17 Best Christmas BBQ Ideas & Recipes (Grilling, Smoking & More) (2024)

Check out this huge list of some of the best Christmas BBQ ideas out there on the web. From classic Christmas recipes to ideas perfect for this year’s holiday BBQ party, we’ve got it all covered.

17 Best Christmas BBQ Ideas & Recipes (Grilling, Smoking & More) (1)

Table Of Contents

  1. Grilled Prime Rib Roast
  2. Double Smoked Spiral Ham
  3. Seitan Negimaki
  4. Rotisserie Turkey
  5. Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast
  6. Smoked Lamb Chops
  7. Smoked Lobster Tails
  8. Pork Crown Roast on the Grill
  9. Grilled Pork Tenderloin
  10. Smoked Prime Rib Roast
  11. Smoked Whole Ham
  12. Smoked Pork Shoulder
  13. Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops
  14. Grilled Ham with Apple Cola Jalapeño Glaze
  15. Smoked Brisket

The Christmas meal is one of the biggest of the year, and while we all have instant classics we all fall back on, there’s also a lot of room for experimentation and new ideas.

The BBQ grill is one of the best places to start. You might think of it as just a tool for the summer, but it can work all year round and make grilled food recipes that are far superior to your indoor kitchen.

Ditch the oven and let’s get grilling with these 17 Christmas grilling ideas for you to try this year.

Want more holiday BBQ ideas? Check out our guide to the best Thanksgiving BBQ recipes and ideas.

Grilled Prime Rib Roast

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Where better to start than with a beautiful cut of beef?

Prime rib and ribeye can both be tricky because you need to get just on the right side of tender and rare but, oh boy, is it worth the effort.

And with this garlic butter herb take on the meat, it’s easy to see why.

Alyssa’s recipe calls for oven roasting it for an hour, but if you want to smoke it then I recommend 3-4 hours at 225°F (107°C) for the best results.

Whichever way you decide to go, you’ll end up with a delicious and tender cut of prime beef.

Check it out

Double Smoked Spiral Ham

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No list of grilled or smoked Christmas recipes would be complete without a glazed ham on it.

Prepared with a sweet and spicy glaze, the natural flavors of the ham are elevated to a whole new level with this smoked spiral ham recipe.

Smoked at 250°F for 4 hours over apple wood, the ham is slowly brought to temperature while resting in its juices. Mouthwateringly delicious.

Seitan Negimaki

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Now for something completely different. This vegan finger food is the perfect appetizer for the season, even for people who don’t live the most meat-free lifestyles. Seitan wrapped around scallions makes this simple, easy, but oh so delicious. Topped with hoisin and sriracha, they’re packed full of flavor.

Check it out

Grilled Asparagus Plate & Cilantro Pepita Pesto

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If you’ve ever felt like vegetables around the holidays are dull then look no further than this grilled asparagus plate.

Grilled over medium heat for under 10 minutes, they’re rustled up in no time before then being topped with a beautiful cilantro pepita pesto.

Check it out

Grilled Corn & Cheddar Quinoa

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This is much more than just your obligatory grilled corn side dish. Served with quinoa and white cheese, this is a dish that offers crunch and cream all in good measure.

It’s made with just a handful of ingredients, but packs in so much more flavor than your standard corn fare.

Check it out

Rotisserie Turkey

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Rotisserie add-ons are a great way to open up low and slow cooking on gas grills, making it much easier to replicate the fun that charcoal or smoker users get to have.

This smoked turkey is stuffed with apple and garlic, marinated in herb butter, and then cooked on the rotisserie for three hours.

A herb-infused, slow-roasted grilled turkey that’s worthy of any Christmas table.

Check it out

Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast

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Pecan and apple are two of the best woods for smoking turkey, so it should come as no surprise to see their flavors mixed together in this beautiful sauce.

This recipe uses beautiful maple syrup and brown sugar brine to prepare the turkey, before coating it in a paprika and mustard rub. It’s then smoked for 12 hours to slowly bring it to temperature.

It’s a lot of work, but I promise that it’s more than worth it.

Check it out

Smoked Lamb Chops

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There aren’t many BBQ cuts of meats that are as underrated as lamb. Whether it’s a grilled leg of lamb or these smoked lamb chops, it’s a unique type of meat.

This recipe uses a spice rub paste to give the meat a bit of a kick and combines ingredients like mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. It’s a beautiful, rich, earthy blend of flavors. If you’ve never made a rack of lamb before then this amazing recipe is definitely the right place to start.

Smoked Lobster Tails

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Smoked lobster tails might sound daunting, but they’re much easier than they might seem. Not only that, but they’re much cheaper to cook at home than they would be to have out at a restaurant.

These beautiful cuts of lobster tail are juicy, tender, and delicious. Served with a blend of garlic, lemon, and butter, you won’t have had anything like this before.

Pork Crown Roast on the Grill

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This pork crown is regal by name and regal by nature. Cut from the pork loin and served with the ribs, the whole thing is arranged into a crown to give you the perfect holiday grilling centerpiece.

Check it out

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

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It might not be everyone’s go-to cut of pork, but tenderloin is a tender cut of meat that deserves its place at any holiday dinner table.

Pork tenderloin can need between two and three hours to smoke, but the results are more than worth the wait.

This recipe uses a beer and mustard marinade to infuse the pork with the perfect flavor profile before being thrown onto the smoker and turned into juicy and tender pork.

Check it out

Smoked Prime Rib Roast

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This delicious barbecue smoked prime rib has a dark and smoky crust and intense flavors inside that sink deep into each bite. Prepared with a simple BBQ dry rub before cooked low and slow over hickory smoke, this tender barbecue beef is a magnificent centerpiece for weekends or parties.

Smoked Whole Ham

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This smoked section of pork leg or thigh is brined overnight before smoked over pecan wood chips for a deliciously sweet, smoky flavor.

If that wasn’t enough, it’s served with a honey and butter glaze to cut through the natural saltiness of the pork.

Ready to get going? Here’s how to smoke a raw ham.

Smoked Pork Shoulder

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This smoked pork shoulder is great for smoking low and slow over apple wood, before then serving up to be used for your favorite pulled pork dish.

Pro tip: One of the big differences between pork butt and pork shoulder is the low fat content in the latter, which makes it important that you brine your pork shoulder before smoking it.

Check it out

Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops

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If you’ve ever doubted the power of a good marinade, then this recipe is the perfect example of why you need to start using them today.

Marinated with garlic, rosemary and oregano overnight, this lamb is soaked with flavor before grilled over high heat to give it a beautiful seared finish.

Check it out

Grilled Ham with Apple Cola Jalapeño Glaze

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Nothing screams holiday grilling as much as a glazed smoked ham.

This recipe creates an apple cola jalapeño glaze (trust me, it’s as delicious as it looks!), and is slowly poured over a slow-cooked ham that’s practically dripping in flavor.

Check it out

Smoked Brisket

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There aren’t many types of smoked meat that are as iconic as smoked beef brisket.

It requires everything that’s great about barbecue smoking. Proper preparation in cutting and trimming brisket, brining it well, and using a good rub. This is then followed by choosing a good brisket wood, and cooking it low and slow for hours until perfectly smoked through.

There’s nothing quite like it. Learn how to smoke brisket in our guide.

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17 Best Christmas BBQ Ideas & Recipes (Grilling, Smoking & More) (2024)

FAQs

What is a good meat to smoke for Christmas dinner? ›

The only thing I usually smoke for Christmas dinner is a turkey. Some people smoke prime rib, but I prefer to roast mine in an oven. Whatever you might choose to smoke, make sure to use a wood (and seasoning choice) that goes well with the flavor of that type of meat.

What is the most popular meat for Christmas dinner? ›

1. Turkey. Let's admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas.

What is the most popular item on a Christmas dinner plate? ›

Roast potatoes and gravy are the most ubiquitous items on the Christmas dinner, with only around half opting for turkey.

How many pounds of BBQ do I need to feed 20 people? ›

How much BBQ for 20 people: 8 pounds (128 oz) of meat total (2 meats recommended) 1 XL size (feeds 10-12 people) for each side ordered. Drinks: 2 gallons.

What makes a great BBQ? ›

What makes good BBQ? I consider successful barbecue to be the combination of seven basic characteristics happening at once: tenderness, juiciness, smokiness, proper fat rendering, enhanced rub, good exterior bark, all with a firm texture.

How many pounds of BBQ do I need to feed 10 people? ›

Adults. In general, each pound of BBQ feeds 3 to 4 people, especially if you're serving sides. You can expect most adult guests to eat ¼ to ⅓ pounds of meat each during your event.

What are the top 3 meats to smoke? ›

The Best Meats for the Smoker

The classic meats of barbecue are generally beef brisket, pork shoulder, and ribs. These cuts are tough, chewy meats and generally so poor in quality that they are not good when cooked using other cooking methods.

What is the tastiest meat to smoke? ›

Best Cuts of Meat for Smoking

Our top choices are brisket, pork shoulder (for pulled pork), pork chops, and ribs. You can also give our St. Louis Ribs a try in your new smoker. Beef brisket, pork shoulder, and ribs are three cuts that offer sufficient fat to keep them juicy and tender when done.

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