In the video above, Mike Hedrick, a barbecue expert, does a great job demonstrating how to put skewers together using steak, peppers, squash, zucchini and onions.

I like that you can use pretty much any meat on the skewers — you don’t have to spend a lot for chicken, and steak always seems to be on sale around the holiday weekends — and that the vegetables can be tailored to suit each family member (this is doubly great for picky kids!). Adding cherry tomatoes and mushrooms would be fantastic, too.

Mike also has videos on grilling Kentucky Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops, Homestyle Deviled Eggs, Chicken Drumettes, grilled fruit (which would be delicious with homemade vanilla ice cream), and don’t forget the drinks — bloody marys and “red eyes,” or what my sister-in-law calls a “red beer.”

Steak and Vegetable Kabobs
from Good Housekeeping

1 lb top round steak, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
1 medium Spanish or vidalia onion, quartered and separated
3 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb salad or olive oil
1 Tb chili sauce
¼ tspn ground ginger
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 red red pepper
1 green pepper
½ lbs mushrooms
½ lb cherry tomatoes
¾ c Italian dressing

~ In a medium sized bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients. Cover mixture and refrigerate at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

~ Cut all vegetables into one-inch chunks. On long skewers, alternately thread zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and steak.

~ Place skewers on grill over medium heat. Cook about 10 minutes. Turn skewers several times.

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Easy Grilling for Labor Day

One issue (if you can call it that!) is that a lot of people bring bottled beverages (especially beer) to these get-togethers. The only problem is there’s usually only one bottle opener to go around, so folks are either constantly looking for it or are just get so relaxed they don’t want to even bother looking for it and will use whatever else is close by instead (ask me how I know).

In the video above, bartender Moe Harris, who competes professionally in flair bar tending competitions around the world and teaches bar tending at his own school, shares the many different ways you can get a bottle of beer opened without an opener.

First, he explains the simple science behind a bottle opener, and then shows you how to do it using everything from another bottle of beer, a ring, a counter top (which fits into the “ask me how I know” from above — the counter top at our last house was especially beat up after a barbecue), a shaker tin, a cigarette lighter, a spoon, your teeth (uh, no, I’ll pass on that one!) and amazingly, a piece of paper.

Moe also stresses safety when using anything that’s not actually meant to open a glass bottle, which you should keep in mind if you plan to try any of his methods!

Do you have any unusual ways of opening a glass bottle if there is no opener around?

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Open a Beer Without A Bottle Opener

I like that the 4th is on a Saturday this year so that we have the whole day to celebrate, instead of just the evening. We’ll be hanging out at home this year, though sadly we don’t have a barbecue at our new house yet (my husband has some big plans when it comes to “designing his own” out on the back patio). So, whatever we do will need to happen in the kitchen, which I don’t mind. That’s what grill pans are for, right?

Our standard 4th of July dinner, when we’re at home and not at a friend’s, is usually steak with some oven fries and roasted vegetables. The kids, who, at this age, can take or leave steak, will probably get hamburgers. For that, I like to mix one pound of ground beef with a packet of onion soup mix and a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce and some salt and pepper.

I think this year, because it is on a day we’ll all be together, I’m going to spend a little extra time on dinner, and make some homemade potato salad and dessert. This time of year always reminds me of my grandpa, who loved my Chocolate Zucchini Cake, so I think I’ll be surprising my family with that.

What’s on your 4th of July menu? Are you staying in or going out?

[image: flickr]

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What’s on Your 4th of July Menu?

Memphis’ Rendezvous serves up a great dry rib. Folks from Alabama will argue that Dreamland is the best. I prefer Rendezvous to Dreamland. I especially like eating at Rendezvous restaurant because they give you get a complimentary bowl of Red Beans and Rice and no matter how much you beg they will not give you the recipe.

My ribs are far from award-winning, but my husband and son love them and that’s all that really matters to me. Cooking ribs can be an involved process, but I’ve learned a few things that make them a bit more mom-friendly You’ll want to allow about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for cooking and resting and about 30 minutes for prepping.

Here’s my recipe and why Moms may prefer it:

I prefer St. Louis ribs. They cost more – much more – but you get what you pay for, right? Baby backs are my second choice. The spare ribs are just too … eh.

Rub your ribs. You can do store bought brand according to your taste, or make your own. Mine is fab, if I do say so myself. I’m one of those palm-measurers, but I think this is how my rub would measure out:

• 4Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
• 3 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon White Pepper
• ½ Tablespoon Chipotle Chili Pepper

We like a lot of spice, so we use a whole recipe of rub per slab, but that’s a bit much for the average person. Once you have your slab perfectly slathered, wrap the ribs in aluminum foil. If you’re not ready to cook, store them in the fridge. Take them out and let them rest on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour before you’re ready to start cooking.

Meantime, preheat the grill. Some fanatics will argue that one should use a charcoal grill and maybe add chunks of hickory or mesquite. But if you’re chasing around a kid or four then you have little time to nurse a fire. So I use gas. You’ll want to turn on all burners and let the grill heat to about medium, or 350, if you have a temperature gauge. When the grill is ready, turn off the burners on one side. (The temperature will drop during the cooking process so don’t be alarmed.)

Keep the ribs sealed tight in the foil. This is another piece of mom-friendly advice. You can sit by the grill and baste the ribs in a mixture of melted butter, vinegar and lemon juice every 30 minutes or so (which is how my FIL made his fabulous ribs), or you can wrap them in foil and allow them to baste themselves, which is what I do.

Place the rib-foil packs on the side of the grill with the burners turned off, and close the lid. Let the ribs cook in this indirect heat for an hour, opening the lid only if you have to.

After an hour, take the ribs out of the foil packet and place them directly on the “off” side of the grill. Let them cook another hour or so. You know they’re ready when the meat is tender and starts to pull away from the bone. (It may start to pull away before you take the ribs out of the foil.) That charring is from the brown sugar so don’t freak.

When they’re done, place the ribs in a casserole dish or baking sheet. Completely cover with heavy-duty foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes. You can also put them in a 200-degree oven until you’re ready to serve them.

If you want to glisten them with barbecue sauce, then do so no. Place them on the grill and paint with sauce. Or, just serve the sauce on the side. We’re a sans-sauce family now, though. And it’s somewhat easier on the child-cleanup side.

Enjoy!

Photos, JWJourney

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How to BBQ Mom-Friendly Ribs

I’m thinking summer picnics and fall tailgating…

Image: Chef’s Catalog

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Portable party in a box: gas grill

The circular plate is made of black painted steel and comes with a diameter of 29,5 Inches.
The attachable grill completes the FIREPLATE and provides a perfect BBQ experience.
The ideal solution, not only for boy scouts with an eye for aesthetics.

While I really don’t think boy scouts would be too interested, anyone who wants a sleek looking design for the back yard or patio certainly might!

Image: Radius Designs

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The Fireplate

Some new grilling utensils from Cuisinart also topped the list of must haves, which the Jamisons feel are better balance and more user friendly than many of the tools you might already have.

Check out this excellent article to get yourself educated on the up-to-date and the what-can-wait categories!

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Barbecue and grilling, 2009

An under $20 gift for your grill team!

Image: Shopfosters.com

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Grill after dark

My friends and I (aka The Grill Team) start to grill before the ice is even off the porch.  But I found out that the National Barbecue Association considers May to be National Grilling Month, so I got extra inspired.

Lately, our favorite thing to grill is lemon pepper chicken or spare ribs.  We’ve been experimenting with lots of different sauces for the ribs to see which we like best.

So how about you?

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What’s your favorite thing to grill?

Just in time for summer barbecue season comes a comprehensive cookbook with 300 recipes for grilled items. And it’s not just meat. There are recipes for grilled fruit, grilled vegetables, and a variety of fish and seafood. The authors of “300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes,” Judith Fertig and Karen Adler call the book’s theme “global goes local” because the recipes incorporate ingredients and techniques from around the world.

Among the recipes included are Flamed-Seared Fennel and Potato Salad, Island Grilled Papaya with Fresh Lime, Planked and Pepper-Crusted Maple-Glazed Salmon, Wasabi-Grilled Scallops with Japanese Beans, and Grill-Smoked Trout with Cilantro Gremolata.

“300 Big & Bold Barbecue & Grilling Recipes,” published on April 1, 2009, is available from Amazon.com and most book retailers. It’s well worth picking up.

(photo credit: the Lisa Ekus Group)

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300 Big & Bold BBQ & Grilling Recipes