Then it came to me. I’ll make some homemade hot sauce. I’m sure that will take a lot of peppers. I’ve heard that once you start making your own hot sauce, you never go back to that stuff you find on the supermarket shelf. I looked around at some recipes and found this hot sauce recipe that looks easy enough for me to make.

I haven’t made this yet but I expect good things from it. I’ll try it when I have friends over and after I gather enough fruit.

The original recipe can be found here.

We decided that we wanted to cook chicken over an open fire instead of on a grill. I think most people would call this campfire cooking. I’ve never cooked chicken this way, but thought the added smoke from the hard wood logs would make it worth a try. Who can argue with added flavor? We commandeered a chicken recipe with vinegar, bell pepper and onion that I have cooked many times. I thought this would be a good tactic, as the only unknown would be the wood fire.

Our basic preparation was:

• Build a fire with some hickory and oak logs
• Wait for the fire to burn down to a good stack of coal
• We added a cooking surface to sear the chicken
• Once we seared the chicken and removed from the flame, we sweated the Vidalia onion and bell peppers in an aluminum roasting pan
• Then we added the chicken, garlic, herbs, and vinegar to the pan and covered with aluminum foil
• After the chicken was done, we served with mashed potatoes, bread and beer.

This recipe is very good and leaves plenty of time to hang out and have a good time. Fun tip: do all your prep work in advance.

Below is the original recipe from, Allrecipes. Please note that, we used Vidalia onions instead of yellow onions and we only used green bell peppers. Serve with sides that you see fit.

We’ve dug up a how-to to ensure that you cook the best brisket on the block.  There are a few things to keep in mind before you start.

• Make sure you have plenty of time. This cut of meat requires that you cook it low and slow. If you try to hurry it along you and your drinking buddies will be disappointed and you may have to buy the beer at the next back yard extravaganza.
• Make sure you add some of the beer to the meat. You like beer and so does the brisket.
• Rub it down with your dry rub and don’t be bashful.
• Give it some smoke. The smoke is as important to the flavor as the rub and the beer. Without smoke it’s not BBQ brisket. There are a number of ways to add smoke if you don’t have a smoker. You can do it on your grill or over a fire if you have to. Be creative.
• Don’t put it in water! Keep all the flavor in the meat.

Here’s what the authority at Texas Brothers Bar-B-Que has to say about making Texas style BBQ brisket in their 10 step guide:

Selecting A Beef Brisket
We use untrimmed meat since it has been our experience that the meat and fat compliment each other as the cooking progresses.

Applying the Dry Rub Spice
For the best results the brisket should be cooked fat side down. This is so that the seasoning will sink into the lean meat and enhance the flavor. This is because the seasoning will not be able to penetrate the fatty side of the brisket.

Finish Smoking the Meat
[Photo]You’re looking at the brisket still in the cooker with two hours of smoke at 300. You can do the same on your own grill or cooker and then if necessary you can move the brisket on to your oven.

Bring on the Foil
We prefer to use a heavy duty aluminum foil to start the process of the finishing touches to a prize winning piece of meat.

The Secret To Tenderness is The Beer
We use about a cup of beer poured over the brisket. Be sure that the foil is cupped to prevent the juices and beer from running off. Also be careful not to spill any beer.

See the complete guide with photos at the Texas Brothers Bar-B-Que. If you have an alternate way that you have had success with, we’d like to hear about it in the comments below.

Potato wedges and fries are generally a hit or miss affair without a deep fryer, but if the stars align right and you nail it, you will obtain trues greatness as a back yard gourmet. To insure that you get it right, secretly study this recipe. Insure that you know it well enough to cook from memory. Practice a couple of times before hand, if needed. When you cook this on BBQ day be sure to keep a smug look on your face as the other dudes that are your guest glare at you in jealousy and drink all of your beer in revenge.

The original recipe can be found at Food Network. I have personally prepared this potato dish and I can assure you that it will turn heads. If you try it, please post a comment.

If you follow the steps outlined in this BBQ ribs recipe whether you are using a smoker, grill, gas or charcoal, you will get the prize and become the hero of your friends and family or other cookout bystanders that wonder into your backyard drawn by the sweet smell of cooking meat.

• What ever you do, don’t put the pig in the water. Water is a solvent, and you’ll make good pork stock instead of BBQ ribs.
• Make sure you have plenty of fuel. You don’t want to run out in the middle and leave everyone hungry or worse, be forced to eat a McRib.
• Don’t get in a hurry. Good ribs take at least 3 hours, so start early.
• Don’t use the self starter charcoal unless you like the flavor of chemicals in your meat.
• A meat thermometer would be a handy thing to have so you know when you are done.
• The most important thing to have may be a cold six pack of beer, preferable something that doesn’t contain rice.

This awesome BBQ ribs recipe was found at Amazing Ribs.com and tested in my backyard.

People talk wistfully about meat that falls off the bone, but if it does, it has probably been boiled and denuded of its best flavors. Usually all that remains is the unctuous barbecue sauce. That’s what they’re really lovin’. That’s why McRibs are so popular. They’re just ground pork swimming in sweetened ketchup. Classic Southern ribs have the same mouthfeel and bite as a tender juicy steak and most important, they taste like pork, not just sauce. They tug off the bone rather than fall off the bone.

If you are really really in a hurry, you are better off steaming or microwaving them and then finishing them on the grill or under the broiler.

Just don’t boil ‘em! Original Article Here »

If you follow this how to BBQ ribs guide, you will have good results. Remember the secret to any good BBQ recipe is to make sure your meat is cooked with the best techniques possible.

Two words: Charcoal Chimney.

There are many charcoal chimneys on the market and you can pick one up at your local big box store or order online. The main thing to be be concerned with is make sure that you get one of decent quality and can be used for many years to come.  Of course, you should be aware of safety as you will be dealing with fire and extremely hot coals.

Follow the instructions with photos  found at The Virtual Weber Bullet for complete details on using a Charcoal Chimney.

Using a double-wide sheet of newspaper, roll loosely on the diagonal from one corner to the other. Bring the ends together to form a donut that fits inside the chimney starter (Photo 5).

Repeat with a second sheet of newspaper.

Stick the two newspaper donuts in the bottom of the chimney (Photo 6). Note that this leaves a hole in the center for air to flow up through the newspaper for faster lighting.

Turn the chimney right-side up, place it on a fire-safe surface, and fill it with the amount of charcoal you want to light.

Light the newspaper in several locations. You’ll begin to see smoke coming out the top of the chimney starter (Photo 7).

After the newspaper has burned completely, wait 1-2 minutes, then hold your hand over the chimney…you should feel the heat of the coals starting to light.

It will take 10-20 minutes for the coals to light, depending on wind conditions, how much charcoal is in the chimney, and the type of charcoal being used.

The charcoal is ready when you see orange color deep inside the chimney starter, flames licking at the charcoal at the top of the chimney, and gray ash just starting to form on some of the charcoal at the top (Photo 8).

If you wait for all of the charcoal at the top of the chimney to be fully ashed-over, much of the charcoal in the bottom of the chimney will be spent, so go ahead and dump the charcoal into your cooker when it looks like Photo 8. Original Article Here »

Stop worrying about charcoal lighter or buying poor quality charcoal, use chimney for a fast start that works every time and doesn’t add undesirable flavors to you meat.

Keep in mind that this is steak and not pork, so don’t try to cook it like BBQ pork. Try this method as described in this video.

Leave a comment below with methods of cooking Prime Rib that you have had success with.

There are many health benefits to having a fish like salmon along with your other backyard fair, but the bottom line is salmon tastes great and can be served with many side dishes.

Sweet Baby Ray may not be good enough for those that are adventurous at heart, but pull it out at a family gathering and I’m sure you will make someone very happy.

This recipe was original found at Just A Pinch Recipe Club. Please report back how this clone of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce turned out for you.

If you anticipate America’s favorite past time, barbequing, like most of us, you also might be worried about your grill that has been dormant for most of the winter. Is it time to buy a new BBQ grill? Is it time to upgrade that sissy of a grill?

Before you do, you may want to think about these words from Dave Lobeck at the News and Tribune. Dave has some words of wisdom that you should consider.

As spring makes its much anticipated arrival, many of you will be excited and eager to upgrade your outdoor cooking equipment. While world-class BBQ has been prepared over the years in homemade brick pits, oil drums and converted refrigerators, it is best that we as mortal weekend grilling enthusiasts not depend on our caveman creativity and ingenuity. Simply put, take advantage of the workmanship and technology that is available in the world of grilling and BBQ equipment.

Maybe I am partial, but when looking at kettle grills and smokers, the king of the mountain is Weber. I have tried other brands that are cheaper but have similar shapes as the Weber products, but within a year or so, I am regretting my decision. Cheaper and thinner metal is the culprit, and rust and wear sets in quickly. Weber grills tend to last for 10 years or more, assuming you take care of them. In that same period of time you will more than likely go through two or three of the cheaper versions. Not good for the pocket book. Original Story Here »

My experience is similar to Dave’s. If you spend a little more money upfront, you get the use of your investment for far longer and in the process entertain more friends, eat more BBQ, and drink more before you have to replace your grill.