Festive Christmas Lunch Loaf with Turkey, Pork & Cranberries
This Festive Christmas Lunch Loaf with Turkey, Pork & Cranberries is the ultimate holiday centerpiece — combining juicy turkey mince, rich pork, smoky bacon, cranberries, port wine, herbs, and chestnuts into one stunning sliceable loaf. Perfect for serving a crowd, this dish delivers all the flavors of Christmas dinner in an easy-to-carve, foolproof format. Beautifully moist, wonderfully aromatic, and packed with festive character — serve it with gravy, trimmings, bread sauce, crusty bread or roast vegetables for an unforgettable celebration meal.
Equipment
- 900g loaf tin
- mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- Meat thermometer
- spatula
- foil
Ingrediënten
- 3 onions finely chopped
- 50 g butter plus extra for the tin
- 700 g turkey mince
- 500 g pork mince
- 250 g smoked streaky bacon finely chopped
- 70 ml port
- 200 g vacuum-packed chestnuts roughly chopped
- 100 g dried cranberries
- 1 orange zested
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- 5 sage leaves finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 80 g rye crackers or dried breadcrumbs, crumbed
- Trimmings gravy, and bread sauce, to serve
Instructies
- Fry the onions in butter for 15–20 minutes until soft and golden.
- Butter a 900g loaf tin and chill.
- Heat oven to 200C / 180C fan / gas 6.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey mince, pork mince, bacon, port, chestnuts, cranberries, orange zest, thyme, sage, garlic, onion mixture, and crumbs.
- Mix until evenly combined.
- Remove loaf tin and pack the mixture into it, shaping the top like a loaf of bread.
- Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 70C.
- Heat grill to medium and grill 5–10 minutes for a golden crust.
- Rest in tin for 20 minutes, invert carefully onto a board or platter, slice, and serve with classic holiday trimmings.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Serving Tip:
Serve thick slices with bread sauce, gravy, crusty bread, or classic Christmas vegetables for a complete festive spread.Wine Pairing:
Pairs beautifully with a medium-bodied Merlot that complements the cranberry sweetness and savory meat flavors.Nutritional Information
Calories: 420 kcal | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Protein: 30 g | Fat: 28 g | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 6 g | Salt: 1.1 g
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
