December smoking noteswhat to smoke this Christmas and how to plan it

December is a better month for the smoker than its reputation suggests. The food is richer, the cooks are mostly short, and nobody expects you to be standing outside in shorts. What catches people out isn't the cold. It's the fridge, the butcher's order book and the fact that it's dark by teatime.

These are our notes for the month ahead, written now because most of the useful jobs need doing in November.

What's worth smoking this December

A turkey crown. A whole bird is a big ask on most home smokers, and the legs and breast want different things. A crown is easier to fit, cooks more evenly and still gives you the smoky centrepiece. Our guide to smoked turkey for Christmas covers brining, temperatures and how to keep the skin from going rubbery.

Gammon. The most forgiving Christmas cook there is, because it arrives already cured. Smoke it on Christmas Eve, glaze it, and it's just as good cold on Boxing Day as it was hot. The smoked gammon guide explains whether to soak it first and how to tell when it's ready.

Salmon. Hot-smoked salmon is quick, makes a very good starter or buffet plate, and frees up the smoker for the main event. Do it a day or two ahead and serve it cold.

Duck. Good for a smaller Christmas, or for the quieter days between Boxing Day and New Year. It needs a hotter smoker than most cooks so the fat renders and the skin crisps, and a tray underneath to catch what comes out.

If you can only manage one, do the gammon. It gives the most back for the least worry.

Cold-weather reminders

A smoker works fine in December, but it works harder. Cold air and wind pull heat out of thin steel quickly, so expect longer warm-up times, more fuel and wider temperature swings than in summer. Our guide to smoking in winter has the full list, and the smoking weather check is worth a look the evening before any big cook.

The short version:

• Have more charcoal or pellets in than you think you need. The shops near you will be shut at exactly the wrong moment.
• Find a spot sheltered from the wind, outdoors and well away from the house. A smoker never goes in a garage, shed or porch to get out of the weather.
• Keep a head torch by the back door. Sunset comes very early in December, and checking a probe by phone light gets old fast.
• Keep the lid shut. Every peek costs more heat in winter than it does in August.

Fridge space is the real bottleneck

The smoker can usually cope with Christmas. The fridge often can't. A brining turkey crown, a gammon, a side of salmon and the usual mountain of sprouts and cream will not all fit at once.

Plan which meat needs to be in the fridge on which day, and clear space for it before the big shop lands. A cool box with ice packs can help for drinks and veg, but raw meat should stay in the fridge. For safe storage, defrosting and cooking temperatures, follow the FSA guidance rather than working it out on the day.

If your turkey is frozen, check how long it needs to defrost before you buy it. Big birds take longer than most people expect.

Order early from the butcher

Independent butchers get very busy in December, and crowns, good gammon joints and fresh ducks can run short in the last week. Ask now what they'll have, when they're taking orders and when you can collect. Tell them it's going on a smoker: a good butcher will happily tie a crown, take the skin off a gammon or suggest a size that fits.

Put it in one plan

The cooks above are all straightforward on their own. The trouble starts when they overlap. Our Christmas smoking plan lays out Christmas Eve to Boxing Day in order, with the smoker doing one main job each day. Read it this week, then ring the butcher.