Christmas pros know that there’s really only one way to do Christmas dinner
We’re listing five to choose from below. Each one is as aromatic, gorgeous, and show-stopping as the others. But some may fit your personal hosting (and eating) style better than the rest.
How’d we land on these recipes? First, we scoured the Epicurious archives for roasts with high ratings and enthusiastic reviews. Then gave them a go in the Epi Test Kitchen. Guess what? They hold up.
But there was one roast we couldn’t find: a holiday-worthy pork tenderloin. To fix that, Rhoda Boone
1. The Best Roast…to Make Ahead
Anna Stockwelllast year’s Christmas menumuch-more expensive dry-aged roast.) Second, it’s made using the reverse-sear method: roasted to your desired temperature, then seared at the end to develop that rich, caramelized crust. Feel free to prep the beef all the way through roasting up to an hour ahead and then sear it off when you’re ready to serve.
2. The Best Roast…To Nibble On All Day
I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of serving a Christmas ham (which I usually do on Christmas Eve) is the bit I slice off for breakfast the next morning. And the bit I slice off to make a sandwich for lunch a little while later. Christmas ham is the roast that keeps on giving, and this one is practically perfectâmore than one reviewer has exclaimed that they love this five-ingredient recipe so much they don’t make any modifications. (If you frequent our reviews, you know this is basically unheard of.) Not only that, one repeat customer said, “I’ve been making this [recipe] for a few years and everyone who [tastes it] has adopted it as their favorite as well.” Maybe it’s time to make it your go-to holiday ham, too?
3. The Best Roast…for an Olde EnglishâStyle Christmas
When is the last time you had a Christmas goose? Unless you’re sipping tea in Liverpool right now, I’m betting you can’t remember. Rectify that with this version, which appeared in Bon Appétit magazine in December 1995 (yes, this recipe is older than your college-aged nephew). One reviewer notes that “this is a wonderful recipe for both the everyday cook or the advanced chef. It is incredible! I have been making it for 10 years!” If you have trouble finding Madeiraâa Portuguese fortified wineâturn to Sherry or marsala instead.
4. The Best Roast…for a Smaller Crowd
Every other roast on this list will feed at least 10 people. But this new pork tenderloin is a great way to add ceremony to more intimate occasionsâand won’t leave you with a glut of leftovers. The pork is rubbed with a mix of garlic, rosemary, and winter-warming allspice, then wrapped completely in bacon. (I repeat: it’s wrapped completely in bacon.) The fragrance alone is worth celebrating Christmas for.
5. The Best Roast…for Outliers
Even before we pulled this old Gourmet magazine lamb roast for our 4-Fork Easter feast
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