BBQ Safety Tips

When it comes to barbecuing, what could be more fun than whipping up sumptuous food on the grill in the company of family and friends? The thing of course is finding the right place for grilling and barbecuing. One favorite spot among true barbecue aficionados would be their very own backyard or outdoor kitchen with their own brick barbecue pit. Actually, any outdoor area is a potential spot for a barbecue but truth be known, the best places for a barbecue are the safest ones.

Choose a location for your BBQ grill that is away from trees, leaves, brush and overhanging limbs. Do not setup your gill in a high traffic area where someone may accidentally brush up against the hot grill.

When barbecuing in your backyard, be sure that you're 5 to 10 feet away from your house or any material that can potentially catch fire. Also, be sure the grill is stable and is away from children or pets that may bump into it. It would also be a good idea to have a water supply nearby like a garden hose.

If you live in an apartment building with a balcony or rooftop or any other outdoor space, be sure to consult with your building administrator (or in some instances, your local fire department) regarding specific restrictions. Generally, using charcoal and gas grills indoors or anywhere above the first storey is prohibited so you may want to consider electric grills instead for your barbecuing efforts.

Another great place to barbecue is in a campsite. Camping is such an exciting way to experience the great outdoors and barbecuing food over a campfire is definitely one of those practical yet cozy things you can do. Just be sure that you are at least 15 feet away from your tent and other camping gears.

Protect yourself by using the correct BBQ utensils such as oven mitts, thongs and a good spatula. Avoid wearing loose clothing while near the grill.

Always leave the lid to a gas grill open when lighting the fire so the gas does not build up under the cover. If the fire does not initially start, turn off the gas, leave the lid open and wait for at lest five minutes before trying again.

It is always a good idea to give your grill a checkup before using for the first time of the season and always store your tanks outside in a upright position where the temperature will never go over 125 degrees.

Of course, it's not just the atmosphere of being outdoors that can make a barbecue fun and special. It's also in the delicious barbecue dishes that you share with your loved ones. To make it all the more special, try a variety of BBQ rubs, marinades, salsas and BBQ sauce to capture the true taste of great outdoor barbecuing.

BBQ Myths Getting You Down?

If you're cooking your food properly on your barbeque, you're getting delightful results every time.  However, all too frequently, people are falling victims to very common barbeque myths.  It's not because we're gullible or stupid in any way.  Many barbeque myths are so well known and so wide spread that they are more frequently passed on as truth than they are as the myths that they truly are.

For example, many people love to try to get perfect grill lines on their barbequed foods.  Either straight lines, or the more fancy criss-crossed ones are often accepted as a sure sign of the expert barbeque chef.  What this involves is flipping your meat, so that the lines are on the both sides.  However, many people don't ever get to achieve this art form because they have fallen victim to one of the main barbeque myths.  They believe that flipping or poking your grilled food makes it tough – this is a myth.  In fact, flipping your meat not only creates great grill lines, but it also makes certain that you cook more evenly.  

While you read up on the swath of information available for providing tips and tricks for the best results on your barbeque, make sure that your source is reliable.  While some of this information is very helpful, much of it can be exaggerated or based on what the author “thinks” rather than what is actually known.

The belief that poking or flipping your food will let all of the juices out and make it tough would only work if your food was shaped exactly like a balloon – which it isn't.  Meat is made up of hundreds of small cells, each filled with its own moisture and juices. Should you poke your meat with a fork while it's on the grill, you may pop one or two cells, but it won't let all of the juices out…only that of the cells you've punctured.  Certainly, if you repeatedly stab and puncture your meat, many of the cells will be broken, and you'll lose a great deal of your juices, but other than in a horror movie, there really isn't any reason to treat your meat that way.

Similarly, flipping your meat doesn't let a great deal of the juices out either.  After all, flipping doesn't puncture any of the cells, so as long as you don't flip it and smack it hard, then you won't lose much by the way of juices at all.  Be gentle…it's already dead!

The problem with flipping your meat on the grill lies when cooks use their spatulas and other tools to squish the meat after it has been flipped, often trying to squeeze out the grease.  By flattening the cells in the meat, much of the moisture and juices are pushed out, leaving the meat dry.

So flip those burgers and poke that steak!  Get those grill lines just the way you want them.  Your food will always be good and juicy, just like the pros do it.

BBQ Grilling Versus Smoking - The Great Debate

We all have heard about barbecuing, but we are unaware of the real tricks in it. Barbecuing is also a form of art. To a person who is new to this art may get confused, because cooking meat in an open fire is a really tricky method. In order to get a really good and delicious bbq dish, one must have a lot of patience.Barbecuing can be done in two methods: through grilling and smoking. Grilling is the quickest method of cooking meat over a direct source of dry heat, whereas, smoking is a slow process, where the food is kept at a particular distance from the fire. Now let us take the two separately, to know the real processing.

BBQ Grilling

Grilling is of two types: direct and indirect. But before going into the details,let me tell you that there are three varieties of grills: charcoal grill, gas grill and electric grill. Charcoal grills are relatively inexpensive when compared to the other two. Now we'll go back to the types of cooking. Direct method is a high heat method and is used for cooking relatively small pieces of food. Steaks, chops, chicken breasts,etc are some of the typical foods that can be grilled directly. In indirect method, as the name suggests, the food is kept to the side of the heat source. It is somewhat like baking a cake or such type of foods.Now we will move on to smoking.

BBQ Smoking

Smoking is the finest way to cook food,even though it takes time. If grilling is best for cooking smaller pieces, smoking is best for cooking larger pieces. Roasts, ham, ribs, brisket, etc are some of the foods that can be smoked. One must maintain a steady temperature, to come up with a deliciously smoked food. The normal,suited temperature for smoking is between 200-225 degrees. If you cook the meat until it's 165 degrees in the middle, it would make the meat more tastier,as the smoke flavour gets deep into it.For basic bbq smoking, you can use the regular grill. The only thing that one must be aware while smoking is, the selection of right type of wood.Because, each wood is different in its own way. So we have to experiment with all sorts of wood to find out which one is the best. Smokers may vary in shapes and sizes.There are smokers running in gas and charcoal.But the heat coming from any type of smoker is a cooler one,which is why it takes a lot of time to smoke.

Now to end with it, barbecuing has to undergo one more process, that's topping it with sauce.In fact it is the topmost ingredient, which one can't omit while barbecuing.Types of sauce varies according to the region. If vinegar-base sauce is typical in Southern United States, tomato-base sauce is typical in Western United States. The best time to apply sauce is during the last stage of cooking. ie, when you are sure that the meat is well cooked,because,sugar is one of the main ingredients in barbecue sauces and it tends to burn easily. So you must cook the meat before you burn the sugar.

Barbequed Ribs Kansas City Style

Kansas City ribs are serious business when it comes to BBQ. True to tradition, barbeque in Kansas City is dry rub-spiced, smoked with hickory and coated with a KC style sauce. For Kansas City sauce means a thick, rich and tangy tomato based sauce with molasses and sometimes a hint of vinegar. The meat is seared, slow cooked and mop basted with sauce until the meat is tender and a nice crust has formed on the outside. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for sauce that you enjoy getting under your fingernails.

Kansas City’s first recorded barbequer was Henry Perry back in 1908. Perry become very well known for his succulent ribs and would serve them to customer who would come from miles away. Perry converted an old trolley barn into a restaurant and would serve is ribs on newspaper for 25 cents a slab. “Old Man Perry’s” restaurant was located at 19th & Highland and was later sold to George Gates and Charlie Bryant. It become known as Arthur Bryant’s and is still today regarded as one of America’s greatest rib joints. Today Kansas City boast over 90 rib restaurants.

As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can prove to be difficult with wet finger. Dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. The paper towel will allow you to get a better grip on the membrane. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.

Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar

Barbecue Party Tips For A Truly Amazing Event

Barbecue party tips can help a host put together an extraordinary event for family and friends. Eating outdoors is a favorite pastime enjoyed by everyone and planning the event can help make it more memorable and stress-free for the host. Big or small, a barbecue party requires an adequate amount of planning and preparation to ensure that everything is laid out properly.

It is advisable to plan the event around a theme in order to create a focal point for the barbecue party. This way, all aspects of the party such as the food, games and decorations can be fashioned around a central theme. Favorite themes for barbecue parties include a Hawaiian motif, nostalgic seventies get-together, or, if you are near the sea, opt for a beach bbq party!

Planning the menu is perhaps the most important part of any get-together especially for a barbecue party as most guests will be looking forward to an array of lip-smacking roasted meats dripping in bbq sauce.

Barbecue on the Beach Anyone?

Ah, what can be better than a great barbecue on the beach? The beach is definitely one of the best locations to have a barbecue. After all, the nature of grilling and barbecuing as a cooking technique is that it's fun, exciting and very rewarding. Similarly, the beach pretty much exudes the same atmosphere. There are a lot of fun and exciting activities to do at the beach. It's a place where people can be themselves in their 'bare essentials' and the relaxation factor is definitely rewarding. Putting these two wonderful concepts together, a barbecue on the beach is pretty much a recipe for a great time!

But before you pack your stuff, gear up your grill and hit the sand for one hell of a barbecue on the beach party, bear in mind that there are various safety procedures and other rules governing beach areas so it would be best to consult authorities and secure the proper permissions before you even think about organizing a beach barbecue party.

Assuming you've done that and you've already picked a nice spot, next would be preparing for your barbecue on the beach. There are various grill types that you may use for barbecuing on the beach – you have the wood or charcoal grill, gas grill or you may also use a campfire tripod. Be sure to station your grill in a stable spot, away from any flammable material and safe from people possibly bumping into it.

Bring your marinated meat, poultry or seafood in a cooler and take them out only when you're ready to start barbecuing to avoid spoilage. Further, the last seasoning you would want on your barbecue on the beach is sand right? So keep them covered!

And of course, don't forget to pack those barbecue sauces and hot sauces to spice up your barbecue dishes. If you're looking for something insanely different to give your barbecue that extra punch, visit www.InsaneChicken.com for their wide array of barbecue sauces, marinades and dry rubs. Treat yourself and your friends' taste buds to their line of extremely hot products; they would definitely go well with a good beer. Now that's what I call one unforgettable barbecue on the beach party!

Kabobs-Another Word For Dinner On A Stick

Cookout season is just around the corner and everyone is anxiously awaiting the smoky aroma that wafts throughout the neighborhood when families fire up their barbeque grills. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks and chicken – we all enjoy the traditional favorites of grilling, but how about spicing up your barbeque lineup with some fun and delicious Kabobs? Nothing is more convenient or festive than kabobs.

You can select from chunks of marinated beef or chicken with some yummy fresh veggies or fruit nicely seared over the coals. However you ‘stick it’, kabobs are a great choice for both family and entertaining.

Here’s a couple of delicious kabob recipes to try out this summer:

Steak and Veggie Kabobs

½ cup dry white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp salt
½ c vegetable oil or olive oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chili sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp dried whole oregano
½ tsp dried whole thyme
2 lbs boneless sirloin steak cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
½ lb fresh mushroom caps
2 large green peppers, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
4 small yellow squash, cut into 1 inch thick pieces

Combine the first 9 ingredients. Add meat; cover and marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, turning meat occasionally. Remove meat from marinade, reserving marinade. Alternate meat and veggies on skewers. Grill over medium coals 10-15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, basting with marinade. Serves 5.

Marinated Lamb Kabobs

2 lbs boneless lamb
1 onion, diced
1/3 c diced green pepper
1/2 c dry red wine
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sage
1/8 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp dried whole oregano

Remove fell (the tissue like covering) from lamb, if necessary; cut meat into 1 inch cubes and set aside. Combine the remaining 8 ingredients in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Add lamb; cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator. Remove meat from marinade, reserve liquid. Cook marinade in small saucepan until heated. Place meat on skewers. Grill about 6 inches from medium coals for 15 minutes or until done, turning and basting often with marinade. Serves 6.

Wing Sauces – Great For All Occasions

It's hard to tell which wing sauces are better because we all have different tastes. Buffalo wing sauces are not hard to make at all. The original Anchor Bar Buffalo, NY wing sauce is said to only have five main ingredients. But with so many varieties already available and with such inexpensive price tags, there's no reason to make them on your own. Buy a variety of wing sauces and try them all out I say! More Info on Wing Sauces If you want to have the widest selection of wing sauces, then you should go to InsaneChicken. They carry a VERY large catalogue of wing sauces, condiments, marinades, and barbecue ingredients that are hard to find in some retail outlets. The most popular brands include those coming from restaurants like Anchor Bar, home of the original Buffalo wings, and Hooters. They also carry brands that are extra hot or quite hard to find. Ordering is secure and convenient. Because most wing sauce products are inexpensive, you should try ordering a lot and stock up on this essential ingredient. Wing sauces aren't just useful for chicken wings you know. You can use them on any chicken part. You can even use them on ribs, pork chops and steaks. While wing sauces are typically mixed with the wings after frying, you can use wing sauces to marinate meats as well. They also make great seasonings to such viands like steak, meatloaf and various fried foods. For the best culinary experience, consider serving your chicken wings with your choice of dip. The type of dip you should serve depends on the wing sauces used. For instance, hot wing sauce calls for blue cheese, ranch and mayo dips, while sweet wing sauces go well with sour cream and onion or cheddar dips. Also, remember that fresh salsa, pickle relish or minced tomatoes go well with ANY dish. Buffalo Wings – Fun Recipe Ideas Buffalo wings are fun to eat. Adults and children simple never tire of them! They are also very easy to make. You can fry them, bake them or grill them. You can make your own barbecue sauce or buy prepared sauces available in grocery stores. However, if you plan on making a lot of wings and feeding a lot of people, consider buying a variety of sauces at InsaneChicken.com, an online specialty sauce and condiment retailer. Below are some fun ways you can prepare wings quickly. Wings - Coat Me Silly Ideas Easy Wings. This dish is just perfect for those who don't have the time to make elaborate dish preparations. Simply get your frozen wings out of the freezer and defrost them in the microwave. Afterwards, you can mix some water and the wing sauce of your choice with the wings, and boil them on the stove. After the chicken and the sauce are thoroughly cooked, simply place the wing in barbecue sticks and sear them with the flames of your gas stove. This recipe is easy and delicious. Tender Wings – Sweet chicken barbecue that falls off the bone is simply irresistible. It's relatively simple to make too. Just mix your favorite barbecue sauce into the chicken wings, along with paprika, brown sugar or pancake syrup. Place this in greased aluminum foil and wrap tight. Bake slowly for 3-4 hours and you'll have mouth-watering barbecue the entire family will enjoy. Enjoy these with baked potatoes and sour cream for a delicious dinner. Fried Wings – This is a quick barbecue recipe that tastes just as good as the grilled counter part. Coat your chicken liberally with bottled wing sauce like Wing Time Mild Wing Sauce (for a slightly hot taste), or Jim Beam Wing Sauce (for really hot), or Spontaneous Combustion Chicken Wing Sauce (for ARE YOU CRAZY hotness). Then in a non-stick pan, melt two sticks of butter and add half a cup of olive oil. Fry your wings until brown. This goes well with cucumber salad or some great tasting salsa!

How to Choose the BBQ That’s Right for You

No matter what kind of food you want to barbeque, there is a barbecue out there that is perfect for your needs and budget.

When it comes to outdoor entertaining, or just enjoying a hot summer’s day, the barbeque is an important part of the whole experience. Whether you’re looking for portable and disposable models, or a stainless steal, state-of-the-art appliance with all of the latest gadgets, there are always a swath of different barbeques for your perusal.

Remember, it isn’t just your cooking skills that will dictate the success of your barbequed meals, but also choosing the proper barbeque to cater to your outdoor cooking needs and desires.

After all, little is more wasteful than paying good money for added features that you’ll never use, or having to try to make dinner for fifteen people on a one square foot grill. Therefore, before heading out to the barbeque store, or even before shopping around online, you will need to consider the different elements that should dictate your final BBQ decision.

Among the most important factors to remember are:

a. How much you want to spend
b. How many people you’ll usually be cooking for
c. How much space you have in your garden for cooking
d. How (and if) you’ll be storing it in the winter

Once you have these answers figured out, you’ll be able to start thinking about the different barbeque types that are available to you.

If you’ll only be cooking occasionally, and on a smaller scale, disposable barbecues – foil trays with their own charcoal and lighter paper – may be exactly what you’re looking for. These are very simple to light, and will burn well for enough time to cook any reasonable meal. These are ideal for cooking in small spaces, or cooking on a picnic (where fires are permitted), but should not be your selection if you are looking into serious outdoor cookery.

Charcoal and gas barbeques come in many different shapes and sizes and are frequently collapsible for easy storage. Some are on casters, and while others require around 5 feet of patio space, others need less than half of that. Though some have side burners, rotisseries, griddles, hot plates, and other food warming gadgets, it’s important to consider the basics first, and build from there.

First, check out the cooking space. Will the space be large enough to handle what you’ll likely be cooking? Next, have a look at the size of the entire barbeque. Remember that you’ll not only need to have enough room for it, but also for yourself to work around it, as well as tables for holding your accessories, marinades, sauces, uncooked food, and naturally, for the people who will be eating your masterpieces. Remember that you’ll also need enough space in your garage or shed to store the barbeque during the winter.

Your barbeque should be tough enough to handle the great outdoors, as well as the wear and tear that you’ll inflict upon it. This means sturdy construction, metal work, and corrosion resistant paint and fittings. A cover is often very beneficial to keep out a spurt of rain, so you might consider that a good investment.

Lastly, have a look at the ease of lighting, cleaning, and charcoal removal. After that, all you need to consider is the color and overall appearance of the barbeque, and how it will compliment your garden.

What's A Barbecue Party Without Some Condiments?

Condiments are substances applied to food to improve or enhance flavor. They usually come in the form of powders, spreads and sauces. A condiment is typically squirted, sprinkled or smeared, with commercially prepared condiment products often packaged in plastic or glass containers. Some are served as single-serving packets too as what is common in cafeterias and airlines. Of course, BBQ parties and cookouts are never complete without a steady supply of condiments.

Some of the more common condiments include ketchup, mayo, pickles, mustard, wasabi, vinegars, salad dressings and salt. Barbecue and hot sauces are other popular condiment choices used to complement or add flavor to dishes. Since people have different preferences when it comes to seasoning their meats, having an assortment of condiment products on hand when hosting a barbecue is always best.

Condiments and Smashing BBQ Parties

Nothing spoils a barbecue quicker than a shortage of condiments. Whether it's ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, relish or BBQ sauce, finding yourself running low on any of these items can spell disaster for a party. You see, a condiment gives food that added kick to keep people coming back for more. Further, half the fun of eating is being able to adjust the taste of the food to suit each individual's particular taste buds so without condiments, people will have a tough time managing this.

Holding a hit barbecue event isn't easy. But if you keep your shelves well-stocked in the condiment department, you're halfway there. Here are other tips to ensure your next BBQ is a smashing success.

• Get out that old BBQ grill that's been collecting dust in the garage. Fix the patio and wash all the utensils you'll be using before you start grilling.

• Prepare the outdoor cooking recipes in advance. Visit the market and buy the freshest meats needed.

• When it comes to cooking a whole chicken on the grill, stuff it with a half-filled beer can. The beer aroma will stick to the chicken and give it a great beer-y taste. If others don't appreciate it, have them slather up some condiments on the chicken.

• When cooking burgers, put holes in the center so they'll cook thoroughly. The holes will close up once they're grilled so don't worry about it!

• Shop around for great condiment and sauce products. Make sure to check out InsaneChicken.com. It's got an online catalog of the best condiments, hot sauces, salsas, rubs and marinades in town.

Condiments play a huge role in the success of a BBQ party. For the best barbecue condiment selections, there's only one place to go really – InsaneChicken. It's got the Ass Kickin' Mustard, the Ingleby Farms Jalapeno Ketchup, the Smuggler's Run Jolly Rouge Chipotle Creme and a bunch of other mouth-watering condiment delights. Add life to your future barbecue parties – get your condiments and sauces from the best in the business – InsaneChicken. Ah, will someone please pass the 20 Pepper Hot Garlic Pickles please?