The festivities have started, as the Christmas period has quickly approached us once again. Tinsel and lights twinkle in shop windows, overplayed Christmas songs are on every channel of the radio, and the delicious smell of Christmassy foods disperses through the air. The year has flown by, and it is now time to start preparing for all your festive events all over again. Although buying gifts, planning to meet family, and going to Xmas markets are all part of the season, there is one very important event to plan – Christmas dinner!
Whether you like a traditional turkey dinner, prefer to go out to a restaurant, or even love a good takeaway, there is one Christmas dinner that you need to try, and that is a barbecued one. If you work at a restaurant and want to deliver a delicious dinner on the 25th of December or have volunteered to be the family Christmas host, then this twist on a Christmas dinner will be for you.
Here at Cinders, we love a classic dinner – turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, parsnips, and even brussels sprouts! However, we like to try something new now and then. In this blog post, we have listed some barbecuing tips for you to try for your Xmas dinner, from smoked ham and pork scratching to glazed parsnips and crispy roast potatoes. Don’t be alarmed though, we haven’t strayed too far away from a traditional Christmas dinner, they’re just slight adaptations that will make your dinner even more flavoursome. Think of it as your normal Christmas dinner, but this time barbecued!
Barbecuing the Meat
First off we have the main event – the choice of meat. To stay traditional, we have provided you with some simple tips on how to BBQ your turkey, or if you would like to try something different, a lovely smoked ham.
Turkey
A barbecued turkey is probably better and even more delicious than an oven-roasted turkey, as the skin becomes beautifully golden and crisp, whilst the inside remains succulent and soft. To fully ensure that the turkey is cooked to perfection, we recommend soaking your turkey in water and salt overnight. By doing this, the turkey will remain moist and won’t dry out when you put it on the BBQ. Plus, the salt adds a bit more flavour without being too overpowering. Season with herbs of your choice and add butter to the skin of the turkey now and then, to make it nice and crisp. You’ll still be getting your Christmas turkey, but an even better one!
Ham
If you want to change your meat this year, or would like to include some variation on your menu for people to choose from, then why not try ham? Ham is a meat that you can’t go wrong with, and if you purchase a large piece, then you will be able to cater for a large number of guests. Simply cook your ham on a covered BBQ, until it is cooked all the way through and has a wonderful smoky flavour. You can leave it at that, or you can add a sweet golden glaze to complement the savoury meat.
Need some help making a glaze? Check out his recipe by Women’s Weekly Food.
If you would like to try another pork dish but, don’t like the sound of ham for Christmas dinner, then maybe you should try barbecued pork belly. Similar to the ham, roast your pork belly on a covered barbecue until it is cooked through, making sure to keep an eye on the delicious crackling building up on the outside.
Grilling the Sides
Roast potatoes
Who doesn’t love a golden roasted potato, that is both crunchy and fluffy at the same time. Sometimes roast potatoes can be quite hard to master however, there is no issue with a BBQ! Before putting your potatoes on the BBQ, make sure to boil them for a short while, so they become soft and fluffy on the inside. After they have been boiled, place them in a pan or disposable BBQ dish and coat them in oil and your favourite seasoning. Barbecue the potatoes with the lid closed until they’re golden brown.
These roast potatoes from Weber look so tasty!
Brussels sprouts
We know that brussels sprouts aren’t everyone’s cup of tea however, they are a staple in a Christmas dinner whether you like them or not. Plus, they are incredibly easy to BBQ and take up no time at all. Coat the sprouts with a light dressing of oil, salt, and pepper, and place them on some skewers so they don’t start rolling around. Simply cook them directly on your grill until they’re tender and charred on the outside – it is as straightforward as that.
This recipe by Delish may help you with the sprout seasoning and garnishes.
Pigs in blankets
Everyone’s favourite Christmas side dish – pigs in blankets! Pick out your guest’s favourite sausages and wrap around with streaky bacon. Place them on your BBQ and cover with the lid, remembering to rotate them now and again, so they’re cooked evenly on every side. Barbecuing pigs in blankets helps to enrich those smoky flavours even further.
Honey-glazed carrots and parsnips
Another classic Christmas side is caramelised carrots and parsnips, which work so well on the BBQ. Coat the vegetables in any dressing you would like, we suggest a sweet glaze of honey, maple syrup, or sugar, or you can use a mixture of oil, salt, and pepper for something more savoury. Roast them in your BBQ until they’re soft and tender in the middle and golden on the outside.
Dish up everything on a plate and serve with a delicious gravy made out of your meat trimmings and depending on your preference, place some Yorkshire puddings on the side – you have the perfect barbecued Christmas dinner! If you would like to try other meats or sides, maybe have a go at cooking them on the BBQ and you might be surprised at how good they are.
High-quality Barbecue Equipment
Here at Cinders, we are getting in the festive spirit by planning what we are going to cook on the BBQ this Christmas. If you would like to have a go yourself or add some originality to your menu, we manufacture high-quality barbecue equipment and accessories to get you started. Our professional grills will allow you to cater for all your guests and would be perfect for a Christmas event. If you don’t want to purchase right now, we also offer a local search for barbecue rental service!