Meat dishes for New Year and Christmas: roast, roast beef and ham

Whatever the occasion, a delicious roast will be the perfect addition to your table. These recipes will help you find the perfect option for your feast, from a whole roast to a festive meatloaf.

The Best Christmas Roast Recipes

Are you hosting guests or hosting a quiet Christmas dinner When hosting a family dinner at home, you'll need an impressive meat main course. For many of us, that means a juicy, flavorful roast. If you're tired of turkey and want to spice up your holiday table with meat dishes, we'll help you come up with other options—from pork butt and impressive crown of ribs to whole roasts and elegant racks of lamb. We've compiled all the recipes in one collection, starting with this easy boneless pork loin dish that solves three problems: you're worried about a large piece of meat not cooking properly, you want to impress guests on a budget, or you're short on time. This standalone dish, ready in just an hour and a half, consists of the roast, sauce, and side dish. And it feeds up to 8 people.

Recipe: Baked pork loin

Christmas ham with honey-glazed pineapple

A generous slab of bone-in ham, topped with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries and topped with a glossy honey glaze, is an American holiday classic, typically served for Christmas and New Year's. If you enjoy the combination of sweet and savory, this magnificent dish will captivate you with its flavor and become a true centerpiece on the holiday table. For this recipe, you'll need about 9 pounds of smoked pork butt, canned pineapple rings and cherries, and honey and brown sugar for the glaze. If desired, you can stave cloves into the ham for an even more wonderful flavor.

Recipe: Christmas ham with honey-glazed pineapple

Beef loin with ribs and stuffing

This luxurious roast features a bone-in beef loin stuffed with fragrant garlic spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and creamy brioche cubes, then trussed and baked whole in the oven until juicy and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. For an unparalleled flavor, you can also top the filling with truffle butter. Don't be intimidated by the idea of a stuffed bone-in cut. Read the cutting instructions in the recipe carefully and take your time. You'll succeed, and your guests will remember your meal for a long time!

Recipe: Beef loin with ribs and stuffing

Ham baked in dough with pineapple puree

Want to decorate your holiday table with a truly grand, unusual, and impressive appetizer? Bake a piece of ham in a puff pastry casing in the shape of a large pineapple and serve with pineapple sauce. When serving, slice the "pineapple" into rounds and arrange on plates. Each serving will feature a stunning combination of salty meat, crispy golden puff pastry, and a delicious sweet and spicy sauce.

Recipe: Ham baked in dough with pineapple puree

Classic "Crown" of pork loin

This festive pork loin crown roast will impress your guests with its presentation and exceptional flavor. You can order it from a butcher or tie several slices of pork loin together into a ring, trimming the rib tips for a striking appearance. Start preparing the roast the day before serving, marinating the loin in a herby blend of juniper, black and allspice pepper, fennel, and bay leaf. Bake it the next day, and a few minutes before it's done, brush it with a wine-apple glaze. Serve the crown on the table, surrounded by a side of stewed apples and onions.

Recipe: Classic "Crown" of pork loin

Millionaire's Ham

Even with this modest set of ingredients, your ham will look like a million bucks! Take a large piece of cooked bone-in ham, mark the entire surface with a knife in a grid pattern, and bake, brushing it with orange glaze, until the meat is golden brown and glossy. It's truly impressive, beautiful, and delicious. Serve the ham with an orange-spiced sauce, and this dish will be a hit at your holiday table. And the leftover ham can be used to make delicious sandwiches the next day.

Recipe: Millionaire's Ham

Rack of lamb with aioli sauce in an air fryer

When you need an elegant and simple dish, use a slow cooker. We cook a rack of lamb in it, first coating the meat with a Parmesan crust: the crispy, golden top layer helps lock in the juiciness and flavor. Plus, cooking it whole means the meat stays tender, is less likely to overcook, and looks prettier when served.

Recipe: Rack of Lamb with Roasted Garlic Aioli in an Air Fryer

Roast beef

For his recipe, Michael Symon recommends asking the butcher to prepare the meat by trimming and removing the bones.

Recipe: Prime Rib Meat in the Oven

Spiral-cut ham in apricot glaze

Prepare a festive bone-in ham, deliciously coated with a glossy glaze. The spiral-cut ham is coated with a tart-sweet glaze made with spiced apricot jam while baking. The juices left on the baking sheet are used to make a delicious gravy to serve with the ham.

Recipe: Spiral-cut ham in apricot glaze

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Pork roll stuffed with apples and minced meat

Pork tenderloin is the best choice for this roulade. Besides being a tender cut, it's easy to cut and roll into a large, flat piece. Simply pound it lightly to flatten it, fill it with the filling, and roll it tightly. For the filling, prepare a mixture of fried ground Italian sausage, stewed apples with onions and celery, and breadcrumbs with aromatic herbs. The flavor combination is stunning. Pan-fry the roulade until golden brown and finish cooking in the oven. The pork stays juicy and delicious. Serve the roulade hot with a side dish or cold on sandwiches instead of sausage.

Recipe: Pork roll stuffed with apples and minced meat

Baked beef with spicy wine sauce

Bobby stuffs the beef with whole garlic cloves to infuse it with flavor, then serves the succulent meat with a thyme-red wine sauce.

Recipe: Beef ribs "au jus" with thyme

Sunday Meat Rack

Aina's delicious ribs are topped with a mustard-horseradish sauce. Slice them at the holiday table for a stunning presentation.

Recipe: Sunday Baked Ribs

Duck in green pepper glaze

Alex recommends saving the duck fat that accumulates at the bottom of the pan. It can be used instead of cooking oil.

Recipe: Roasted duck with green peppercorn glaze

Lamb meatloaf stuffed with olives and salsa verde

This meatloaf is a stunning combination of succulent lamb stuffed with Greek Kalamata olives, ground into a paste with parsley, oregano, olive oil, and lemon juice. Butterfly a leg of lamb, or ask your butcher at the market to do it neatly and beautifully, spread it with the olive paste, roll it up, tie it, and bake in the oven. To serve the lamb roulade, prepare an Italian salsa verde—a green sauce made with parsley, oregano, capers, garlic, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. The sauce requires no cooking, and its refreshing flavor perfectly complements the roulade.

Recipe: Lamb meatloaf stuffed with olives and salsa verde

Traditional glazed ham

Garnish the Christmas ham with pineapple and a maraschino cherry for a classic presentation. A simple glaze of Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and thyme adds a vibrant flavor.

Recipe: Traditional mustard-glazed ham

Porchetta

Leftover porchetta makes excellent sandwiches, both hot and cold. This roll also keeps well in the refrigerator.

Recipe: Festive Pork Roll "Porchetta"

Roast beef in its own juice with sage

For tender, juicy meat, Alton recommends cooking beef in a clay pot, such as a terracotta one. "Ceramics heat more evenly," he says.

Recipe: Dry-aged roast beef au jus with sage

Beef roll with horseradish

This impressive dish will wow your friends and family. Roll the meat with peppers, herbs, and cheese, then top with crumbled breadcrumbs for a crispy crust. When cut, the red and green filling is visible in each slice.

Recipe: Beef roll in horseradish breading

Rack of lamb in the oven

Seasoning is the key to perfect lamb. Michael Symon likes to use fresh rosemary, salt, and a pinch of sugar.

Recipe: Rack of lamb with rosemary

Braciole with cheese

Looking to cook something new for Christmas? For an elegant main course, Giada stuffs a beef steak with herbs, bread crumbs, pecorino, and provolone cheese.

Recipe: Italian-Style Banquet Beef Roll with Cheese