5 Foolproof Roasts for Your Holiday Feast

All eyes are on the holiday roast. With a large and expensive piece of meat taking center stage, the pressure is on. So, what is a good meat for Christmas dinner? There's a tried-and-true recipe for everyone: a prime rib roast, pistachio-crusted salmon, a stunning crown roast of pork, a stuffed turkey breast wrapped with prosciutto, and, of course, a holiday ham. Take a look.

1. Christmas Prime Rib

Traditional prime rib recipes call for roasting at a high oven temperature, then turning off the oven and hoping the roast finishes in time for dinner. This isn't reliable, and it's definitely not food-safe. This recipe ensures a tender, consistent, food-safe outcome with less time in the oven. It's a win-win. Get more tips to make a perfect prime rib.

"Delicious coating on outside of roast, and perfect roasting time. Plan on 1 pound per person." —JUDY2RIVER

2. Oven-Roasted Pistachio-Crusted Salmon

For a stunning display, we used a 20-inch side of salmon instead of individual fillets (you may need to special-order it). If possible, roast the salmon on an oven-safe serving platter. If you don't have one, just be gentle when transferring the fish from baking sheet to serving platter to ensure the prettiest presentation. Here's how to easily remove pin bones from salmon before cooking it.

"This seasoned salmon is reminiscent of bistro-worthy fare when served with wilted spinach and freekeh." —thedailygourmet

3. Special-Occasion Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork

Traditionally, because crown-roast stuffing has raw sausage and egg, the roast ends up dry and overcooked by the time the stuffing reaches a safe temperature. This version avoids the risk because it has no eggs or meat. Get more top-rated recipes for pork roast.

4. Pancetta-Wrapped Turkey Breast Stuffed with Spinach and Feta

Stuffing and rolling one large turkey breast is tedious and cumbersome. Instead, take two turkey breasts, butterfly and pound them thin, then layer them with the filling for easy rolling and a faux roulade. The original recipe calls for bacon, but we used pancetta to elevate it for a special occasion. Get more feast-worthy recipes for Thanksgiving turkey breast.

5. Honey Glazed Ham

"This ham tastes very much like the famous honey baked ham but costs much less, and there's no need to fight the crowds at holiday time," says recipe submitter Colleen B. Smith. She adds, "You can even buy the ham presliced to make it easier and more like the original. It is very good. (I do this while preparing the rest of the meal in the kitchen so that I don't forget to baste!)" With 1,000+ 5-star reviews, this is a sure holiday winner.

Check out our collection of Roast Recipes.

This article originally appeared in the December/January 2020 issue of Allrecipes Magazine.