OK, this is serious business. What type of meat or you going to have this Thanksgiving?

Meat is the cornerstone of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Everybody wants some sort of meat on their plate on Thanksgiving.

The fact is… animal protein makes Thanksgiving lit. And I don’t think it would truly be officially Thanksgiving dinner without some properly cooked meat on the table.

Whether you are house hopping or hosting Thanksgiving this year, you must review your selection of choice meats. You, and any Thanksgiving guests coming over for a feast, will definitely expect more than a few types of quality protein for their meal. That is, if you want to stay on your Thanksgiving A+ game.

Here is a short list of the usual expected cuts of meat you might serve and enjoy this Thanksgiving (^_^):

Turkey

We, as Americans have most certainly heard of and had a bite at least once, of the iconic Thanksgiving turkey. Move over deli sandwiches, because this is one awesome American bird that is typically, traditionally cooked for Thanksgiving.

I can write this with confidence, the American turkey is the center piece of nearly almost every Thanksgiving dinner. When people think about Thanksgiving, chances are, they unanimously think… Turkey.

However, there are a few problems if you plan on serving a turkey on Thanksgiving. First off, they are a hell of a lot of work to put together. From the prep time and defrosting until that bird heads to the oven, cooking that Thanksgiving turkey is a lot of work.

Even worse, you could manage to get a burnt bird or endanger yourself or others for culinary greatness. Deep fried turkey anyone?

Not to mention, turkeys often take a minimum of 5 hours to thoroughly cook to doneness. And, when you are going all out for Thanksgiving dinner, it’s easy to lose track of time and possibly burn that bird.

I have to give some credit to that big bird; Turkey is yummy as heck. If you are ever fortunate enough to consume a deep fried turkey, you know the blissful experience.

Let’s be honest, deep fried turkey is just as dangerous to cook as it delicious. Good old, tried-and-true, oven roasted turkey is awesome, and a safer choice. Plus, you can skip out on the risks and hazards of flames and volcanic-like splashback of burning oil.

Turkey is the most traditional meat for an American Thanksgiving. Also, as an added bonus… if you spend more then $200 at most supermarkets, they might give you a FREE turkey for holidays.

Lamb

Lamb is a light meat that tastes fantastic and a great choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Soft and tender, lamb is an excellent choice that still keeps with the whole Thanksgiving vibe.

If you plan on having a nice cut of lamb for Thanksgiving, don’t plan on feeding a larger number of dinner guests. You might break the bank to pull that off. If you are having an intimate Thanksgiving gathering, lamb is the way to go.

I remember one cozy Thanksgiving, me and my (now) wife had lamb on Thanksgiving. We were dating for a few months and weren’t heading over to anyone’s house or family. So, we decided to have a quiet, simple Thanksgiving meal. Just me, my wife, and my poor handicapped roommate.

The way she cooked that lamb, it melted in my mouth and had just the right amount of seasoning for balance. She also introduced me to the combination of lamb chops with mint jelly. I was in gastronomical heaven. Literally, I was floating on cloud nine.

If you are looking for a more romantic Thanksgiving, lamb is a fine choice. You won’t miss out on that Thanksgiving vibe that that you crave, even if you’re not serving turkey.

Pork

I don’t eat pork. But, out of respect for this particular meat, I must say, YES to pork. Only on Thanksgiving.

Pork is very traditional and popular meat choice for the holidays. A lot of indigenous people serve pork for celebrations. Just know and believe, it’s not rare to see a robust pork shoulder on many dinner tables for Thanksgiving.

In most native and Spanish households, it’s common that some sort of pork dish is served during Thanksgiving. Pork is alright. And, this meat isn’t for everybody.

When it’s seasoned right, pork is pretty darn tasty. It’s an ideal choice of meat if you plan on having a large amount of people over to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast.

Pork is an affordable meat and typically plentiful at most supermarkets. If you are on a budget for Thanksgiving, and you want to make sure everybody gets enough to eat, then please, by all means, go serve up some pork shoulder.

Beef

Beef isn’t only what’s for dinner, it’s what’s for Thanksgiving dinner. A flavorful and mouthwatering pot roast is the perfect stand alone dish, and it pairs nicely with other meat options.

The thing about serving beef for Thanksgiving is this, you can serve beef with pretty much any other meat without an issue. It’s not the only protein. But personally, I think it’s one of the best protein to have.

When I was a youth, I would go to my grandparents house for Thanksgiving. My grandmother would cook the bird, a host of sides, and some greens. My grandfather cooked the beef.

He would take a reasonable cut of pot roast and keep it on the back burner, for I don’t know how long. That pot roast was the best I ever had. It was something legendary. The seasoning, the chew, and the fact that it was exclusively made by my grandfather made it super special.

If you to be a cut above the rest, choose beef this Thanksgiving. Beef is a versatile meat that can be the star of the meal and it pairs well with other meats. You can’t go wrong with eating beef this Thanksgiving.

In Conclusion

So there you have it. I provided my review on what I think are the choice cuts of meat to ensure you and yours have a fantastic and memorable Thanksgiving meal.

Meat has been the main course for Thanksgiving dinners, since I don’t know when. I hope you, my readers, have a safe and bountiful Thanksgiving. And, I hope you consider my different quality meat options when meal planing or going Thanksgiving grocery shopping.

God bless!