“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas.”
–Laura Ingalls Wilder
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Ushering in our holiday season with joy, gratitude, and our favorite BBQ traditions makes this time of year a treasure trove of Yuletide festivities! Many BBQ chefs and fans have brined, smoked, grilled, and roasted scrumptious celebratory BBQ Christmas fare for their friends and family. Various infamous BBQ menu items have been referred to as “Being Absolutely Brilliant!” Some examples include:
–“Is anyone else smoking for the holidays? We are having a Christmas Eve Open House get together and I’m smoking a pork butt using Pit Master Chris Lilly’s rub and smoking it over mulberry wood for the first time, along with some maple wood!”
–“I’m definitely cooking for the holidays! I brought some brisket chili to the office Holiday Pot-Luck and it pulled a disappearing act worthy of Houdini! Tonight, I’m smoking chicken over some apple wood, and I’ve got a brisket flat cooking right now that will be a snack after Midnight Mass…and 2 massive tri-tips rubbed down and waiting in the fridge for their turn on the smoker tomorrow for Christmas Day!”
–“My wife told me that she wasn’t in the mood for ham or turkey for this year’s Christmas dinner. I suggested a rib-roast and she said ‘MEH.’ I was joking around and suggested starting a Christmas Tradition of smoking baby-back ribs…She said that was a great idea!…And we have kept up our BBQ Christmas Tradition of smoked baby-back ribs for the past 13 years!”
The accolades and applause for Holiday BBQ Meals continues!
–“I smoked an 18-pound turkey on the Cajun Bandit conversion yesterday and used cherry wood for the smoking…All I can say is that it is one of the best and most simple recipes that makes an outstanding meal!”
–“Did baby-back ribs for the in-laws for Christmas Eve. Guess they liked them because they asked me if I was interested in smoking their Christmas Day turkey instead of their usual deep-fried dish!”
–“I smoked 2 whole briskets for a total of 31 pounds and 4 pork butts for a total of 24 pounds…With a total of 55 pounds of smoked meats, I gave out chunks of BBQ to my neighbors then served the pork butt on Xmas Day. It was well received!”
–“I did my 1st Kettle turkey this Christmas and loved how it turned out. Today, I’m doing 2 stuffed chickens on the Kettle using basically the same method. Everyone is looking forward to another great BBQ Christmastime Meal!”
The Cajun Bandit 22.5” WSM (WSM=Weber Smokey Mountain) Upgrade Kit has been packaged to increase the fuel capacity of your Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5” Smoker and “provides much needed improvements to the fit and function of the standard Weber door that comes supplied with your 22.5” Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. This kit will provide for increased charcoal capacity, ease of use, and a sure seal to eliminate smoke loss through the door. The stainless-steel coal ring included in this kit improves airflow regulation and eliminates the common problem of vent jamming seen on the standard coal ring. The consistent temperature control is greatly improved with an increased interior volume and this stainless-steel coal ring provides the much-needed larger capacity for additional charcoal fuel for longer, uninterrupted smoking sessions. Additionally, with an integral 4-tab grate support system, the stainless charcoal ring provides for easier cleaning and dumping.” www.cajunbandit.com states. “For the outdoor cooking enthusiast! We focus on high-quality solutions that make your outdoor cooking experience more successful and enjoyable! Choose from our wide selection of products and parts for smokers, kettle grills, gas grills, rotisserie accessories and a line of seasonings to AMP up your outdoor cooking experience!” You may contact Cajun Bandit on their website or via Social Media on Facebook and Instagram, or email any questions to: co*****@*********it.com
www.bbqislandinc.com has a wealth of information on their website including an article/BBQ Blog entitled: “How to have a great Christmas BBQ this year!” declaring “While there are many cuisines to choose from, BBQ is still one of the most popular choices for a holiday feast. A barbecue Christmas is more like a tradition and hosting is one of the best ways to get family and friends together and have fun! If you are looking for some great Christmas BBQ ideas, you have stumbled on the right piece of information.” There on the BBQ Island website you shall find a variety of helpful hints to assist you as you host a grand and splendid BBQ gathering! BBQ Island says, “Welcome to BBQ Island, where our fervor for BBQ is only matched by our dedication to assisting our customers in crafting extraordinary outdoor culinary spaces. Established in 2002, BBQ Island emerged as a boutique manufacturing enterprise, showcasing pre-fabricated BBQ islands at home exhibitions. Our journey has since propelled us to become one of the premier retail stores in the Western United States.” Furthermore, BBQ Island’s inventory extends “beyond equipment to encompass an extensive array of BBQ and outdoor-related provisions; from acclaimed spices, rubs, marinades, and sauces to wood pellets, chunks, fire glass, logs, and replacement components, BBQ Island stands as the definitive 1 stop destination for all things BBQ, grilling and smoking.”
For further down-home barbecue notions, you may peruse “A Relaxing Country Christmas Cookbook: Holiday Recipes You Should Have Got From Your Grandmother,” by Carson Wyatt and Kathy Wyatt –with an audible version available on www.audible.com narrated by Charles D. Baker. “Are you looking for traditional Christmas recipes? Are you tired of eating store bought Christmas goodies? Do you want a relaxing country Christmas this year? Then this audiobook can help! If you’re looking for a relaxing country Christmas filled with dishes that everyone’s sure to enjoy, then A Relaxing Country Christmas: Holiday Recipes You Should Have Got From Your Grandmother is for you. It can help you cook a traditional menu, old fashioned goodies, and even a few gifts that can easily be made and given to those on your Christmas list. From Christmas Punch, Swedish Christmas Ham, old-fashioned German gingerbread, that elusive figgy pudding and fruitcake you’ve heard about in songs for years but never had, and much more! There is a little something for everyone in this book. Just pick a recipe and start cooking, making new traditions or reviving old ones to make the perfect old-fashioned Christmas.” From Santa grilling up his sausages in the snow to baking delicious Christmas treats and goodies, this cookbook will have your friends and family ‘A Hootin’ and ‘A Hollerin’ FOR MORE!
Holiday traditions foster a sense of closeness and belonging. Tradition contributes a feeling of comfort and belonging and joins families and loved ones together. Our praxis enables us to reconnect with one another. THIS is the extraordinary time of year to especially celebrate our differences as well as our common interests; doing so strengthens our awareness and perception of community, unites us, and educates us. Most assuredly, starting your own family traditions will become lifelong memories filled with wonder and pure jubilation for all with whom you share them. So, www.ribbqnews.com Readers and Playfellows– fire up your smokers and light up your grills and delight your friends, family, neighbors (and everyone’s tastebuds!) during this BBQ Feast Festive Fete Advent Season!
“Barbecue: It’s not just a meal, it’s a ritual.”
–Ed Mitchell
“Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.”
–Anthony Bourdain
