BBQ

The 2013 Middletown BBQ Cookoff has come and gone, but left us with indelible memories. This competition holds a special place in our heart, as it's our hometown competition and we usually have a lot of guests that stop by. Sorry to our neighboring teams if the throngs (LOL) posed a problem. This competition changed venues last year to Frightland, a local favorite during the Halloween season noted for it's scary haunted tours. Another use for this land are the 2 Mud Runs held annually. The charity supported for all events held here are The Leukemia Research Foundation, a truly deserving charity indeed. What didn't change was the great organizers for this event: Mose Zook& Benuel Riehl from the Middletown Farmer's Market and the Middletown Area Chamber of commerce. As someone mentioned on Facebook following this years event, these folks could give classes on how to organize a BBQ competition. Thank you for all your hard work.We had an eye on the ever changing weather forecast because this venue is a large section of open farmland which could be interesting in the event of a heavy rain. The forecast seemed to change daily and indeed, we seemed to dodge a bullet. Norma and I took the trailer over on Thursday. We took advantage of the whopping 3.6 mile drive and decided to set up early because I had a small catering job that included a Friday pick up and wanted to get set up and prep during the daylight as the power wouldn't be turned on 'till Friday morning. Thursday was an absolutely perfect weather day and the prep and cook went very smooth. I stayed onsite while Norma spent the night at home. At least she didn't have to listen to the rumble strips at the toll booths on Rt. 1 which was just on the other side of Rt. 13 which fronts Frightland.Friday arrived and was another beautiful day. The rest of the team arrived throughout the day and preparations went on for the Chef's Choice and Dessert categories which was due to be turned in at 7:00 & 7:30PM respectively. Meat inspections were held and the prepping the big meats also took place. I would like to thank one of our sponsors, Fordham Brewery for their generous donation of assorted brews. Not only ourselves, but numerous other competitors and judges enjoyed them throughout the day and evening. They really helped to keep us in the mood and enjoy ourselves in the midst of all the prep work and evening socializing. Our site was situated on the end of a row and we had 2 great neighbors, 3 Eyz to one side and Hawg Nation to the rear of us. You can't ask for better neighbors. After the ancillary category turn ins, we had dinner at the site. Trina made the Jambalaya this time along with numerous other morsels and if you were hungry, it was you own fault. Friday evening brought the clouds and the cooler weather and we settled in for the night after putting the big meats on the smokers and had a few more beverages.Saturday morning brought about the usual prep and cooking of the chicken and ribs as well as tending the big meats. The organizers had a breakfast for the competitors, but most of us skipped this for a very nutritional breakfast of donuts from the Farmers Market and a couple of us had scrapple, cheese and egg sandwiches. Thanks to the 2 Annie's for these treats. Aside from a minor (we hoped) mistake with rib timing, (my fault), the cook went pretty smoothly and offered our entries to the judges. We hoped they would be kind and we went about the task of cleaning up. We weren't in a big hurry to break down the site as we usually do, because of the lack of a long drive home. As awards time neared, we grabbed our chairs and ambled over to the stage area and listened to the last few songs sang by a local group "No Strings Attached". We enjoyed the group and waited.At last, the KCBS Reps took the stage and the awards ceremony started. The first category was Chef's Choice and 1st place was won by............. PIGHEADED BBQ. After much whooping and hollering, we waited for the next

This morning I was sent an article from Huffington Post entitled “5 Tips For Eating Healthfully At A Cookout”. Simply reading the title made me want to report the sender to my ISP for violating spamming regulations, but for some reason I felt compelled to click on the link to see what kind of shenanigans the folks over at Huff Post were spewing. What I found was a list of ridiculousness that was more absurd than anything I could have ever imagined. Somehow they managed to suck the heart and soul out of America’s only true cuisine just before the weekend we pay homage to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. And as such, I feel compelled to respond from the perspective of an overindulgent meatatarian who embraces and celebrates the barbecue lifestyle. “Fill Up Before You Go: Go ahead, ruin your appetite before heading to the barbecue bash. You need a snack that provides satiety so you don’t show up half starved. And certainly don’t “hold out” on eating beforehand. Fasting all day in prep of a big barbecue is the worst thing you can do. You’ll slow down your metabolism and wind up overeating – a double whammy!” The only time that you’re allowed to pre-eat before a barbecue is if you’re pulling a “Joey Chestnut” style warm-up to stretch out your stomach to make room for more barbecue. Otherwise starving yourself ahead of the feast is an absolute must-do step in the pre-barbecue routine. “Assess The Situation When You Arrive: Sometimes, your attitude going into the meal can make or break your barbecue experience. If you see spinach dip when you enter, you may think, “There’s nothing healthy here, and I might as well pig out.” Then you notice chicken skewers, shrimp cocktail, crudité and way more. Be patient, scope out the scene and then use what is available to create as proportioned a meal as possible.” Really…spinach dip?!?! That’s the bellwether for what type of food is being offered up at a cookout? Your assessment should be focusing on the number of pork products being served: ribs, pulled pork, sausage, bacon-wrapped anything… “Try To Skip That First Drink: When you have your first drink before you even say hello to the guests, you’re probably off to an overindulgent night. You’ll end up consuming too many calories from alcohol, and then the effects of said alcohol may inhibit your willpower and make you consume too many calories from food, too.” The whole point of having a barbecue is to bask in the glory of an overindulgent night. Protocol demands that you greet your guests at the door with ice cold adult beverages, and promptly direct them to the buffet line. The only willpower you need is suppressing the meat sweats for as long as possible! “Fill Your Plate Once: Take one serving of lean protein – just one! Go for barbecue chicken or fish, which are usually the leanest options. Fill the rest of your plate with other healthy foods, such as grilled vegetables, roasted corn, tomato slices and salad. Enjoy that first plate, but then stop eating and enjoy the people – not food – around you.” Of all the tips in this article, this one is by far the most atrocious. Fill your plate only once?!?! I deploy a very specific buffet strategy that requires multiple trips to the food troughs. The first pass is dedicated to filling a plate with one-bite samples of everything available, that way I can quickly identify the standouts. Pass 2, and sometimes 3 and 4, focus on quantity of said standout items. Then the final pass is strictly for desserts. The only possible way I could deviate from this strategy is if the plates are replaced by cafeteria trays. “Host A Healthy Barbecue: If it’s your turn to do the hosting, serve delicious and healthy options for your guests. Instead of those heavy, saucy chicken wings, try this recipe for almond-crusted chicken skewers. Light and satisfying, these skew

Hold the tomato too as long as you are at it, because I didn’t have any of those items on hand tonight in spite of planning on making chicken burgers. Undaunted, I forged ahead with the grilling plans, Big Butz Chicken Dust in hand (well, on the chicken breasts, not really in my hand), Zucchini Bites on the grill (Pigdog would say zucchini bites regardless of where it is located), and a couple of spare burgers for Auntie’s lunch tomorrow. And a run-on sentence to begin this post… So what does one put on a Chicken-Dusted chicken breast when one is out of traditional burger toppings? It turns out that cabbage slaw (in the fine tradition of pulled pork sandwiches) works quite well. Especially when you have upscale Dave’s Killer buns to pile it all on. As I told the kids, this ain’t no Burger King, and you can’t have it your way. Unless you’re the cook, and tonight, this was just fine. Especially after working all day (all week, for that matter) and having to rebuild the site late at night following an unfortunate issue with a WordPress plugin and a restore from a previous backup. Hope I didn’t lose any of my three loyal readers out there…

Well, it’s that time of year again folks! Some of us grill year round, and for others Memorial Day marks the “official” kick off to summer and grilling season. So what to make this weekend as you dust off your grill and invite friends and family over? Here are my favorite recipes that have been tested year round. They’re my top crowd pleasers and are sure to be yours too! Click the links below for full recipe and directions. 1) Caveman Style Steaks: To truly impress your guests, grill your steaks Cave- Man style! This is “caveman style” grilled porterhouse. Steven Raichlen, the famous grill master, coined this term. 2) Coconut Lime Butter Grilled Corn: Need I say more? Grill the corn directly on the grill grates and slather them with copious amounts of coconut lime butter. Coconut Lime Butter + Grilled Corn = legal crack. 3) Grilled Romaine: Who says salad has to be stuck inside. Grill the romain hearts and watch them get sweet and caramelized before your eyes. Finish with sea salt and fresh grated parmesan and your guests will think you are really really smart on the grill. Grilled romaine hearts- so easy and so flavorful! The grill caramelizes the lettuce with added smoke and char so no need for added dressing. 4) Rosemary Lemon Spatchcocked Chicken Grill a whole butterflied chicken on the grill underneath a brick to get the skin nice and crispy. This is really entertaining for a crowd and yields tasty results! Rosemary and Lemon- my new favorite flavor combo for 2013! Even if you don’t make a spatchcocked chicken, this marinade will be good on any chicken you make! 5) Grilled Margarita Yes, you can grill a cocktail. Throw those lemons, limes and citrus on the grill for some smokiness- this adds complexity and an element of fun to your average cocktail. I love a good margarita, and adding smoke and char to the recipe only makes them better! 6) Cilantro Lime Beef Satay: Everyone loves meat on a stick. The marinade on these sirloin skewers will knock your socks off! 7) Appetizers: Grilled Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa: Grilled Pineapple paired with grilled jalapenos, coconut, black beans and lime juice. And you don’t have to feel too guilty about this recipe! Grilled pineapple, jalapenos, cilantro, black beans, limes and coconut = light and refreshing salsa with a kick! 8) Dessert: Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake: Grilled summer fruit with grilled poundcake- easy-peasy and delish. Need I say more! (scroll to the bottom of this post) Grilled peaches and and pound cake or angel food cake- quick and easy dessert on the grill 9) Best Ever Banana Pudding: Okay so this wasn’t made on the grill but I wanted you to have this recipe for Banana Pudding. Banana pudding is a Southern Thing and if you haven’t had it you are missing out! When life gives you bananas, you make banana pudding.es 10) Last BUT NOT LEAST! West Indies Wings!!: These have been SUPER popular with my fans and that’s because this recipe is AWESOME! The mixture of coconut milk, ginger, habanero pepper sauce and curry on wings is a moutwatering combination and an unexpected surprise on grilled wings! The title of this recipe is inspired by my love of the Caribbean. The ingredients include Caribbean hot sauce, coconut milk, ginger, and curry powder. Share on FacebookPin It Related posts: Top Ten Memorial Day Grilling Recipes for a Kick Ass Cookout Memorial Day is the the unofficial start of summer, so... Grilled Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa Pineapple is one of those ingredients that morphs on the... In time for the Holidays – My First Cookbook! Well, some of you guy may have noticed I wasn’t... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Liven up your Memorial Day BBQ with this Red, White and Blue Pina Colada. Memorial Day unofficially kicks off the summer and grilling season. Celebrate the holiday weekend with a tall refreshing cocktail. While sweating it out over the grill cool off with this Red, White and Blue Pina Colada. The layered cocktail is sure to impress your guests and let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a frozen concoction? Makes 3 – 4 Ingredients: 2 cups of your favorite Pina Colada mix 1 cup frozen raspberries 1cup frozen blueberries 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks 6 shots of white rum Directions: In a blender add your Pina Colada mix, pineapple chunks and 5 shots of rum with about 1/2 a cup of ice. Blend till smooth and place in a large container and store in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. Blend your raspberries with 1/2 shot of rum pour in a glass and set aside. Do the same with the blueberries. In a tall cocktail glass layer your raspberry sauce then Pina Colada and then a layer of the blueberry sauce. Top with fresh blueberries and enjoy! Michelle Lara is the newest contributor to GrillGrrrl.com. She’s a curious-about-food-writer and has created the “GrillGrrrl Take Two” Series where she takes an original GrillGrrrl recipe and puts a new spin on it by turning it into something completely different. Read Michelle’s full bio on the contributor’s page. You can follow Michelle on Facebook or at her blog Cupcakes, Cocktails and Kids Share on FacebookPin It Related posts: Grill Grrrl “Take Two” Recipes: Slow Cooked Cinco de Mayo Tacos and a Smoky (Grilled) Margarita Michelle Lara is the newest contributor to GrillGrrrl.com. She’s a... Top Ten Memorial Day Grilling Recipes for a Kick Ass Cookout Memorial Day is the the unofficial start of summer, so... ‘Grill Grrrl Take Two’ Recipes: Samosas With A Grilled Tandoori Chicken Filling For this week’s ‘Take Two’ I drew inspiration from... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

What’s more important to you, your significant other or your grill? The answer might not be so obvious for true BBQ Addicts. Luckily our friends at BBQ Guru put together a slick infographic that compares personal/intimate relationships to the relationship that people have with their grills. While intended to be light-hearted, the stats really do show that grilling is an important part of many people’s lives. How do you stack up? Similar Posts: Webster House Grilling Event & Book Signing The Monthly Rubdown: Cowtown BBQ Free Stuff: BBQ Library Giveaway Post from: BBQ AddictsBBQ Infographic: Girl vs Grill

Below are the Top 5 Barbecue Gifts for Dad that I picked from the great list of BBQ products I’ve had the opportunity to review here at BBQ Sauce Reviews. I feel as a Dad myself that any of these products would make for a fantastic gift for any Dad who likes to BBQ. (This list is [...]