This list of showstopping Christmas dinner entrées features some of our most impressive and elegant (and mind-blowingly tasty!) recipes. A standing rib roast, Cornish game hens, a pork crown roast, or a big pot of tamales will definitely be the star of the show.
Beef Tenderloin with Madeira Sauce
: Weldon Owen Inc. | Williams-Sonoma
1/12
This no-fuss recipe doesn't ambush you with any trickery. It just delivers you a supple, perfectly cooked roast beef tenderloin napped with a slightly boozy but goof-proof sauce.
Recipe
Glazed Ham
: DK Publishing
2/12
Plonk this brown sugar glazed ham on your holiday table, step back, and listen to the gasped oohs and aahs, accept all manner of accolades, and watch it disappear.
Recipe
Slow Roast Lamb
: Tara Fisher
3/12
This slow roasted lamb shoulder coaxes the meat to fall-apart tenderness in the oven while infusing it with the pervasive aroma and flavor of orange, chile, and honey.
Recipe
Standing Rib Roast
: Brett Stevens
4/12
Pricey but not pretentious, a standing rib roast is essentially a slab of bone-in rib eye steaks standing on end. You could do worse, eh?
Recipe
Pomegranate-Glazed Cornish Game Hens
: Emily Sandor
5/12
When it's Thanksgiving for just a few of you, your response is game hens with a sweetly tart and pleasingly peppery glaze and a lovely little pine nut bread stuffing. Makes just enough.
Recipe
Pork Loin in the Style of Porchetta
: Christina Holmes
6/12
A mashup of two Italian classics—arista and porchetta—that's essentially pork roast stuffed with rosemary and more ground pork. Ridiculously easy to make. And even easier to devour.
Recipe
Mushroom Wellingtons with Spinach
: Nassima Rothacker
7/12
Yep. Vegan wellingtons. For Thanksgiving. But also for a random Thursday night. Because once a year is certainly not enough. And you can even make 'em ahead of time.
Recipe
Roast Duck Stuffed with Farro, Figs, and Hazelnuts
: Alex Farnum
8/12
Truly impressive and a heck of a lot less fussy than it looks. Tastes pretty darn phenomenal, too. Sign us up.
Recipe
Red Chile Pork Tamales
: Ted Axelrod
9/12
These red chile pork tamales are the real authentic Mexican deal and taste like they were carefully crafted by the loveliest abuela imaginable. Here's how to make them.
Recipe
Beef Wellington
: dar1930
10/12
A favorite holiday dish, beef Wellington is beef fillet slathered with pate, covered in a dice of mushrooms, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked.
Recipe
Garlic and Herb Pork Crown Roast
11/12
This Christmas crown roast of pork is brined then rubbed with garlic and herbs then oven-roasted. The center of the crown roast is filled with wild rice.
Recipe
Mustard-Glazed Ham
: Matthew Benson
12/12
Going rogue this Thanksgiving? Consider this simple glazed ham has got a sweet and spicy thing going on that's simultaneously subtle and super impressive. And let's face it, leftovers are reason enough to make it.
Recipe
© 2021 Leite's Culinaria. All rights reserved. All materials used with permission.