Tips, Dips & Tricks for Stress-Free Holiday Meals
Hey Grill Masters Club Nation, it's Rosalie, your lead Pitmaster!
Grill Masters Club celebrates BBQ year-round, however we have gone all out this month!
Grill Masters Club is your holiday headquarters…we’ve got you covered with award-winning sauces, mouth-watering rubs, unique marinades, useful grilling tools, and inspiring recipes every single month, tailored to each grilling season. This is the season of holiday hosting and we are here to help.
The holidays can bring lots of cheer as everyone comes together to celebrate. The holidays can also be intimidating and overwhelming when it comes to feasting. I’ve had my fair share of hosting holiday meals and Christmas Eve dinners over the years. I am here to help you knock it out of the park.
I have collected the ultimate tips and tricks for managing a stress free and delicious holiday meal:
START WITH FLAVOR!
When it comes to picking proteins and sides, always remember that the sides are to compliment the protein. Using similar base flavors, seasonings and rubs is an easy hack. King Shallot Seasoning Blend by PS Seasoning is a great product to use on vegetables & starches, in compound butter & gravy and is compatible with most proteins.
The Terrapin Ridge Horseradish Sauce is a prime rib‘s best friend, however a great sauce for appetizers like shrimp cocktail or a great condiment on that perfect leftover sandwich.
PICK THE RIGHT PROTEIN!
Pick a protein that doesn't require too much babysitting. Holiday roasts like Prime Rib, Whole Birds, Rack of Pork and Lamb are your best bet.
Pick sides to complement the protein, that do not require more effort than a protein itself. A vegetable, starch and a sauce is usually the rule of thumb. Use similar flavors to help connect them as a whole. Pick a protein and sides that not only work with each other on the flavor side things, however also work together logistically.
Think about prep, times, temps and stages of cooks. When deciding how to cook my sides, I try to pick sides that can go on my pellet smoker at the same temperature as my protein for at least one stage of cooking.
For instance, if you are smoking a prime rib at 325 F straight through until medium rare - potatoes and vegetables can go on at the same time. Twice smoked potatoes, roasted potatoes, or just reheating mashed potatoes made the previous day cook great at 325F. Roasted veggies at 325 F will have that perfect crisp on the outside, yet be fully cooked all the way through.
USE YOUR GRILL WISELY!
Cook a meal that only requires the least amount of cooking zones/mediums. I am known for only using my Traeger so I don’t have to run in and outside of the house to avoid any mishaps (and keep my kitchen clean!).
A lot of mishaps in cooking happen when you are not watching. So having everything centrally located can help prevent this.
PREP!
Prep as much as you can. Prep what you can and the day before! No one wants to spend their entire Holiday cooking. If you have herbs or vegetables that require a lot of prep, do it the day before and store them in the fridge.
If you’re making a sauce, homemade roll dough, mashed potatoes, or casserole - go ahead and make that one or two days before. Then all you have to do is reheat and garnish.
APPS!
I always love an easy to prepare appetizer. The Sauce Goddess dip mixes (like Sweet n’ Spicy Garlic Dip + Spread Mix) make amazing last minute dips, hot or cold. Things can get a little crazy when hosting and a quick dip is your way to satisfy your guests hunger while you get the meal ready to eat.
I love to mic the Onion dip with 2 blocks of cream cheese and 1 cup of cheddar cheese for an easy hot dip. I’ll throw it on the smoker at 325 until it's nice and crispy on top.
For a cold dip, I’ll take the dip mix and mix it into 3 cups of Greek yogurt, with a little fresh parsley for garnish. These dips are great with most crackers, tortillas, and toast points. Thank me later!
REST TIME!
Make sure to give your holiday roast enough time to rest. Aim for it to be done when guests arrive so that it can rest while you eat apps and enjoy cocktails. It also makes a great presentation/conversation piece!
Luckily, our December 'Tis The Sizzle Season box has everything you need from rubs, recipes and guidance on how to throw the perfect holiday dinner and have fun doing it. We picked the products and recipes in this box intentionally to complement each other and stand alone as versatile tools for a successful foundation in your holiday meals.
Happy Holidays!
- Rosalie, your lead Pitmaster
