Christmas BBQ

[SkankingMopoke]

We have decided to go a bit off piste for boxing day and make the mass catering a bit easier by doing a BBQ. We have a list of our usual family favourites, but want to make it a bit different from a summer offering. Has anyone got any festive BBQ fusion ideas (sides or mains) to add to the meal plan please?

When I think about Christmas flavours I think of orange, thyme, sage, cranberry, cinnamon, maple syrup, cloves, you could make some kind of marinades from the kinds of flavours you associate with Christmas eg a sticky orange marmalade chicken drumsticks, honey, thyme and fresh cranberry pork chops etc. Could do some hot bake at home rolls and a big bowl of stuffing.

Well I'm originally from Australia so BBQ at Christmas is the default. We always did, nice steaks, lamb chops, pigs in blankets, prawns, all marinated in loads of herbs and garlic. Fresh bread and butter, multiple different salads, couscous with Christmas flavours etc. pavlova with mountains of cream, cherries, mango and passion fruit yum!

Someone mentioned Christmas burgers on another recent post. Think maybe Christmas Eve dinner ideas. Check that post out - they sounded really good!

NZer here. When we have a BBQ for Christmas we do a marinated de-boned shoulder or leg of lamb. I’d then have some pita bread and salads or a warm salad of roast vegetables.

I often pick salads that are red or green to go alongside.

These are the Christmas burgers that I mentioned on another thread. They’re vegetarian and in the recipe they’re baked not fried or grilled. I don’t know if they would work on the grill, but they’re well worth doing as they’re delicious.
Glazed carrots

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and fried potatoes just like at a German market

These are all great ideas, thank you!
The burgers sound really good and have been added to the list. It's also reminded me I have a recipe for a cranberry mustard relish, which would be great for hot dogs (using proper sausages).
A pavlova will definitely feature (easy, beautiful, and popular), and I like the idea of keeping the sides mostly red and green.
A jewelled couscous would be fabulous, but sadly no one outside of my household would touch it. I brought couscous to family gatherings twice before (different recipes), and DH and I were the only ones to touch it both times. DH thinks lamb may also fall in this category

So, so far our list includes:
Xmas burgers
Cranberry hotdogs
Jerk chicken
Jerk pork
Rice and peas
Macaroni cheese
Stilton & chicory salad with a honey mustard dressing
Stuffing balls
Gravy
Side of salmon
Pavlova

It's definitely a veg-light list at the moment! There will be 20 of us, for an idea of the volume of food/variety required. Guests will bring plenty of desserts with them, so I'm not worried about that.

@JammyRedRooo

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and fried potatoes just like at a German market

This is also right up mine and DH's street, but we suspect would be left untouched by the wider family.

We're adding a potatoes boulangerie too. Inspired by the Xmas market idea, but think a tartiflette would be too rich alongside everything else.

We made a Christmas coleslaw at the weekend which went down well. Red cabbage rather than white, usual carrots onion and mayo but with the addition of apple chunks and dried cranberries to make it 'festive'.
I love coleslaw for parties though so I'm a bit biased!

Left over roast potato salad. Basically just potato salad but made with roast potatoes.

BBQ sounds like a fun idea !

Yummy

I posted a similar question and someone suggested panini, cooked in the oven
Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce etc , sounded fab

Also made a lovely coleslaw recently with shredded Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries and grated apple mixed with Mayo and white wine vinegar . V Xmas themed and even non Brussels lovers liked it

I was going to suggest making burgers or sliders with minced turkey well seasoned. Maybe some coleslaw using red cabbage. And maybe a cranberry relish.

Definitely something like a tinfoil tray with onions slowly caramelising as the coals heat.

Roasted peppers? Or diced veg to suit the jerk meats etc in another tin foil tray on the BBQ/done in oven (perhaps onion, peppers, corn, tomatoes?)

Made a lovely Christmassy coleslaw once with fennel and apple. Also roast new potato salad, just roasted some new potatoes, cooled to room temperature, mixed with mayo and some chives. Horribly unhealthy but bloody lovely 😅

A Christmas coleslaw is an excellent shout.

One of the guests is bringing a potato salad, so that is covered! Agreed, they are delicious.

Pigs in blankets, but make your own with decent sized sausages or they'll fall through the grills.

Brussels sprouts remoulade.

Roast cauliflower salad - toss with thinly sliced red onion, baby spinach leaves, raisins and chopped dill, dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey.

Parsnips and carrots are surprisingly good barbecued, but you have to baste them with oil.

Roast some chestnuts on the open fire before it burns down to coals?