Have yourself a grilly little Christmas with Kamado Joe's Christmas grill guide

Following the boom of BBQ equipment sales motivated by the lockdown, more people are taking to cooking their Christmas dinner on the BBQ. Over 2020, the UK BBQ and heating sector increased by 22%. Out of that, charcoal barbecues dominated sales with an increase of 96%. The backyards of Britain saw a revolution of smoke and fire, as the nation renovated their patios, gardens and invested in outdoor cookers.

Top 5 tips for BBQ Christmas turkey

TV BBQ chef, and Kamado Joe global marketing manager, Ben Forte reveals his top tips to BBQ'ing your turkey this Christmas. Passionate about BBQ's, Ben's no stranger to cooking over charcoal flames whether it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

“My passion for BBQ began at a young age” he says. “Obviously I use a Kamado Joe and have done so for years. It'ss highly versatile. The thick ceramic walls retain so much heat you need use less fuel to keep it hot. Added to that, they are built to last a lifetime. The ceramics have a lifetime warranty and you can leave it out all year round. In my household winter barbecues are definitely a thing.”

What better way to please the crowd this Christmas then with a showstopping barbecued turkey taking centre stage?

Ben Forte shares his sure-fire tips..

Cook to temperature, not time. 75C.

Add a bacon weave. This helps the breast meat stay moist and you get a bonus bit of crispy bacon.

Get your turkey out of the fridge half an hour before you start cooking. Prevents shrinkage.

Cook your veg below the turkey so it catches all those juices as it cooks.

If you like a bit of smoke then try adding a chunk of fruit wood such as apple or cherry.

 Gifts for BBQ Lovers

Kamado Joe BBQ Range

Kettle Joe is the first of the kettle-grill category to integrate a ceramic firebox and the ability to fit a SlōRoller - Kamado Joe's revolutionary innovation allowing the versatility to transform a grill into an oven or smoker. RRP: £599

Kamado Joes - These world-renowned ceramic grills pack the latest technology and meticulous craftsmanship inside each iconic red barbecue unit. The thick-walled, heat-resistant shell locks in smoke and moisture at any temperature. There's nothing you can't cook in them, from low-and-slow dishes to grilling and searing at scorching temperatures. Prices start at £499 for Joe Jr

NEW Masterbuilt Portable

Made for adventurers, this suitcase-sized grill comes with an easy transport collapsible cart, for effortless mobile grilling. 

With a tough shell, it's tough enough to withstand expeditions and is designed to be hauled into the back of a car, wheeled across moors, carried across beaches and set up next to lakes and rivers. Like all Masterbuilt grills, it's designed for convenience. Simply light a firelighter under your charcoal, then turn a dial to control a fan for a consistent temperature. The charcoal hopper can burn briquettes or lump wood for up to 4 hours from 130c - 260c. Uk.masterbuilt.com

RRP: £399

Must have accessories every grill-master needs

The iKamand meat thermometer connects to your phone and controls the fire remotely! It allows total control over the grill's heat, smoke and meat target temperature from an app on your phone. The app includes recipes, with temperature settings already programmed into the software. Just sit back, grab a cold one and enjoy juicy, flavoursome food with little effort: £229

The JoeTisserie fits inside your firebox and slowly rotates your skewered meat, veg or fish above the charcoal. It's been cleverly designed so the kamado lid will still close, keeping all the heat right where you want it. If you're going for a low and slow spit-roast, Kamado Joe's thick ceramic walls helps retain moisture, so you get a juicy, tender result. Best of all, you can bung the whole lot in the dishwasher when you've finished. RRP: £279

Kamado DoJoe The durable cast-aluminum transforms your Kamado Joe into a best-in-class pizza oven. You're guaranteed a crispy crust on the bottom, while the altered airflow traps heat in the dome above the pizza for perfect toppings. This combination of convection airflow above and conduction heat below creates a uniform, even cooking environment surrounding the pizza as it bakes for masterful results.

RECIPES

Orange, Whisky and Cranberry Glazed Joetisserie Gammon

Ingredients

2kg Gammon, fat scored

2tbsp Whole cloves

200g Cranberry Sauce

1 Orange, zest

3 tbsp whisky

1 tbsp honey

Method

Set your JoeTisserie up on the Kamado Joe and set the grill to approx 170c.

Score the gammon fat in a diamond pattern and stud with whole cloves. In a small bowl mix together the cranberry sauce, orange zest, whisky and honey.

Secure the prepared gammon on your JoeTisserie and cook until it reaches approx 50c. At this point, brush your ham periodically using two thirds of the glaze mixture, reserving the remaining glaze.

Once gammon reaches a core temperature of 70 degrees, remove from the heat. Brush on the remaining glaze and set aside to rest.

The Jingle Burger

Complete with Turkey & Smokey Bacon Burger, Brussel Sprout Slaw, Oak Smoked Cheddar, Pancetta Weave, Cranberry Sauce and topped with a pickle and pigs in blankets this is one burger that has to be tried this festive season.

Burger Ingredients

500g Turkey Thigh Mince

4 rashers of Smoked Bacon (finely diced)

1 Egg

Bacon flavour crisps (I used popcorn crisps as they are gluten free) (crushed) 

Brussel Slaw

250g Brussel Sprouts

2 Carrots

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

 4 tbsp South Carolina BBQ Sauce

Other Bits

Oak Smoked Cheddar

16 rashers of pancetta/streaky bacon

Cranberry Sauce

Pigs in blankets

Pickles

Seeded Brioche Buns

4 Wooden Skewers 

Method

 Make your burgers by combining all the burger ingredients together then shape them into burgers using your hands or a burger press.

Finely grate the sprouts and carrots then combine in a bowl and add the vinegar and South Carolina BBQ Sauce.

Now you need to create some bacon weaves. For mine I use 4 rashers of pancetta cut in half and stretched out for each weave. This makes them the perfect size for the burger.

Now smoke your burgers in your BBQ at around 225F until they reach an internal temp of 165F.

Put your bacon weaves onto some foil and put them in the BBQ until they are nice and crispy and cook your pigs in blankets.

Then bring off the burgers and put them onto a hot skillet and cook for a few minutes each side, then add your cheese to the top and cover with a closh for about 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Time to build the burger.

Layout the base of the bun.

Put on the Sprout Slaw

Next add the Burger

Then the bacon weave

Now the cranberry sauce.

Finally push a wooden skewer through the pig in blanket and through a pickle and then straight through the burger.

https://uk.kamadojoe.com/