How to Cook a Christmas Dinner on a Kamado Joe BBQ

Christmas dinner is often the heart of the festive season, a table full of family, laughter and incredible food. But this year, why not take your festive feast outside and let your Kamado Joe do the work? The ceramic grill’s precise temperature control, smoky flavour and even heat make it perfect for cooking everything from the main roast to dessert.

Here’s how to create a complete Christmas dinner on your Kamado Joe, using these tried-and-tested festive recipes.

Start with the star: The Turkey

No Christmas dinner is complete without a golden, juicy turkey, and on the Kamado Joe, it reaches a whole new level of flavour.

Begin with a simple turkey brine made from salt, sugar, bay, thyme, peppercorns, orange zest and coriander seeds. Brining keeps the meat tender and helps it absorb subtle festive aromas. Once cooled, add the turkey to the brine and leave it for roughly an hour per 500g.

When ready, pat the turkey dry, season with your favourite rub and set your Kamado Joe for indirect heat at around 180°C. The ceramic design locks in moisture while adding a gentle, smoky flavour that can’t be matched in a standard oven.

Roast until the internal temperature reaches 70°C, then rest before carving. The result is a perfectly cooked turkey with crisp skin and succulent, flavourful meat; the centrepiece of your Christmas feast.

Honey-glazed gammon

If you prefer a second main or want leftovers for Boxing Day, a honey-glazed gammon is the perfect addition.

Set your grill to 140°C with the coals banked to the back and your rotisserie attachment in place. Place the gammon on the spit and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 70°C.

Meanwhile, mix mustard, hot honey and dark brown sugar to create a rich glaze. Once cooked, remove the rind, brush with the glaze and return to the grill for 20–30 minutes until it’s sticky and caramelised. The result is beautifully tender meat with a glossy, golden finish. Irresistible alongside roast potatoes and vegetables.

Perfect Yorkshire puddings

Yorkshire puddings might not be traditional for Christmas, but on the Kamado Joe, they’re too good to leave out.

Mix flour, eggs, milk, salt and pepper until smooth, then chill the batter for a couple of hours (or overnight). Heat your pudding tins on the grill at 220°C with a little dripping in each hole until smoking hot.

Pour in the batter, about halfway up each hole, and grill for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden. Reduce the temperature to 190°C and cook for another 10 minutes to crisp the edges. The result is light, fluffy Yorkshires with a perfect crunch, ideal for mopping up gravy.

Sage and onion sausage meat stuffing

Every Christmas dinner needs great stuffing, and this sausage meat and sage version is full of comfort and flavour.

Fry chopped onion in butter until soft, then mix with sausage meat, breadcrumbs and sage. Shape into balls or press into a roasting tin.

Cook on your Kamado Joe at 200°C for 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through. It’s simple, savoury and the perfect side dish to turkey or gammon.

Turkey gravy with real depth

No festive feast is complete without rich, homemade gravy.

Start by roasting turkey bones on the grill for 5–10 minutes for extra flavour. Transfer to a pan, cover with water and add bay, thyme, onion and peppercorns. Simmer for around 45 minutes, then strain the stock.

In the roasting tin, mix flour with the turkey juices and cook gently until golden. Gradually whisk in your stock, stirring constantly to lift up and incorporate all the tasty juices. Simmer until smooth and thickened. The result is a glossy, full-bodied gravy that pulls the whole meal together.

Roast vegetables the Kamado way

For a simple but flavour-packed side, roast your vegetables on the Kamado Joe.

Toss potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sprouts in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill them in a cast-iron pan or roasting tray at 200°C until crisp and golden. The natural charcoal smoke adds a subtle sweetness that makes even the simplest veg feel special.

Crumble-topped mince pies

Finish your Christmas meal with something sweet from the grill: crumble-topped mince pies.

Roll out puff pastry and cut it into squares, pressing each one into a muffin tin. Add a spoonful of mincemeat to each and sprinkle over a crumble topping made from butter, flour and demerara sugar.

Bake on your Kamado Joe at 180°C for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve warm with ice cream or custard for the perfect festive finale.

The Kamado Joe advantage

Cooking Christmas dinner on a Kamado Joe is a completely different experience from using an oven. It’s not just about the flavour, though that unmistakable smoky note makes every dish taste incredible. It’s about how enjoyable and hands-on the whole process feels.

The Kamado Joe gives you precise control over heat and airflow, so you can roast, bake and sear without worrying about dry turkey or burnt edges. Its thick ceramic body holds heat beautifully, keeping meats tender and vegetables perfectly cooked. You can even bake desserts once the main meal is done, using the same steady temperature.

It turns cooking into something social and relaxed. You can step outside, enjoy the crisp winter air and still be part of the celebration while the food cooks to perfection. The result is a meal that tastes amazing, smells irresistible and feels that bit more special because you made it over the coals.

A Christmas feast to remember

From the brined turkey to the honey-glazed gammon and crumble-topped mince pies, every part of this meal is made better on the Kamado Joe. It’s a Christmas dinner that feels traditional yet fresh, bringing warmth, smoke and theatre to your festive table.

So light the charcoal, gather your ingredients and make this year’s Christmas dinner one to remember; cooked, carved and enjoyed outdoors on your Kamado Joe!