Christmas dinner is a lot of small jobs happening at once, and the turkey is the one that decides whether the whole thing runs smoothly. It takes up the oven, it needs watching, and if it comes out dry there is no fixing it by two o’clock. Smoke BBQ in Carryduff has taken that job off your hands. You can also find us on LinkUp NI’s Food Trucks & Catering directory.
Our smoked Christmas turkey is brined for 48 hours, rubbed with the house seasoning we use across the barbecue menu, then smoked low and slow in the Carryduff smokehouse. It is blast chilled and frozen ready for the big day, so all that is left at home is a straightforward reheat.
Pre order your smoked Christmas turkey here
Why a Smoked Turkey Beats the Oven Version
Turkey gets a bad name for a reason. The breast is lean, it holds very little fat, and a hot domestic oven pulls moisture out of it faster than most people expect. Add the fact that it usually goes in first thing and comes out after everything else has been jockeying for oven space, and dry turkey starts to look almost inevitable.
A long brine fixes that before cooking even begins. Ours sits in brine for a full 48 hours, which seasons the meat the whole way through rather than just sitting on the skin. That is the difference between a bird that tastes of turkey and a bird that tastes seasoned from the first slice to the last.
Then comes the smoke. Our turkey is cooked the same way we cook brisket and pulled pork, gently and over a long stretch, which gives you something an oven simply cannot produce at home. A soft smokiness runs right through the bird, and the low temperature keeps the meat relaxed instead of tightening up and squeezing the moisture out.
Smoked Low and Slow in Carryduff
Everything happens in our own smokehouse at Carryduff, just outside Belfast. This is not a bird that arrives in a box from somewhere else with our name on it. It is prepared, brined, rubbed and smoked by the same team that runs the restaurant and the catering side of the business, using the same rub and the same method we have built our reputation on.
Once the turkey comes off the smoker it is blast chilled and frozen, which locks it in at its best. That also means you can collect well ahead of Christmas without giving up half your fridge to a raw bird for a week, which is no small thing in most houses in December.
What You Get and Who It Feeds
- Minimum weight of 2.5kg, which feeds roughly six to eight people
- Brined for 48 hours before it sees any smoke
- Seasoned with the Smoke BBQ house rub
- Smoked low and slow in our Carryduff smokehouse
- Blast chilled and frozen, ready for collection
- Supplied with our own reheating instructions
For most families that is the main event covered in one order. If you are feeding a bigger crowd, or you want a second bird for Boxing Day cold cuts and sandwiches, order early and we will look after it.
Reheating at Home, No Christmas Day Guesswork
Every turkey comes with our own reheating instructions, so there is nothing to work out on the day. No carving clock. No poking the thigh to see whether the juices run clear. No bird hogging the oven for hours while the roast potatoes sit on the side waiting their turn.
The one thing to plan for is defrosting. Allow proper time for the turkey to thaw fully, and build that into Christmas Eve rather than leaving it to the morning. Once it is defrosted, the reheat is quick, the oven is free for your sides, and the part of the meal that usually causes the stress is already sorted.
That shift matters more than it sounds. The sides are where the real work sits anyway. Getting the turkey out of the equation gives you back the morning.
How to Order Your Smoked Christmas Turkey
Turkeys are pre order only, and numbers are limited by what the smokehouse can turn out alongside our normal service. The sensible move is to book yours in early rather than leaving it to December when the list is already filling.
Pre order your smoked Christmas turkey from Smoke BBQ
If you would rather speak to someone first, give us a ring on 028 9521 4051 and we will talk you through sizes, collection and anything else you need to know.
More Than Turkey: What Else Smoke BBQ Does
The Christmas turkey is a seasonal job, but it comes out of a kitchen that smokes meat properly all year round. If you have not eaten with us before, here is what else we do.
Dine In at Carryduff
Our restaurant at Mealough Road serves the full barbecue menu, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, burgers and sides, cooked in house on our own smokers. It suits big tables as well as small ones, which is why we see a steady run of birthdays, work nights out, christenings and family get togethers through the year. December is busy with Christmas parties, so book ahead if you have a date in mind.
Smoke On The Road
Our mobile catering arm brings the same food to your venue. Weddings, corporate days, staff treat days, film and TV shoots, festivals, garden parties and private celebrations across Northern Ireland and into Dublin. If you have ever wanted your wedding food to be something people actually talk about afterwards, smoked barbecue tends to do the job.
BBQ Masterclass
For anyone who wants to learn the method rather than just eat the results, our masterclass covers how we run the smokers, how we handle the big cuts and where most home cooks go wrong. It also makes a genuinely good gift for the person in the family who has bought themselves a smoker and is still finding their feet with it.
Gift Cards
If you are stuck for a present, a Smoke BBQ gift card covers dinner, the masterclass or anything else on the menu. Easier than guessing, and nobody has ever been disappointed to be given food.
Finding Us: Directions to Smoke BBQ, Carryduff
Collection is from Smoke BBQ, 1 Mealough Road, Carryduff, Belfast, BT8 8GB. We are around 15 minutes from Belfast city centre, sitting just off the A24 Saintfield Road, with parking on site.
- From Belfast city centre: follow the A24 Saintfield Road south through Newtownbreda and Cairnshill and continue towards Carryduff. Mealough Road runs off the Saintfield Road as you reach the village.
- From Lisburn: head east towards Carryduff and join the Saintfield Road, then follow signs for the village. Allow around 20 minutes.
- From Dundonald and Castlereagh: come south towards Carryduff and pick up the Saintfield Road at the village, a run of roughly 15 minutes.
- From Saintfield and Ballynahinch: take the A24 north towards Belfast and you will come into Carryduff directly.
- Sat nav: use BT8 8GB and you will be brought straight to us.
We are an easy run for anyone in Carryduff, Newtownbreda, Cairnshill, Belvoir, Castlereagh, Dundonald, Saintfield, Ballynahinch and Lisburn, and well worth the short drive from across greater Belfast and County Down. If you have a longer journey home with a frozen turkey in the boot, bring a cool bag.
Find Us on the Map
Restaurant Opening Hours
| Monday to Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday and Friday | 5:00pm to 9:00pm |
| Saturday | 1:00pm to 10:00pm |
| Sunday | 1:00pm to 7:00pm |
Turkey collection times are arranged separately, and we will confirm yours when you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the smoked Christmas turkey?
The minimum weight is 2.5kg, which feeds approximately six to eight people depending on how generous you are with the servings and how much you want left over for Boxing Day.
Does the turkey arrive frozen?
Yes. Once it comes off the smoker it is blast chilled and frozen, so you can collect ahead of Christmas without it taking over your fridge. Defrost it fully before reheating and build that into your Christmas Eve plans.
Do I need to cook it on Christmas Day?
No. It is fully cooked in our smokehouse. All you do is reheat it using the instructions supplied with your order, which frees the oven for your sides.
Where do I collect my turkey?
From Smoke BBQ, 1 Mealough Road, Carryduff, Belfast, BT8 8GB, with parking on site. We will confirm your collection slot when you order.
How far in advance should I order?
As early as you can. Turkeys are pre order only and we can only smoke so many alongside normal service, so the list closes once it is full.
Do you deliver the turkey?
Turkeys are collection only from our Carryduff smokehouse. If you are travelling a distance, bring a cool bag for the journey home.
Do you cater Christmas events as well?
We do. Smoke On The Road covers staff parties, corporate days and private celebrations across Northern Ireland and Dublin, and the restaurant takes party bookings through December. Get in touch early, as festive dates go quickly.
Take the Turkey Off Your List
Christmas gives you plenty to think about without standing over a bird for half the morning and hoping for the best. Let us handle it. Brined for two days, smoked low and slow in Carryduff, frozen and ready, with instructions in the bag.
Pre order your smoked Christmas turkey from Smoke BBQ
Questions before you book? Ring us on 028 9521 4051 and we will sort you out.