To pull off your own Norman Rockwell-worthy holiday feast, consider making one of these epic roasts. Sure, (most of) these recipes require a little extra effort, but hey – it’s the holidays! Whether you’re craving a crackly-skinned duck, a classic crusted prime rib or a picturesque pork crown roast, these meaty mains are guaranteed to WOW.
Spiced Brown Sugar Ham with Apple Jus
Food & Wine magazine has the perfect recipe for super juicy baked ham. Their secret? Wrap it tightly in foil and then don’t sneak a peak until the ham has rested for 1 hour. The ham absorbs any moisture that it releases during cooking and stays extra juicy.
Roast Chicken with Red Wine Butter
Before going in the oven, this chicken is rubbed down from head to toe with an aromatic red wine and shallot butter. This is what gives the bird it’s striking deep purple tint and flavors the meat to the bone. As the bird cooks, its flavorful juices drip down into a bed of potatoes, basting them French rotisserie-style until they’re deeply savory and tender. This chicken from Goodtaste is juicy, foolproof and addictively good.
Christmas Porchetta
Porchetta is a special-occasion roast, and what better occasion than a gathering around the holidays? While this recipe from Yvette van Boven is quite simple, it does take 3 hours to cook, so be sure to plan ahead. Serve it with something zesty like the horseradish mustard recipe provided here.
Juniper-Rubbed Roast Duck with Cherry Jus
The key to this festive holiday duck from Food & Wine Magazine and chef Angie Mar is to let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator after it has been rubbed with the herbal juniper, salt and brown sugar mixture. This dries out the skin, giving you a phenomenally crisp crust. For serving, chef Mar drizzles a savory jus with tart cherries over the top, perfectly complimenting the rich, fatty meat of the duck. This recipe is involved, but it is worth the effort.
Roast Prime Rib of Beef with Horseradish Crust
A Prime Rib Roast is an iconic choice for your holiday main course and it always blows people away. For this horseradish-crusted version from chef Tyler Florence, he suggests asking your butcher for the “top choice” roast cut from the small loin end. He adds that the butcher should also cut the “chine” bone off so carving is easier.
Mustard-Glazed Ham
This hands-off ham from Phyllis Good’s “Stock The Crock” could not be easier. After rubbing the ham with a flavorful spiced mustard rub, simply pop it in your slow cooker and let it braise until perfectly tender and all of the juices have reduced to form a sauce. This is an instant holiday classic.
Roast Beef Tenderloin with French Onion Au Jus
Beef tenderloin looks impressive, but it could not be easier to cook. The most important thing is to have a reliable instant-read meat thermometer, so you can achieve that perfect medium-rare interior. For this holiday-ready cut, we love this recipe from the charming blog Half Baked Harvest. She roasts the tenderloin on a bed of onions and then after roasting finishes the beef juices and stewed onions with a bit of butter and wine for a sauce that tastes just like French Onion Soup. This recipe is a must-try.
Crown Roast of Pork with Lady Apples and Shallots
Behold! The most epic pork roast we’ve ever seen. For this towering crown roast, Bon Appétit Magazine ties two 8-bone racks of pork together and then rubs them with whole grain mustard. The delicate lady apples also get an extra hit of porky flavor when you sear them in bacon fat before adding to the roasting pan.
For all the tools you need to tackle your roast, read on here!
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