Rosalie's Holiday Roast & Hosting Guide
Author: Pitmaster Rosalie Pareja
IG: @castironskillz
The holidays can bring lots of cheer as everyone comes together to celebrate! However, 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, and I am here to help you knock it out of the park!
Luckily, our "Party like a Pitmaster" 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 box selections and recipes intentionally to all work with each other and alone as versatile tools for a successful foundation in your holiday meals.
Picking the Right Roast
Pick a protein that is right for your schedule, skillset and guests. Holiday roasts like prime rib, whole birds, rack of lamb and pork are common holiday roasts. I have ranked some roast options from difficulty/maintenance level starting at the lowest:
- Doubled Smoked Whole Ham
- Pork Loin Roast
- Smoked Boneless Prime Rib, NY Strip Roast or Sirloin Roast
- Rack of Pork
- Whole Roasted Turkey
- Rack of Lamb
- Spatchcocked Turkey
- Standing Rib Roast (bone-in)
- Whole Tenderloin Roast
- Beef Wellington
Team Spatchcock or Team Whole Bird?
I love both methods for cooking turkey. It’s hard to compare them because they are just so great, however there are some differences that might help you decide which direction to go.
Spatchcock Turkey - A spatchocked turkey is when you remove the spine, crack the breast plate, and lay the bird out flat. It cooks in almost half the time and is easy to cut. It's great for injecting and can produce very crispy skin. It’s not the prettiest on a platter, but you can always dress it up with the garnishes.
Whole Roasted - A whole roasted turkey features the whole bird with its wings and legs tucked back (trussed). It's stuffed with aromatics or stuffing and is the more traditional way of cooking. It can smoke longer than a spatchcocked turkey without drying out, and looks great for presentation.
So what’s your decision? I pick both!
Prime Rib 101
Picking out the right prime rib can be intimidating, but don’t worry, I am here! Here's a breakdown of the different types of rib roasts.
USDA Choice - USDA Choice will be the most affordable cut, however will need a little extra love to make it more tender and flavorful. I like to dry brine it the night before with salt. The salt breaks down the fat and brings out the color.
USDA Prime - The standard pick for a prime rib roast. It will cost a little more yet have more marbling, especially on the fat cap. We want the marbling!
American Wagyu - In my opinion, an American Wagyu Rib Roast is my favorite of all time. It’s going to be so tender, flavorful and will have an incredible amount of marbling.
Boneless or Bone-in?
I am team BONE-IN! When meat cooks with the bone, it cooks with so much more flavor. I highly suggest cooking a rib roast with the bone on or detached then tied on.
How many bones do I need?
A 3 bone rib roast will feed 6 people based on my 2 people per bone rule. Depending on the thickness between the bones, you can get away with 3-4 servings per bone. It also depends on your audience!
Additional Tips for Hosting and Cooking a Holiday Meal
1. Start with a Flavorful Foundation
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.
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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
