No man or woman who truly enjoys the flavor of food cooked on a grill wants to pack away the grill or smoker until the next summer grillin’ season rolls around. Why do you have to? You don’t!
As long as you can trudge your way to the grill and you are dressed for the weather, is there any reason you can’t continue cooking out of doors year-round? We honestly can’t see any reason why you can’t. Food cooked on a grill is simply more tasty than food cooked indoors — we don’t know if that’s a scientific fact, but we believe it to be true!
For many years, outdoor chefs bemoaned the fact that summer was over and that meant that grilling season was over as well. Now for those hardy people who will brave the elements for a great steak or pork chop cooked on the grill, we have some ideas on how you can bring that delicious grilled flavor to your Christmas dinner table.
Whether you’re an intrepid outdoors person who can’t abide cooking meals indoors or if don’t mind bundling up in your quest to brave the elements and cook a steak out of doors in the winter, grilling can be done year-round.
Stick with us for ideas for grilling up delicious fare for Christmas, New Year’s and other holiday meals for your family and your guests.
Keep the grill as close to the house as is safe so you’re not having to shovel a path through the entire backyard when you’re struck with a yearning for a grilled dinner.
Grill Up Your Christmas Dinner
When you grill your holiday dinners outside you’re freeing up the stove and oven for those sides and delicious desserts that will follow the meal you’re cooking on the grill.
What can you cook on the grill this Christmas or New Year’s — even if it’s cold and blustery where you live? Here are a few suggestions.
- Smoke a ham and pineapples. Glaze and serve.
- Grill a mint and herb crusted leg of lamb or a rack of lamb as a special, once a year treat.
- Prime rib, while an expensive cut of meat, can be grilled to perfection for your guests. You may opt to smoke the prime rib then char on the grlll before serving.
- Thick slice French or Italian bread, slather with herbed butter and grill it up. Top with freshly grated parm or slices of fresh mozzarella. The grill marks on the bread and the grilling process itself will impart delicious flavor to the bread.
- Grill winter veggies to go with the meats you’re serving. Cauliflower “steaks” brushed with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper can be grilled for a crunchy side. Throw on some winter squash and grill until soft. You can wash and score sweet potatoes, slice in half, butter and wrap in foil.
- Toss the sweet potatoes on the grill and cook until soft. Sprinkle cinnamon, mash the interior and top with marshmallows you’ve cooked over an open flame. You can also, either grill potato slices or wash, add butter, salt and pepper, wrap in foil and grill.
- We found some delicious recipes on various sites and here are a few you can try and share with your friends and family
- Put a turkey or cornish game hens on the rotiserrie and grill them for your holiday dinner. Stuff the cavity with oranges, lemons, cloves or apples to impart a unqiue flavor to the meat. Don’t put stuffing into the cavity. You can, however, cook your stuffing in a pan on the grills.
- Boil water, toss in some lobster tails and serve with grilled rib eye steaks.
There is no reason to pack that grill away. Just make sure you cover it up once it’s cooled and you’re done cooking. Don’t leave it exposed to the elements that may cause it or its components to rust.