(StatePoint) Grilling isn’t just for summer celebrations. Elevate your holiday table and wow family and friends by skipping the oven and grilling main dishes instead. To start, you need the right fuel.
“The best wood helps you capture those cozy, smoky notes you’re looking for during the holidays, whether you’re grilling turkey, lamb, pork, beef or veggies,” says Levi Strayer of Bear Mountain BBQ.
Delivering big, bold wood-fired flavor on any grill, Bear Mountain BBQ is helping you savor the spirit of the season. Along with the Grill Dads, they are sharing two recipes destined to become your go-to holiday dishes. First up is a Smoked and Juicy Turkey that uses a wet brine to lock in seasoning, and a dry-brine for that crispy skin everybody fights over. The real secret weapon here? Bear Mountain’s Holiday Turkey BBQ Blend pellets. These pellets bring a clean, balanced smokiness that never overpowers the meat—just enhances it.
For the Brine (injectable):
2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Kosher salt and black pepper (for surface seasoning)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (for injecting after cooking)
1. Make the brine. In a small saucepan, combine water, stock, salt, brown sugar, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf. Heat over medium until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat, strain out the solids, and cool completely.
2. Break down the turkey into individual cuts—2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks and 2 wings. Season generously with salt and pepper. Inject each cut with the cooled brine, getting good distribution along the muscle fibers. Place on a sheet pan uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry-brine.
3. Fire up your smoker with Bear Mountain’s Holiday Turkey BBQ Blend pellets. Smoke at 225 degrees F. Target these internal temperatures:
Thighs/Legs: 175 degrees F
4. Pull each piece as it hits its temperature.
5. Inject melted butter into each piece as soon as it comes off the smoker. Tent loosely with foil and rest for at least 20 minutes.
6. Crank your smoker or grill up to 400–450 degrees F. Return the turkey pieces skin-side up and cook until the skin is rendered, golden and crispy.
7. Arrange and serve family-style.
Up next is Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Sherry Peppercorn Pan Sauce, fired up with Bear Mountain BBQ’s Gourmet BBQ Craft Blend, which brings clean heat, incredible flavor and that mahogany glow from the cherry hardwood, making every bite a celebration.
1 whole beef tenderloin, tied to an even shape
SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) seasoning
2 tablespoons beef tallow (or high-heat fat)
3 tablespoons butter, plus 3 tablespoons ice-cold butter rolled in flour
2 shallots, finely minced
Freshly cracked black pepper
Kosher salt and flaky finishing salt
1. Let the tied tenderloin temper at room temperature for about an hour before cooking. Season generously with SPG. Set your smoker to 200 degrees F using Bear Mountain Gourmet Blend pellets and smoke the tenderloin low and slow until the internal temperature hits 120 degrees F. Remove from heat and let it rest for 20 minutes while you crank your smoker and a cast-iron pan inside to 550 degrees F.
2. Add beef tallow to the hot cast-iron pan and sear the tenderloin on all sides until you’ve built a crust. Remove the beef and let it rest again while you make the sauce. Move the cast-iron pan to a medium burner and add the butter, shallot and garlic, cooking just until they are softened. Stir in the water, beef bouillon and sherry, then reduce the mixture by half. Lower the heat and whisk in cream, black pepper, parsley, and the ice-cold butter rolled in flour until the sauce is glossy and smooth. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
Slice the tenderloin, lay the pieces in the pan sauce and spoon it all together. Finish with flaky salt right before serving.
By spending the season grill-side, you can bring cozy, authentic wood-fired flavors tableside, turning all your holiday meals into cherished celebrations.
