bit rebellious?
I’ve never been a traditionalist when it comes to holiday menus. I’ve eaten the same dishes year after year from the time I was a old enough to eat solid food up to the time I moved out of my parents’ house. By the time I had a family and a house, I resolved that Christmas and New Year menus would be unique — not mere recreations of Christmases and New Years past. No leg of ham, no queso de bola, no hot chocolate.
For this year’s holiday meals, we’re considering the tabletop grill again like what we did in 2021. Or, perhaps, we can do hot pot. It’s not that hard to prep or cleanup because there are just four of us in the family. Tabletop grilling or a hot pot may not be so doable if you’re having a crowd over. But if you’re serving meat — and you most likely are — here are a few recommendations.
Beef tongue in vinaigrette – Fully cooked thinly sliced beef tongue is marinated in a vinaigrette mixed with chopped roasted garlic, rosemary and mint. Serve with crusty bread as a filling appetizer. Get the recipe.
Wagyu beef salpicao – Wagyu cubes are marinated in garlic, pepper and olive oil, seared and braised in a mixture of liquid seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Button mushrooms complete the dish. Get the recipe.
Spanish oxtail stew – Browned oxtail is cooked with vegetables and red wine until tender. The meat is scooped out, the sauce is pureed, the meat goes back in, mushrooms and onions are added, and everything is simmered for another fifteen minutes. The result is just magnificent. Get the recipe.
Korean braised beef short ribs (galbi-jjim) – Slow cooked in a sweet-savory broth with spices and vegetables, Korean braised beef short ribs is traditionally served on Seollal (New Year’s Day). You can enjoy it any time of the year though. It’s especially lovely with rice on a cold night. Get the recipe.
Air fried crispy pork hock – Called crispy pata in the Philippines, this lovely meat dish gets a makeover by ditching the deep frying part in favor of an air fryer. Get the recipe.
Beef shank and bone marrow stew – Browned beef shank is tenderized in the slow cooker then transferred on the stovetop where the meat joins vegetables and tomato sauce to make this warming cold weather stew. Get the recipe.
Discover more from Umami Notes
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.