Share your BBQ Tips and Tricks for a chance to win!

I add brown sugar to my favorite local barbecue sauce (Chris & Pitts) making a sweet sauce. I put it on the chicken during the last 10 minutes of cooking allowing it to form a yummy glaze on the chicken.

Are we barbecue aficionados? Oh gosh no! But we’re gonna fake it ’til we make it! This year we are hosting our first Memorial Day BBQ… well, sort of hosting… our neighbors and I are co-chair on this one for the whole block and while she has years of experience I am the novice.
Between the two of us we’ve come up with, what we hope, are some awesome tips and tricks that will be fun for the whole neighborhood!

First, for the kids, wet and wild adventure! Sprinklers, soap, and a giant plastic tarp on the side of the hill will keep them busy and probably begging for band aides all afternoon! Haha!

For the grown ups, grill baby grill! We’ve already put in a HUGE order with our local butcher, and he’s giving us a special deal on all the meat that you wouldn’t get from a large retail store (her tip! Saves $$$ every year!). Of course, we ask everyone to bring their own side item so we have a variety. But, with everything, there’s a catch. If you show up with a duplicate of someone else’s side you get made fun of publicly. =P We’re trying to encourage new and different ideas!

We can have anywhere from 4 to 7 grills going at any given time, each one cooking a different specific meat or one with all veggies and have a little sign with a picture of each so it’s easy for the kids to know which grill has what, and they’re not having to run around so many hot objects.

The last, and most important tip I’ve learned, go ahead and buy a keg. Haha! Recycling 50 little red plastic cups is infinatly easier than going around finding all manner of bottles and cans. And don’t worry, it’s a barbecue, you’ll not have to worry about having too much beer!

my tip to hosting the perfect BBQ is to include some grilled veggies- fun, unexpected, and easy. My fav is to cut medium zucchini in quarters lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil and seasonings (lemon pepper is awesome), and then place directly on grill. turn after ~1-2 min. only takes a few minutes, and is great change. I also love to make foil packets & put whole onions or heads of garlic in, sprinkle with olive oil, and grill for ~25-30 min (garlic is great topping for steaks & will def make a BBQ).

When we host a barbeque, we provide the meats and a variety of Reser’s side dishes and have guests each bring a dessert. When we cook corn on the cob on the grill, we melt a batch of butter and pour it into Pringle potato chip cans so everyone can just dip their corn into the butter and get an easy buttery corn on the cob!
In the past we’ve had blue ribbon pie contests and the winner has to take home a traveling (really ugly and tacky) lawn ornament that they must display on their front yard for a month! It’s always great fun to be outdoors and eating great barbeque and sides with great friends!

Want to host the perfect barbeque? If it is your first go semi-made. Purchase salads, cole slaw, potato, macaroni from your local grocer by the lb.You can even throw in a tossed salad. A lot of stores have simple tossed salads on sale for a dollar. Then pick meats that do not require a lot of time to cook, franks, hamburgers or sausages. Use veggie Boca burgers for your vegan friends. Save more money by using the stores brand of hamburger or frankfurter rolls. Have a lot of condiments; ketchup mustard, relish, chopped onions, sliced jalapenos and small gherkin pickles. You can use fresh fruit for dessert. (watermelon, bananas, and oranges). You can also have some those back at home pies like mrs. smith’s with cool-whip to round out the dessert menu. Use colored paper plates, cups and bowls to cut down on clean up. And, don’t forget to download some hot music to add to the ambiance.

Before grilling your meat, take it out the refrigerator and let it sit in room temperature for at least 30 minutes before putting it on the grill. And make sure your grill is hot!

I love love love to grill in good weather or not. I cook entire meals on my garden, who says veggies have to be cooked on the stove? I cook them in homemade foil bags or right on the grill. As far as meats go I change it every time I cook, I look at what I have in fridge or pantry for marinade and just make it work!! Anyone who has eaten my meals love them!

I’m no BBQ aficionado…my biggest secret is that I have my husband do almost everything :)
Seriously, I do some of the prep, but he does all of the actual grilling. The less I need to do the better, which is why I rely on Reser’s for delicious side dishes (such as potato salad). I make really delicious baked beans and I try to get as much as I can ready ahead of time, so that I’m not stressing when guests arrive. Our meals always include grilled veggies (whatever’s in season) and fresh fruit. My mouth is watering now in anticipation of a great holiday meal.

i do several things. First, any meat I’m cooking must be completely thawed. It cooks much more even, and you don’t end up with a charred outside, and a cold inside. Second, when I’m doing steak or ribs (or burgers), I use a charcoal grill. I’ll use hickory chips too. Helps give the meat a slight flavor. And I also marinate the steaks and ribs before cooking.

BUT, serving it with Reser’s potato salad is what makes the meal the best.

Always brine & rinse your chicken before grilling. Marinate or season as desired. You’ll be amazed at how moist and juicy your chicken will be. I use 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar per half gallon of water and brine about 2 hours.

My family loves to bbq. We officially start off the bbq. season on Memorial Day. A few days prior to the bbq. we make a checklist to make sure we have the essentials, charcoal, charcoal fluid, ect..We also put most refrigerated items, (such as coleslaw, potato salad, ect.) containers in a deep plastic lid. We fill the lid with ice and then put the containers of salad on top of the ice. This also helps to keep the salads cooler. We have a huge variety of food, so that there is something for everyone.

- When BBQ’ing, Try not to place the meat over an open flame. Instead, position over glowing coals or if using propane, to one side of the flame. A flame on the meat will tend to discolor it and impart off-flavors.
- When using wooden skewers for shish kabob, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before placing on grill. This will help prevent the skewers from burning or smoking.
- Wait for the charcoal to turn white (ash color) before beginning to cook. This will produce the hottest fire.
- It is easy to overcook steaks on the BBQ since the heat is difficult to control. Overcooking is one of the largest causes for tough steaks. Check for doneness often and remove as soon as cooked to your preference.
- A little non-stick cooking spray on the grill rack prior to cooking will prevent meat from sticking and ease the clean up afterwards.
- The most flavorful cut of steak is the Sirloin and New York steak, but not always tender. The most tender cut of steak is the Rib-Eye and Tenderloin (and the most expensive).
Hope this helps. :)

I’ll add to Madison’s post (above)…also be sure your meat is not OVERdone! I’ve learned through trial and error not to mess with it too much! Let it get to room temp before grilling, and only turn once. Great tips!