Best beef dishes for Christmas: our 5 faves

While beef isn’t a traditional meat to have at Christmas, it most definitely is delicious and provides a rich taste that other meats cannot match. If you’re looking for options for a Christmas dinner with a twist, serving a beef dish is an excellent choice.

If you’re still raising your eyebrows at the thought of having beef on your Christmas dinner, we are about to shock you even more! The most popular roast option for Brits is beef, with 33% of people choosing beef over other alternatives. Of course, a Christmas dinner differs from a Sunday roast, but they do hold similarities, so there is no reason you can’t incorporate beef into your meal this Christmas. 

This article will take you through five of the best beef dishes that will have your guests gobsmacked this Christmas. From traditional recipes to something more outside of the box, there really is something for everyone.

Here’s our top 5 best beef dishes for Christmas:

1. Dirty cote de boeuf
2. Slow braised beef cheeks
3. Beef bourguignon
4. Braised blade of beef with beer
5. Beef rendang

1. Dirty cote de boeuf

For a carnivorous feast with a little less decadence, Marcus Bawdon’s dirty cote de boeuf is the ultimate go-to Christmas dinner. If you can acquire high quality “bone-in” dry aged meat from your local butcher, this novel take on Christmas will have your guests in a food coma faster than Santa’s sled!

Once you’ve got your hands on a good quality aged ribeye steak, you can transform it into dirty cote de boeuf using smokey, rich ingredients such as paprika and brown sugar to coat your meat. When cooked, these ingredients will give it a caramelised crust, adding a unique texture and taste to your Christmas dinner that guests will love. 

Get the recipe here

2. Slow braised beef cheeks

If you’ve never tried beef cheeks, you are missing out. Best cooked slow and steady due to the thick and tough nature of the meat, beef cheeks are perfect for absorbing flavours and become incredibly tender when cooked for the right amount of time. 

For best results, your slow-braised beef cheeks should be slow-cooked with red wine for a truly rich flavour that matches the succulent, tender texture of the meat. This decadent dish is perfect to be paired with traditional Christmas dinner elements such as creamy mashed potatoes, juicy and fresh vegetables, lashings of gravy and comforting stuffing. 

Get the recipe here

3. Beef bourguignon

The ultimate comfort meal is beef bourguignon, making it an ideal addition to your Christmas dinner! Beef bourguignon can be produced cost-effectively, with little preparation and less effort than traditional Christmas dinners like turkey and all the trimmings.

Beef bourguignon can be seen as a more beginner-friendly roast dinner alternative (while still providing sublime taste) because it can be made in a slow cooker or set on slow heat for a long time – just set and forget! This beef stew is a hearty meal with divine ingredients such as fresh vegetables, herbs and a rich sauce; ideal for indulging in this festive season. 

Get the recipe here

4. Braised blade of beef with beer

Blade of beef is another cut of meat that can be remarkably tender when cooked correctly, providing you and your guests with a succulent piece of meat, perfect to accompany all of your favourite parts of a Christmas dinner. 

In addition to the tasty alternative that braised blade of beef provides, the beer gravy is excellent with Christmas dinner classics, including Yorkshire puddings (albeit a controversial part of a Christmas roast). You can bring the joy of pub grub and comforting ale to your home, a sure way to win over even the fussiest Christmas dinner guests. 

Get the recipe here

5. Beef rendang

If you’re looking for a unique addition to your Christmas dinner this year, beef rendang is sure to do this. Featuring fragrant aromas of dried curry leaves, the Indonesian flavours of this Sumatra curry are bound to bring a vibrant energy to your home.

Although this dish won’t be suitable for accompanying traditional Christmas food such as roast potatoes and pigs in blankets, it will be a fascinating alternative if you’re not a huge fan of roasts. While it is entirely different to a roast, beef rendang does provide a similar comforting feeling due to the creamy coconut milk and tender beef textures. After all, Christmas is all about comfort, no matter how you serve it!

Get the recipe here.

Christmas is all about honouring tradition, but don’t let that stop you from trying new things from time, and these five delicious beef recipes are the perfect place to start. Merry Christmas and bon appétit!