What main dish to make for a Christmas party?

Question

I am throwing a Christmas party and already have my appetizers and desserts but not sure what things to make for a main dish for about 50 people. Anyone got any idea's?

Answer 1

Prime rib is always good and very easy to make. There are plenty of recipes but the best and simplest is in the link below.

Of course, no matter what you make, unless it's cold you'll need a very large oven or you'll need to cook them all a little underdone and then blast them just before serving.

Add some mashed or another starch or two and some simple vegetables and you are good to go.

Answer 2

Well Traditionally for Christmas it's Beef of some sort - brisket or standing rib roast, or a baked ham or turkey. ..but could get very expensive for 50 and you'd need more than one oven to prepare for that.

I went to the home of somebody last year that was vegetarian and she served trays of vegetarian lasagna that was very non-traditional..but good none the less. For 50 people that certainly would be more affordable...you would need several large roasts or hams or turkeys to feed 50! Trays of lasagna - even of the meat variety would be more afforadable. Along the same lines, stuffed shells, or some sort of ham or beef cassaroles. Just prepare a half a dozen trays so all can partake.

Answer 3

My main dish for christmas is Tangy Honey Glazed Ham and Cider Roasted Chicken. You can find the recipies on all recipies.com.

I am also making sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, spicy cheese & salsa dip, etc. Everyone else is going to bring a dish too.

Answer 4

Honey Baked Ham:
http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/honey-baked-ham-recipe.html

Roast Turkey:
http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/honey-baked-ham-recipe.html

Whole Baked Salmon:
http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/baked-salmon-recipe.html

Answer 5

My husband's family always serves duck (I guess it is like a Christmas goose) They just bake it in the oven according to directions on the packaging and glaze it with orange marmalade mixed with a little bbq sauce. It looks super easy. Carving is not necessary as the meat kind of falls off. His parents serve the meat on a platter.
Also, the meat is sooooo dark and tender and the fatty skin gets crispy. This is a once a year splurge for my tastebuds. I think you could pull it off and feed quite a few people. Turkey, ham, and the like are a little old. Spoil your guests with this one.

Answer 6

You know that is alot of people so you want something that is big.This will save u time and energy.You want energy to enjoy your own party.So I would go with a turkey and a roast. There easy to make and doesn't take alot of your time.Just put it in the oven. You can find some great recipes for these meats on Cook.com. Enjoy your party and good luck on the food.

Answer 7

You might need two crockpots or more to feed 50; or you can also serve chicken and dumplings. Leave the pots on the stove and let people serve themselves. Happy Holidays.

Beef Bourguignon

6 strips bacon, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
3 lbs beef rump, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 Tbs flour
1 10-oz. can condensed beef broth
2 cups red or Burgundy wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp whole thyme
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 lb small white onions, peeled
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions:
Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef cubes in stoneware. Brown carrot and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to stoneware. Add cooked bacon, wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, onions and mushrooms. Cover cook on Low 10 to 12 hours or on High for 5 to 6 hours.

Answer 8

For 50 people, I would serve a few main dishes: lasagne, a Honeybaked spiral ham, medallions of roast loin of pork, along with a great green salad, and green beans with shitake mushrooms sauteed with shallots.

If you have the room for seating, a seafood gumbo or ciopinno, prime rib, and green salad et al

Answer 9

Chicken Wellington


2 lbs fresh mushrooms diced
1 lb fresh onion, diced
1/2 lb fresh celery, diced
1 tsp mixed herbs
50 (4 oz) raw chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
50 (5") puff pastry squares


Preheat oven to 375° F. Sauté veggies lightly.
Brown chicken breasts on grill or under broiler.
Lay out pastry and spoon l oz. of veggies onto each one.
Place one chicken breast on each square; wrap pastry around each one
sealing with a little water. Brush with egg.

Bake at 375 in a convection oven for 20 minutes or in a
regular oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Answer 10

With that amount of people I would suggest having two main dishes. A sure bet would be to have a turkey and a ham.

Roast Turkey http://giftwrapandmore.com/2006/11/20/roast-turkey/

Prep. time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: about 4 hours

One 16-pound turkey
salt and peper
Vegetable Oil/Butter
8 to 10 cups stuffing, optional

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Position the oven rack so that the turkey will be as centered in the oven as possible without hitting the roof of the oven. Take the turkey from the refrigerator and remove the package of giblets from the body or neck cavity. (Use the giblets to make stock and gravy.) Rinse the turkey under cold water, drain and wipe the cavity clean with paper towels. Set the turkey breast side up (the flatter side down) on a flat rack in a large roasting pan. The pan should be 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep and large enough to hold the turkey comfortably.
Lightly rub the turkey inside and out with salt. Rub it with vegetable oil. If stuffing the turkey, spoon the stuffing into the body and neck cavities of the turkey. Do not pack it tightly. There is no need to truss the turkey to hold the stuffing inside. Roast the turkey for about 15 minutes to the pound. For a 16-pound,
stuffed turkey, this is about 4 hou rs. If the turkey is not stuffed, it
will roast in about 3 1/2 hours. After 3 hours of roasting, look at the turkey. If the breast is golden brown, cover it loosely with foil to slow down its cooking while the dark meat continues to cook. If the breast is not golden brown yet, wait for 15 to 20 minutes and check again. About 30 minutes before the turkey should be done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest section of the thigh; do not let the wand of the thermometer touch the bone. The turkey is done when the dark meat is 180 degrees F. Insert the thermometer into the stuffing. It should register 160 to 165 degrees F. in the center. Remove the turkey from the oven and use large spoons or spatulas to transfer it to a platter. Try not to pierce the skin during transfer. Let the turkey sit for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. There is no need to cover the turkey to keep it warm. Skim the fat off the pan drippings and use the remaining drippings to make gravy. Carve the turkey by first removing the drum sticks and thighs. Cut off the wings. Slice the breast meat from the turkey.

Bake Ham with Pineapple Rings http://giftwrapandmore.com/2006/11/20/baked-ham-and-pineapple-rings-recipe/

Ingredients:
1 (3 inch) thick center cut ham slice
1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple in syrup undrained
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger


Directions:

Trim fat from ham. Place ham in a baking dish just large enough to hold it. Drain pineapple reserving juice. Add remaining ingredients to juice and mix well. Spoon over ham. Cover and chill 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Uncover and bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours; basting occasionally. Arrange pineapple slices over ham. Baste with sauce and bake 1 additional hour; basting frequently.

Honey Baked Ham http://giftwrapandmore.com/2006/11/21/honey-baked-ham-recipe/

Ingredients

1 ready-to-eat smoked ham, about 5 to 6 lbs.

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

5 tablespoons Creole-style mustard

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup maple syrup

For the sauce:

1 1/4 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Remove the rind from the ham and score in a diamond pattern, using a knife. Place the ham in a roasting pan and pour the wine over the top. Cover with foil. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake the ham for 1 hour.

3. Combine the mustard, honey and maple syrup in a small bowl. Remove the foil from the ham and brush the honey mixture over the ham using the entire amount. Return the ham to the oven and continue baking for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. Remove the ham from the oven when the internal temperature is 150°F.

4. Transfer the ham to a warm serving platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Note: Allow the ham to rest for 10 minutes and check that the temperature has come up to 160°F. (The ham will continue to cook after removing it from the oven. For more information visit our Cook It Safe Calculator).

5. Drain the grease from the roasting pan and reserve the remaining juices. Heat the roasting pan over medium-high heat, add the reserved juices and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, maple syrup and mustard. Dissolve the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup of stock and add to the sauce. Boil for one minute to thicken the sauce.

6. Slice the ham and serve with the sauce.