Christmas Dinner 2025 - what are you planning?


 
What would you do with only a kettle and a wsm at hand?

I'm a big fan of the Kettle, and I plan to cook mine in my Star-Spangled kettle this year.

You can do an indirect cook in you kettle and it will turn out fantastic. You don't really need to do a snake, if you have a charcoal basket, just overfill it, put two or three fully lit charcoals on the charcoal in the basket, let the kettle heat up to anywhere between 250 to 350 (If you go with 350, you probably don't have to sear it and your roast could be done in an hour. If you go with 250, figure 1/2 hour per pound, but check it often, you don't want to over cook it
 
It will be on Christmas Eve but we’re doing our 28th Annual Orphans Christmas/Food Orgy. We have around 25 family and friends that are coming over.

APPETIZERS: Shrimp Cocktail, smoked Gouda wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with hot honey, pumpkin belavitano on sea salt pita crackers with hot honey, Fritos scoops dip, rosemary cashews, baked Brie with spiced cherry jam.

MAIN COURSE: Teriyaki smoked salmon, smoked salmon with lemon olive oil and fresh dill, bourbon/molasses baked ham, smoked garlic/herb turkey, roasted carrots with rosemary, dill drizzled with white garlic balsamic vinegar, roasted purple, red and Yukon Gold potatoes with rosemary, fresh green beans with garlic, prosciutto and Italian herbs, cranberry/pineapple sauce and rolls.

DESSERTS: Nutella mousse, lemon mousse, chocolate truffle cookies and homemade snickers bars.

DRINKS: Various beers, red, white and dry rose wines and a selection of over 100 bourbons and rye whiskies.

We tell everyone to just show up, hungry.
 
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I'll be spinning another turkey in on the rotisserie in my kettle on the 24th to serve on the 25th when the rest of the family is at the house.
I'm not sure what sides my wife is planning, but I think that dessert will be either a chocolate-walnut-bourbon (Derby) pie, a rum cake, or both.
 
15 lb. turkey on the Summit Charcoal, ham on the Spirit E-310, 2 small rump roasts (in the oven), 4 bone prime rib roast, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, home made cranberry sauce, some cajun spiced corn kernels, brown sugar roasted carrots, and lots and lots of rolls, buns, and multiple pies. Having about 20 people over this year.
I hope you have some helpers. 😀
 
Just poached 4lbs of the frozen wild caught shrimp from Argentina (the nice pink/red) ones. Simmered in court bouillon, tested for done and tender and right into an ice bath. Now in containers waiting for use tomorrow. My (now big) helper Blake and I readied the induction cooker in the garage, everything in there is "on point" we cleaned both pellet grills as well (because I am not sure which will be pressed into prime rib roast duty early on Thursday AM. (depends on weather). If raining cars will be outside and I'll press Members Mark into service. If no rain Big Z will get the not
 
I picked up my roast yesterday from my favorite butcher shop.

5-bone, 14.3lbs!

I just hope with two hungry sons home for the holidays that it lasts at least for a couple of days! ;)

I still have to brave the rain this morning and make a final small list run to the market to complete the menu.

Merry Christmas, everyone!
 
Not a go to - I've made it exactly once. :LOL: But it turned out pretty good.

I saw a video showing how to properly trim them and this summer I came across Matt Pittman's "Ultimate BBQ Feast" video.
I picked up a few tips from that - I even bought the lattice pastry cutter and look forward to giving that a whirl.

But most of my meal this year will be prepared indoors, except for the smoked and smashed taters. If I have time, I'll
also smoke the eggs before deviling.
We had a “question mark” on the Christmas brunch menu for someone to make “an egg dish.” This sounds perfect! I love deviled eggs, but never thought about smoking eggs. I just boiled and peeled a dozed. They’ll be headed for the smoker shortly in preparation for deviling tomorrow morning.
 
I stumbled across that being done one time back when my late friend and I were fishing on the Madison Chain of Lakes. We'd just pulled into The Green Lantern for a bite of lunch and and I could not believe my eyes when I saw them pulling a prime rib out of an outdoor fryer. I said something about it to my friend who'd not really seen because he was docking his boat. He'd been an executive chef for a large portion of his life and he said it's a perfect way to cook them. Here I thought like "smoked" Old Fashioneds it was a Wisconsin thing.
I’ve walked/biked by that Green Lantern dozens of times. On many occasions, I’ve said to my wife that we should grab a drink there one day. I love a good cocktail and a lake view. Maybe this coming summer will be the time. 😁
 
I’ve walked/biked by that Green Lantern dozens of times. On many occasions, I’ve said to my wife that we should grab a drink there one day. I love a good cocktail and a lake view. Maybe this coming summer will be the time. 😁
Let me know when. Maybe we can hook up there. My friend used to guide youth groups for charity on the chain there. Sadly a while back a late night phone call from his wife indicated became too much and he ended his. Still to this day I keep thinking once in a while "oh I need to call him about this hike along the Kish." or what have you. Weird how we miss people from our lives
 

 

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