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Featured
Article
Barbeque Basics
Copyright © , Valerie Giles
Best BBQ Online
http://www.best-bbq-online.com
There’s nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family
gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled
prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of
those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with summertime.
Whether you’re in your backyard or at you’re favorite camping
site, barbecuing is a pleasure to be enjoyed by the whole family.
Barbecuing has never been more exciting; with the endless designs of
barbecues available and the myriad of barbecue cookbooks and
cooking shows it really does take barbecuing into a whole new
realm. With recipes for everything from grilled bananas to
peaches and dry rubs for ribs, barbecues aren’t just for cooking
steaks and burgers anymore. With all the available barbecuing
options it helps to know a few of the barbecuing terms and
barbecuing utensils that are used.
Firstly, barbecues come in a wide variety of options; there are
propane, natural gas and the standard barbecues for use with
charcoal. Barbecues can come with range style one, two and four
burner options along with rotisseries. There are even barbecues
that have coolers built right into the bottom! Barbecuing has
never been quite so convenient.
When you’re using your barbecue it really helps to have the right
utensils
and barbeque accessories, this will make your barbecuing experience
easier
and more enjoyable. Long handled tongs, basting brushes and spatulas are
quite helpful. Heavy -duty oven mitts
can also be useful. Of course you don’t want to forget the proper
wire brushes and scrubbers (crumpled foil even works well) to
remove build-up, keeping your grill racks clean.
Foods that are tender such as fish, vegetables and some burgers
can benefit from cooking in a special grill basket (this way you
aren’t loosing any of your meal into the barbecue). There are
also special racks available to be used with corn, potatoes,
ribs and meat.
An excellent barbecue accessory is the grill wok, with this you
can make you’re favorite stir fries and vegetable dishes; the wok has
small
holes throughout that allow heat and smoke to penetrate the food.
Another
great grill accessory is the grill pizza tray
used mostly for grilled pizza. Other grill accessories include;
http://www.best-bbq-online.com/grill-accessories.htm
,the grill topper used for fish and vegetables providing an even
cooking surface, which prevents foods from falling through the
grill rack; you can never have too many skewers in assorted
lengths which can be used with a skewer rack for grilling your
favorite marinated vegetables and meats; smoker boxes for gas
grills filled with soaked wood chips add a wonderful smoked
flavor to foods. Lastly foil packets are available or simple tin
foil to wrap foods, just remember that you may be sacrificing the grill and smoke flavors when foods are wrapped tightly.
After you have the utensils and proper grilling accessories
needed for you’re barbeque experience you’ll want to familiarize
yourself on the different types of grilling processes and terms
to find the ones that work best for you and to know exactly what
has to be done. To start, basting is probably the most familiar
of barbecuing terms, a simple brushing with a seasoned liquid
adding both flavor and moisture to your food. A brochette is
just French for a kabob, or simply food cooked on a skewer. A
glaze is a glossy, flavorful coating on food as it cooks as a
result of regular basting.
Three very popular methods of barbecuing are the direct grilling, dry
smoking and indirect grilling methods. Direct grilling is
probably the most popular grilling used, it is when food is
placed directly over the flame. It is a fast method because of
the intense heat and allows for browning on the outside of foods. This
process works best for food requiring short cooking times
such as burgers and steaks, you must remember to turn food over
to allow cooking on both sides. The dry smoking method is
achieved by placing a grill rack indirectly over the heat source
with the barbecue lid down, this allows the flame to burn thus
creating smoke which covers the food, giving you a smoky flavor.
Lastly the indirect grilling is a slow process of cooking because of
less
heat, it is done by surrounding a drip pan with the coals and putting
the
food over the pan, so the hot air circulates
around the food (similar to a convection oven). It is wise to
check with your barbecue owner manual for indirect grilling
specific to your barbecue, roasts work well with this method.
After you’ve acquired the barbecue and all the necessary cooking
utensils and accessories you’re ready for the best part of
barbecuing and that is the cooking of the food. Sauces, marinades and
rubs
are popular cooking ideas when barbecuing. The sauce
can be said to define a great barbecue. Whether you use a little
or a lot is a matter of preference. A sauce often includes sugar, honey
or
preserves, which can cause the sauce to burn when
cooking; a suggestion is to brush your sauce on in the last five
to ten minutes of cooking. There are a wide variety of sauces
and glazes to be made ranging from apple butter barbecue sauce
to raspberry piquant sauce.
Marinades are used for soaking your choice of meat, tofu or
vegetables. http://www.best-bbq-online.com/marinades.htm
The marinating both tenderizes and permeates the food with
flavor, adding flavor and promoting crisp brown exteriors,
changing an otherwise average dinner into a great one. Marinades
are virtually fool proof and can be made in advance refrigerated
in an airtight container for up to a week. The three basic
ingredients in a marinade are; flavorings such as herbs, spices,
sweeteners; oils which keep the food pliable and give a crispy
crust; acids such as citrus juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts
used to balance the sweetness. It is suggested to use the acids
sparingly on fish and poultry, as they will soften the flesh
when used.
A virtually fat free and easy way to add flavor to food is by
using a variety of bold seasonings in a rub. The food is rubbed
with spices prior to grilling, the rub transforms into a crunchy
brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the flavors of
the food. The spices should be generously applied coating the
entire surface of the food; the food should then be covered and
put in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Simplicity is the
key for making rubs, salt and sugar are two of the main
ingredients and the rest are up to you.
Whatever your barbecuing specialty might be barbecues can be
both a fun and convenient way to make dinner. Summertime needn’t
be the only time of year that you’re barbecuing, if weather
allows you can barbecue all year round. The options have never
been more exciting, and the variety of foods and recipes never
more abundant.
Resource Box:
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Valerie Giles owns and operates Best BBQ Online , a resource web
site featuring bbq grills, bbq smokers, weber gas grills, grill
accessories and rotisseries, bbq recipes and marinades and patio
heaters. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
http://www.best-bbq-online.com
Chop Suey
1 lb. round steak, diced
1/2 lb. lean pork, diced
1/2 lean veal, diced
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
Salt and pepper
2 large onions, diced
2 Tablespoons chop suey sauce
2 cups diced celery
1 16-ounce can Chinese
vegetables
1 16-ounce can bean sprouts
Heat Cooker, add oil and brown meat well. Season with salt and pepper.
Add onions, chop suey sauce, celery and liquid drained from canned
vegetables. Close cover securely. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe
and COOK 10 MINUTES with pressure regulator rocking slowly. Let pressure
drop of its own accord. Add vegetables and sprouts to meat. Heat in open
Cooker. Serve with steamed rice, if desired. 4 Servings.
Printable Version
ASIAN BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS 1 piece cucumber about four inches
1 sweet red pepper
1 carrot
2 green onions
8 leaves Boston or leaf lettuce
lime wedges
1 lb. ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. Asian chili sauce or hot pepper sauce
1. Cut cucumber in half, then thinly slice crosswise. Seed, core and
slice red pepper thinly. Grate carrot. Thinly slice green onions.
Arrange vegetables, lettuce and lime wedges on serving platter.
2. In large nonstick skillet, sauté beef over medium-high heat,
breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Drain
off any fat.
3. Add garlic, ginger and five-spice powder, cook over medium heat,
stirring until aromatic, about two minutes. Add hoisin sauce, soy
sauce and chili sauce, cook, stirring until hot about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer to bowl. Let each person spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture into
each lettuce leaf. Top with some cucumber, red pepper, carrot and
green onions. Wrap lettuce around filling. Makes four servings
======================================
Judy Heuman judyh@rogers.com
Printable Version
STICKY BUNS Categories : Bread-Rolls Breakfast 20 each frozen dinner rolls (Rhodes)
1/2 Cup chopped nuts
1 package butterscotch pudding, not instant
1 Cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
cinnamon Grease angel food cake pan very well with oil. Put rolls in pan.
Sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon then pudding. Melt oleo and stir in
brown sugar. Pour on top of rolls and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit
overnight on counter.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand about 5
minutes then turn upside down onto plate.
Printable
Version
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Recipe By :Mary Gregson
1 head cauliflower -- cut in bite
size pieces
1 bunch broccoli -- cut in bite size
pieces
1 small onion -- diced
3/4 cup frozen peas -- thawed
3 celery stalks -- diced
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 package ranch-style dressing mix
Combine cauliflower, broccoli, and onion in tightly
covered bowl. Store in refrigerator for several
hours or overnight.
Also mix several hours ahead of time sour cream,
mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix and pour over
broccoli cauliflower mixture.
About 30 minutes prior to serving, add peas and
celery. Toss with dressing just before serving.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 202 Calories;
19g Fat (79.2% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 8g
Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol;
161mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1
Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat.
Printable Version
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