BBQ Recipes

Mmm, when I think of barbecuing, I think of picnics, great food, and fun times. When it comes time to barbecue, some simple safety tips will keep everyone enjoying the moment.

First off, where is your grill located? Make sure you choose an open location where there isn't dry brush nearby. Common sense stuff, but it's the smallest things we often overlook.

You'll also want to make sure you're not right up against your house. We like to put our BBQ grill on the patio. A concrete underground is safer than a wooden deck.

Keep pets and kids at a distance, and have access to put a fire out if one catches. BBQ safety is vitally important to me. I've known someone that caught fire from a malfunctioning grill (propane tank). It's enough to put a scare into you. Safety, common sense, and all that other stuff when working around open flames.

Camping is another place you may think of grilling or barbecuing. We used to barbecue down at the shore house we stayed at on a regular basis. Even away from home, using someone else's grill, keep safety tips in mind. Keep objects that can catch fire away from the grilling area.

Use oven mitts, long grill forks and tongs. Even think of your clothing, no long loose sleeves%u2026

Starting a charcoal grill? Or are you using a gas grill? Are all your safety precautions in check?

Now that that's out of the way, let's get cooking!

Whether you prefer BBQ grilling recipes or BBQ smoking recipes, they are considered two totally different methods of cooking in the world of barbecuing.

Let's face it- if you want good barbecue, you need to be patient. Sure you can quickly cook meat, but a good slow cooking is what makes BBQ so awesome and tender!

If time isn't on your side, grilling will be faster than smoking. Smoking is a very slow process.

BBQ Grilling

When you grill meat, there are two different ways of doing it. You can either do it directly or indirectly. When you cook over high heat, or cook the meat quickly, it's considered direct. The meat is directly over the hottest spot on the grill. You can cook a steak like this. When you cook meat off to the side, NOT over the hottest spot on the grill, this is considered indirect. Some people like to cook their ribs like this, letting them sit for a longer period over a lower heat to get them tender. I personally prefer a long, slow cook for tenderness. It doesn't matter what kind of grill you're using, such as a gas grill, electric grill or charcoal grill, the principle is the same.

BBQ Smoking

Smoking meat take a longer time, but the results can be fabulous. Smoking is best when you're cooking things like roasts, brisket and other large pieces of meat. When you smoke meat, you'll keep your grill (smoker) at a steady temperature, but a lower temperature. You'll want it around 200-250 degrees, and you'll leave the meat in place much longer than if you were BBQ Grilling it. Slow, steady cooking leaves it juicy, fall apart tender and delicious.

When it comes to selecting woods for smoking meat, everyone has their own favorite. I'll get into more detail about the different woods available in another post.

When smoking meats, it's best to inject it with flavor, use dry rubs, and add your BBQ sauce closer to the end of the cooking.

Now that we've looked at BBQ Grilling recipes and BBQ smoking, let's jump to the recipes and start cooking! You can find a quick and easy

BBQ SAUCE

BBQ sauce recipes are as unique as the people who make them. Everybody has an idea of what their perfect sauce should taste like. I like a sweet and mild sauce, where my son prefers a tangy and spicier sauce. My husband prefers a sweet and smoked flavor. As you can see, we all have different ideas!

Some cooks will add their sauce early so it can marinate, like my dad did, while others wait until the end to put it on as a finishing touch.

What's interesting is that based on the area you're in, people use different ingredients! There are entire lines of mustard sauces, which you don't see up north very often. You're more likely to see a tomato based sauce in the north. Dry rubs are another thing entirely!

When it comes down to it, your meal won't be right until it's slathered in your just right BBQ sauce. Do you like it hot and spicy, mild, sweet, tangy, sour, thick or thin? With so many different types of BBQ sauces, how do you figure out what the best BBQ sauce recipe is for your grilling needs?

We love to experiment. We've bought different styles of sauce at stores, at restaurants, and we make our own. When you take the time to make your own, you can make it uniquely yours, and blend and perfect it. Guard that golden recipe once you make it!

Over the course of this blog, I'll be sharing some BBQ sauce recipes with you.

Before cooking up your first batch of BBQ sauce, figure out if you'd like to experiment with mustard sauces, which are very popular in the Carolinas, or would you prefer a traditional tomato based sauce? You can even start with something like a dry rub, which is a combination of spices and ingredients that you "rub" onto the meat. Once you decide what type of sauce you'd like to work with first, look for a great BBQ sauce recipe and you'll be on your way. Check back often, because I'll be adding recipes on a regular basis. I like easy recipes, that are simple to follow, so I'll pass those on to you!

BBQ DRY RUB

What are BBQ Dry Rub Recipes? So you're watching the Food Network, and you see a BBQ cook-off. What's this stuff called dry-rub, and what are they putting on the meat? While many people use traditional tomato based BBQ sauces, or mustard sauces, you can also use dry rubs on your meat to flavor it up. Some people don't even use sauce, and just dry rub the meat!

What is a BBQ Dry Rub?

A dry rub is a mixture of spices that you place onto the meat before cooking it. People use it on pork, poultry and beef! While most dry rubs are dry, some people add oils to them! So not all dry rubs are actually dry. It's then called a wet rub, even though technically it's a dry rub with oil! The reason some people use oil is that it helps the rub stick to the meat better.

A dry rub is basically rubbed onto the meat. After you prepare your BBQ dry rub, you take a handful and start rubbing it into the grain of the meat. You "smother" it with the seasoning, so when it goes in for a slow cook, the flavor works with the meat, making it delicious!

Some barbecuers will add a dry rub to the meat, and then finish it off with a sauce on top. We love to add dry rub to our meats before cooking them at home. They don't have to be fancy, and can be whatever spice float your boat. I'd go with something to compliment the meat, and maybe a little something that adds a bit of a surprising flavor!

What do you put in a BBQ Dry Rub Recipe?

Whether you like black pepper, paprika, garlic salts, chili powder, onion powder, or even a little brown sugar, thre's no end to the fun combinations you can make. Do you prefer sweet, salty, spicy, or hot? What flavors would you like to stand out? Maybe you'll add a touch of cinnamon or cumin? Maybe you'd love to add some Tabasco to a wet rub? If you prefer sweet, how about a little bit of sugar mixed into your salts?

A BBQ grill recipe starts with one important ingredient- the BBQ grill! Ha, let's face it, without the right grill, you're wasting your time. Let's take a look at some of the different styles of barbecue grills. A good grill is a great investment, because it will last you for years, and you'll be using it often.

Think about summer picnics, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Father's Day cookouts and more. Summer means graduation parties, it means bbq chicken or ribs, roasting a pork on the grill, or grilling fresh fish. Shish kabobs, roasted veggies, you get the picture, lots of delicious barbecued food!

Invest in a good grill, and it will last you and make cooking on the grill that much better. With all the options out there, let's take a look at a couple of bbq grill options.

There are gas bbq grills, charcoal grills, and electric grills. Keep in mind, if you're going electric, you'll need a place to plug that cord in. I'm more partial to gas grills and charcoal grills outside. Don't get me wrong, I love my George Foreman inside on my kitchen counter too.

A steak or burger cooked over a charcoal grill gives it that smoked, "charcoal" cooked taste. Some people say it can't be beat. Charcoal grills are a good option for some families. If you like a smokier flavor, and don't mind a little extra time in preparing your fire, charcoal grills can be an inexpensive option.

Gas grills are quicker to get going, and may cook more evenly. Now, that isn't always true, but in most cases, you've got more control over a gas grill, than a poorly made fire on a charcoal grill that may burn unevenly across the width of the grill.

When searching for the right grill for your family, always go a little larger than you think you'll need. I'll tell you why. If you go with the smallest size, and think it's fine for your family, what about when you have company over and need a little more space? You also want to think about being able to move food to the side, over lower heat when it's closer to being finished.

No matter what your budget, take the time to look around. Another tip, wait until the end of the season to get a great deal on a grill. This way you get the grill that you want at a price you can afford! The secret ingredient in this bbq grill recipe is the grill!



Making your best BBQ recipes will be wasted on a bad grill. When it comes to choosing your barbecue grill, there are a few things you'll want to look at. Gas grills are a popular type of grill, so we're going to focus on speaking about gas grills today. We'll look at charcoal grills a little later.

Before jumping into buying a grill, you'll first need to consider your budget. Those great bbq recipes will be even better if you get a grill that cooks evenly, and works well! The best bbq recipes start with a plan, and that plan is in buying a quality grill.

When looking at grills, you'll be looking at three different levels. There's your entry level grill, your mid-price range and your deluxe grill. How much do you have to spend? That's a good place to figure out where you might want to look. Your entry level grill is going to run about $100 to $300 dollars. This is a grill you'll find sold at a lot of department stores, as well as grill and home repair stores. If you're in this price range, I'd recommend getting a grill that is made of stainless steel.

When you step up to the next level of the barbecue grill, the mid-range, you're talking about grills that go up to about $1000 dollars. You'll find basic grills with many more features than your entry level grill. You'll see things like extra shelving, maybe a warming plate on the side, a burner, or other features. When looking at mid-price grills, try to stick with an established manufacturer. This way you know that you're getting a quality product.

What about deluxe models? These are the grand-daddy of the grills, and can start at over $1,000 dollars, and even go up as high as $5,000. When spending this much money on a grill, be sure to do careful research to find reviews on top names and materials. Let's face it, you're paying a pretty penny and want to get the best grill your money can buy!

What should I be looking at? When it comes to barbecue grills, there are some basic elements you'll want to consider. How much space does the grilling grate offer? What types of materials are used? What kind of safety ratings do they have? Am I getting value for my money, or is this grill overpriced?

One thing I like to consider is the number of burners. I like to have at least two separate sections. I want to be able to adjust my heat accordingly. I prefer more control in this situation. You want even heat, and the ability to cook at different temperatures.

What does BTU mean, and why do I see it on grills? BTU's are a measurement to explain how much gas a gas grill will burn. It stands for British Thermal Units. BTU's are different with different grills. With a large barbecue grill, you may want a higher BTU so that you can cover a large cooking space, where as a smaller grill, you just not want it too high.

There's nothing worse than a wobbly grill. Don't stand for it, period. I could go on and on about this topic, but let's leave it at this. A wobbly grill is not a good thing. It means it can be poorly made, and when you're cooking with fire, you want a well made grill!

A little time and energy and research, and you'll find the perfect grill for your family barbecue. Once you get your grill, you'll be ready to make the best BBQ recipes you can! Be sure to check back here for some easy BBQ recipes also!

What's cooking at your place?

Looking for easy BBQ recipes?

Whoa, not so quick, before we jump into recipes, let's talk about tips that will make for better BBQ. (Yup, tossing a quick and easy barbecue recipe at the end of this article too)

Barbecues started when people did pig roasts. My dad's friend used to do pig roasts for big picnics, but these dated back to pre-civil war days! A pig roast is where they put a pig on a spit and cook it over the fire. Big groups could get togehter and enjoy the meat. This wasn't about "smoking meat" which dates back farther, this was cooking the meat over an open fire, good old fashioned BBQ, slow roast!

While we love barbecuing, we're actually grilling or cooking outside. Barbecuing is traditionally done on a lower temperature, cooked for long periods of time, which maintains the juicy flavor. When we grill outback on our backyard barbecue grill, we consider this "grilling" or cooking "barbecue"!

Have you heard of liquid smoke? It can add a smoke flavor when added to your barbecue sauces!

Many states claim to be the BBQ capital of the world. Has yours yet? Ha, okay, well, get in line because places like Missouri, Kansas and Tennessee all say they are. Oh yeah, North Carolina too, shall I continue? Want some Memphis pulled pork? How about those Kansas City Baby Back Ribs?

Now that we've covered some fun facts about barbecue, let's get onto an easy bbq recipe. With people pinching pennies, a quick, easy and inexpensive meal to make is BBQ chicken legs. Sure you can use the breast or thighs, but chicken legs are easy to eat, but even easier on your budget. I like cooking dark meats because they have a better flavor.

Quick and Easy BBQ Chicken Recipe:

Grab some of your favorite BBQ sauce (or check our below for an easy-peasy one below), your chicken legs, or chicken leg quarters (yum, yum)

Get your fire going on your grill

I grew up with my dad marinating things, so I like to put a light coat of sauce on them when putting them on the grill. NOW, tomato based sauces are going to burn a little faster, so I don't soak the sauce on quite yet. I also love me a little garlic salt added onto the meat while it's cooking.

Once your meat is cooking through, and the juices are no longer running pink, I like to add my sauce to the chicken, and I turn the heat down. I let the chicken soak in the sauce, and I then add more sauce! Now, this isn't necessary, but I'll close the lid, and just let it sit for a little bit. I like to make sure my chicken is cooked all the way through.

Take in mind, chicken legs cook pretty quickly, since there isn't a ton of meat. You can have these babies fired up and grilling, cooked through and done in about 30-40 minutes. If you're cooking them on a higher heat, they may cook quicker, but you'll lose that juiciness, because that high heat will dry them out.

Super Easy BBQ Sauce:

1/4 cup of ketchup
3 tbsp vinegar
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Diced oninon (1/4 cup) and black pepper optional(couple shakes) combine ingredients in a small sauce pan, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, voila!

A BBQ ribs recipe that's a family favorite is Kansas City BBQ ribs. They are sweet, succulent, juicy and leave you wanting more! With this recipe you're going to dry rub your ribs, cook them, and coat them in sauce. I'll also show you a no-frills, quick and easy bbq rib recipe later this month.

Kansas City BBQ has a tomato based sauce that can be tinged with vinegar, or honey. It's a sweet sauce that makes your mouth water.

Here's a basic Kansas City BBQ Sauce:

2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vinegar
season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and cinnamon(optional)

When cooking Kansas City BBQ ribs, you're going to cook your meat and add your sauce later. The reason being is that the tomato based sauce does better being added later in the cooking. The dry rub you'll put on before cooking. That tomato based sauce may burn if you put it on too early, or cook at a higher heat. If you're going to a slow smoking type of cooking, it won't hurt to put it on earlier.

When preparing your ribs, you want to add your dry rub to your ribs early. You'll want to let them sit a couple of hours, or better yet overnight with the dry rub in place. Once you rub the ribs, wrap them so that they can soak it in.

Here's a simple Kansas City Style dry rub recipe:
Simply combine these ingredients in a bowl.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tsp sea salt
3 tsp black pepper
3 tsp onion powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dry mustard

Making a BBQ shrimp recipe is super easy. It's a favorite summer treat that we like to add to our meal. Shrimp and steak on the grill? Yum-yum! Sure you could buy raw shrimp, peel them, remove the vein and all of that nonsense, or you could simply buy some pre-peeled or even some pre-cooked shrimp at the fish counter in your local market.

You'll want some shish kabob sticks, 4 shrimp per stick, and your favorite barbecue sauce. It truly is that easy to make a bbq shrimp recipe. Here's a tip: soak your skewers in water for an hour, so they don't light up from the grill fire!

Get your steak grilling, and when it's almost done, you're going to start your shrimp recipe. Shrimp won't take long to cook if they're raw, and if they're pre-cooked, you'll really just be reheating them. I put them over direct heat for 5 minutes, basting them with bbq sauce. Overcooked shrimp tastes like rubber, so be sure to watch them carefully! They'll be done when they're white, and no longer translucent.

When they're done, simply serve a skewer of shrimp with your steak! It's such an easy recipe, but really is a nice compliment to your meal. Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to BBQ sauce either. You can use all sorts of marinades to play with the taste. Consider a sweet and sour sauce, maybe a tangy buffalo sauce. Either way, it's a quick way to perk up any dinner.

Fire up the grill, get some steak going, toss some BBQ shrimp on the barbie, and add in some fresh picked corn on the cob! Delicious! Now that you've learned how easy it is to make a BBQ shrimp recipe, get to the store and buy some shrimp.

Barbecue turkey recipes
are a perfect match for the Thanksgiving season. Are you going to have the same old roasted turkey that everyone is having, or are you ready to stir it up and make something different- something everyone will be talking about? Have you thought about cooking your turkey on the grill? It will leave your mouth watering, and everyone talking about a fun new way to cook turkey. Nobody said you had to make your turkey in the oven. Look at how people are shaking things up frying turkeys now too. Isn't it time to kick tradition with a fun, new twist?

Before jumping it, first consider how big your grill is, and what size turkey it can handle. You need it to fit fully on the grill rack! You'll also need to make sure that lid closes over the turkey as well. If you can't close the lid all the way, we'll work around that with foil, so just use common sense when buying your bird, and we'll work from there.

A turkey is a large piece of meat/poultry, so cooking it over a direct fire is going to cook it unevenly. What you're going to do is cook it with indirect heat! You'll turn on all your burners but one. This way the heat is there, but the bird isn't over the open fire.

Close the lids, (or the bird in foil, if your lid isn't closing all the way), and prepare to get cooking. You need poultry to reach at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit for safety, and you'll cook it until 180 degrees. Do you have a meat thermometer? This is a great little tool (inexpensive too) so invest in one before the big day gets here. Your turkey will cook for a couple hours, and you'll need that thermometer to make sure it's cooked enough. Don't forget to flip the turkey over for more even cooking if you're able.

Now, you can use smoke wood chips, or choose to do a barbecue sauce base. How about something fun like a little pineapple salsa to serve as a dip for the turkey? Oh, now I'm just getting you excited! Seriously, be bold and try something new!

Make sure your juices run clear before serving%u2026Oh, I can see it now, barbecue turkey recipes are running through your brain! What cool ingredients will you use to shake things up?

Nothing I like better than a steak on the grill. I love all steaks, but for this recipe, we'll be using a tenderloin. We're going to create a rub separately first, then add it when we're ready to cook our steaks. Here's what you're going to need:

2 tenderloins, cut about an inch thick, approx 6-8 ounces

For your rub:
1 tspn paprika
1 tspn dry mustard
1 tspn garlic salt
1 tspn onion powder
1 Tbspn brown sugar
1/2 tspn black pepper

Let's get started:

1. In a bowl, combine the ingredients for your rub. What's great about the rub is you can actually make it ahead of time and store it in a container.

2. Press the mixture into the meat when you're ready to cook it. I like to rub it in well to both sides. (I've also got a steak wash I'll be sharing with you in a later recipe!)

3. I like to cook my steak until it's about medium. You'll need to watch your steak, based on how hot your fire is, and based on the thickness of the grill. Usually between 5-7 minutes per side is plenty. You really want to watch the steak as it cooks, since it doesn't take long.

When it's done, remove it from the grill and serve it hot. Add some nice caramelized onions or butter cooked mushrooms for a nice way to top it off. We also love this with fresh corn on the cob in the summertime.

A crock pot barbecue recipe? Seriously? You betcha! When the colder months are here, and you don't want to pop out to your grill, you can still have great barbecue indoors. A crock pot is a slow cooker, and leaves meat tender, juicy and pull apart delicious. Here's a simple crock pot barbecue recipe to get you started:

You're going to be using a pork roast. I'd suggest one right about 3 or 4 pounds. Too big, and it won't fit in the crock pot! Okay, what else do you need? Here's your grocery list:

3-4 pound pork roast
1 large yellow onion
1 large bottle of barbecue sauce

1. Simply place 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. I like to slice my onion. It's not necessary to cut it too small, but I like thick slices.
3. You're going to put half of the onion under the roast, and the other half on top of it for flavor.
4. Now place your roast in the crock pot. (add some of your onion slices on top)
5. Cook on high for 1 hour, the switch to low and let it simmer all day long! The aroma in the house is INCREDIBLE!

*what I like to do is about 2 hours before it's done (I let it cook 6+ hours, so I may start it at 10am, for a 6pm dinner), I'll pull the roast out and slice it up. Then I put it back in the crock pot along with the entire bottle of barbecue sauce.

That's all there is too it. This makes excellent sandwiches! Get some fresh baked rolls, or do an open face pulled pork sandwich! My husband likes to add a little shredded cheddar to his sandwiches.

There you have it! A super simple crock pot barbecue recipe. I know, I know, it's not done outside in the traditional manner, but you'd be surprised how good it is, and how tender it will be!