The 'Great British BBQ' survey of 2,000 people revealed a stunning 71% of their audience have cooked a Christmas turkey on a barbecue and over 80% would consider barbecuing their dinner on Christmas day.
Barbecued turkeys tend to be much more succulent and flavoursome compared with their roasted counterparts. Also, cooking outside frees up valuable oven space for other items.
Here's Kamado Joe's tips and tricks for grilling the perfect dinner.
TV BBQ chef, and Kamado Joe global marketing manager, Ben Forte reveals his top tips to BBQing the turkey this Christmas. Passionate about BBQs, Ben is no stranger to cooking over charcoal flames whether it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
“My passion for BBQ started from a young age,” he admits “I use my Kamado Joe for cooking pretty much anything and have done so for years. The thick ceramic walls retain so much heat and actually they seal in moisture, so your food is juicier and more tender. They're designed to last a lifetime of year round cooking, and in my household winter barbecues are definitely a major thing.”
What better way to please the crowd this Christmas then with a showstopping barbecued turkey taking centre stage? Ben Forte shares his quick-fire tips:
CHRISTMAS TURKEY
Cook to temperature, not time. 75C is perfect.
Add a bacon weave. This helps the turkey breast meat to stay moist and you get a bonus bit of crispy bacon, too!
Get your turkey out of the fridge half an hour before you start the cooking process. This helps prevent shrinkage.
Cook your veg below the turkey on the BBQ so it catches all those juices as it cooks.
If you like a bit of smoke, then you should consider adding a chunk of fruit wood like apple or cherry.
CHRISTMAS BEEF
For a very special celebratory Christmas lunch, nothing wows everyone more than a large cut of beef like a rib. To make it even more succulent and to enhance the delicious beefy flavours, coat the beef in a layer of salt and marmite or miso and leave overnight in the fridge. This gives the most savoury, umami taste to impress your guests.
Smoked gravy tastes incredible, so ensure you catch all the flavours and juices from the meat as it slowly renders down.
Plan ahead – remember, you're cooking to temperature, not time. Ensure you've got at least an hour to rest a large joint of beef.
FOR THE TRIMMINGS
Veg can be par-boiled the day prior, this helps speed things up a little. Nothing tastes better than root veg once it has been licked by flame to transform their natural sugars. (EDITOR: True!)
To serve your chargrilled veg, take a large platter and cover in aioli. Lay the vegetables on top, perhaps with dollops of harissa to make the flavours sing?
When it comes to sauces and sides, don't think Sunday roast, think celebration. So go for a punchy chimichurri, tahini and yoghurt, salsa verde, a vivid romesco sauce – all these things transform it from a carvery to a truly memorable Festive Feast.
Gifts for BBQ Lovers
Kamado Joe BBQ Range
Kamado Joes - These world-renowned ceramic grills pack the latest technology and meticulous craftsmanship inside each iconic red barbecue. 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 The Konnected Joe - A global first, this digitally connected ceramic grill combines all the benefits of traditional ceramic cooking with modern technology, offering a solution for easy fire-lighting and effortless temperature control. £1,999.
Must have accessories every grill-master needs
Karbon Steel surfaces - Paella pan, griddle, half moon pan set and wok. Karbon steel combines the best qualities from stainless steel and cast iron. The lightweight yet strong material heats up quickly with exceptional heat retention. The new range is naturally non-stick, easy to clean and offers long-lasting endurance. From £109
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-aluminium 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.
Here are some special 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.
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.