BBQ Tips & Recipes

Everyone enjoys a barbecue. The mere mention of the word in enough to evoke images of lazy afternoons and relaxed dinners with family and friends. The smokey flavor that food obtains when they have been cooked on a barbecue, are what make them so delicious.

Charcoal is probably man’s oldest manufactured cooking and heating fuel. In its original form, it retained the size and shape of the wood materials from which it was made. The major features of charcoal -slow, even burning, and ease of handling. Thanks for the first charcoal briquette goes to the father of the mass produced automobile, Henry Ford. Being a frugal man, Ford made use of the scrap wood left over from the production of automobile frames. He had it converted to charcoal, ground into powder, mixed with a binder and pressed into the now familiar shape of briquettes. He also manufactured thin steel collapsible stoves with “Ford” stamped on the cover. An indispensable item for family campouts in the 20’s and 30’s.

Today, cooking with charcoal, whether done on a simple wire grill in the woods, or on an elaborate backyard barbecue is one of America’s favorite ways to cook. In addition to being good eating, barbecue cooking is fun.

EQUIPMENT:

Barbecue equipment is of two types: grills, both open and covered in which food cooked directly over or near the coals, and heat source implements such as a Dutch Oven, in which food is cooked by placing it over a charcoal fire and placing coals on top.

To protect the bottom of your new barbecue, it is advisable to place a layer of sand or small pebbles in it before using it. Drippings from the meat will be burned up by the fire, and the fine charcoal dust will settle into your layer of pebbles or sand. Once or twice a season, you should empty the pan and replace the pebbles or sand.

The grill is practically self-cleaning. Just set it over the coals for about 5 minutes before you are ready to cook on it and the old residue and drippings will burn off. Then rub it quickly with steel wool and you are ready to go.

Grilling is the way most people cook when cooking outside. You can grill on a wire rack placed on rocks over coals, or you can use an open charcoal grill. Use plenty of charcoal and sear the meat close to the coals on each side. The raise the grill and cook until done.


BARBECUE ACCESSORIES:

1. A good pair of insulated gloves or mitts.
2. A pair of cotton garden gloves for placing non-lighted briquettes in your unit. It doesn’t matter if they get dirty on the outside. Just leave them in your charcoal bag or holder. You’ll do a better job with clean hands.
3. A pair of tongs are essential, especially for hot briquette handling. The longer the handles, the better. They are also good for turning steaks, chicken, etc. A barbecue fork punctures the meat and allows juices to drop on the coals, causing flare-ups.
4. A squirt bottle with water is good for dampening coals that become too hot or flare-up.
5. A barbecue thermometer. There are basically two kinds of barbecue thermometers: air temperature and interior meat temperature thermometers. The air temperature types are quite often found built into the hood of the covered units. Also, the may be purchased separately to put inside your unit when roasting. This will then tell you the approximate oven temperature, so that you may regulate the coals or vents in your unit for an even heat. Knowing the heat level allows you to figure the time necessary for cooking to the desired doneness. The best barbecue thermometer is the insertion-type interior thermometer. These you insert near the end of cooking to determine doneness (rare, medium) of thick meats, such as flat roasts, turkey, whole chickens, etc. They can be used on rotisserie roasts or spit-roasted birds, but they are clumsy and may become damaged if the dial gets too close to the coals or strikes the side of the barbecue while turning.
6. A long handled basting brush. A good long-handled brush is useful on hot fires. Wash well directly after using. Dishwashers won’t hurt them.
7. A roll of aluminum wire. Essential for tying up stubborn birds and roasts. String may do the job, but wire is better. It’s rather difficult to re-tie a hot, dripping 6lb.roast! But be careful. The wire is strong enough to tear the meat if over tightened.
8. Some regular pliers with a wire cutting notch. Great for tightening up loose bolts on your various apparatus and for tying the wire around your roasts and birds.
9. Some small-mesh flexible wire cloth. Just the thing for those odd size fish or scallops or toasted sandwiches. It can also be used to form a frame for foil ‘tents’, to serve as a fire basket, etc.
10. Two hinged metal broiling racks, one large and one small: They should have fairly long wooden handles and a close mesh. Ideal for burgers, hotdogs, fish fillets and vegetables.
11. A heavy metal pot with a long handle to keep your baste warm. There is usually a place on the grill or in the coals for this pot. It’s a good container for your brush too. Keeping the baste warm and stirred guarantees the best results.

HAMBURGERS , HOT DOGS, & STEAK

HAMBURGERS:
Although most of us would prefer steak and roasts, we seem to end up with hamburgers and hotdogs. The barbecue is a blessing because the charcoal flavor makes these everyday staples into delicious specialties.
Hamburger for the barbecue should contain some, but not too much, fat. Extra lean meat dries out quickly and must be basted. For this reason, ground chuck is preferable to ground round steak and is normally the correct choice for grilling. Never make hamburgers smaller than ¼ lb per person. They’ll dry out. The addition of one egg and ¼ cup bread crumbs per pound of hamburger helps hold the hamburgers together, although un-doctored patties will usually survive on the grill (make the patties up ahead of time and freeze, they hold their shape better while cooking). Make your 1/4lb patties about ½” thick. Sear them as you would a steak and then raise the grate (grill) on your grill and finish cooking. Normally 4-6 minutes on each side is sufficient cooking time. (be sure to check the internal temperature to ensure doneness) Hamburgers should always be basted. Use your favorite barbecue sauce or a small amount of salad oil.

HOT DOGS/SAUSAGE:
Hot dogs are easy and fun. The kids love them so they are perfect for a family barbecue. There is no better way to cook hot dogs than to grill them, either whole or split, over charcoal. (A moderate fire is best to prevent bursting and curling.) They are tasty as they are, or can be dressed up with stuffings or sauces. Cooking delicate sausages such as bratwurst takes more care than the grilling of a regular hot dog. They must be cooked gently and thoroughly. When cooking on your grill you must be sure to turn them frequently. Use tongs, not a fork. (You don’t want to puncture the skins and lose the juices.) Your coals should be very low. I recommend that you precook them before placing them on the grill. Just put them in enough water to cover them, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat. If the sausages do split while cooking, don’t get excited. Just put some light type cheese in the cavity and go on as if nothing happened. Everybody will think you planned it that way.

STEAK:
Use plenty of charcoal. There should be no spaces between the briquettes and the coals should cover a larger area than the area that the steak occupies on the grill. The steak should be at room temperature. First slash through the fat on the outside of the steak at 1” intervals to keep the steak from curling. Place the steak on the grill and lower the grill to within about 3” of the fire. If your coals are hot enough, the steak will char very rapidly. This seals in the juices. The fat from the meat will drip on the coals and they will blaze up. At this stage, let them blaze away. In a minute or two, the meat will be a rich brown-black charred color. Now, turn it over (with a pair of tongs, not a fork) and sear the other side. If you like a rare steak, you are through. If you like medium or well done, do the following: (1) If you have a covered grill, move the steak completely off the coals to the furthermost point on the grill away from the fire. Open your vents, and close the lid. The blazing fire should go out right away. If it doesn’t, close the vents for a few seconds and then open them. Leave the steak inside for about 10 minutes for a 1 ½” steak for medium and longer for well done. Don’t be afraid to cut the steak open with a knife to see how its coming. Now, remove it to a serving platter and add salt and pepper, or you can brush it with a small amount of butter that’s been mixed together with garlic salt and pepper. (2) If you have an open grill, raise the grate and rotate the steaks away from the coals by turning it. Now let the fire go out, use the spray bottle if necessary. Then rotate the steak back over the coals and cook in the raised position for about 5 minutes on each side for a 1 ½” steak. Follow directions for testing and seasoning in (1) above.

A properly grilled steak, over charcoal, is one of life’s great experiences. You’ll probably make a few mistakes, but one you get the timing down, you’ll produce consistent results.

SHISH-KA-BOBS

1 package of wooden skewers
1 lg steak, cubed
1 smoked sausage, sliced thick
41-50 count shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 lg. colored bell pepper (red, yellow, orange), halved and sliced thick (curved)
1 lg. sweet onion, halved and sliced thick (curved); pearl onions would work great as well
1 lg. tomato cubed (or cherry tomatoes, whole)
(All types of meat and vegetables can be used; we often add cubed chicken breasts. We’ve also put squash, zucchini, and mushrooms).

Soak skewers in water. Prepare meat and vegetables. You can prepare your skewers anyway you like, we’ve mixed them up (meat, veggie, repeat) and we’ve done individual (1 type of meat on 1 stick, 1 veggie per stick). We prefer the individual so we can cook each meat until done without making the shrimp rubbery, the steak tough and the chicken underdone. Tomatoes are tricky, whole are easier but large diced pieces are ok but cook quickly. Onions, peppers, squash tend to take longer than a tomato or a mushroom (if using mushrooms, cut in half first or use the little button ones). After you’ve prepared your skewers, place in the refrigerator while you prepare the marinade.

MARINADE:

¼ C butter or margarine
1T Cajun seasoning
1 T Chicago style seasoning (Montreal steak seasoning, etc…)
¼ C lime juice (we use Nellie & Joe‘s Famous Key West Lime Juice)
¼ C honey
¼ C steak sauce (we use Original Bob’s Country All Purpose Sauce)

Melt butter, stir in seasonings, lime juice, steak sauce, honey. Use a basting brush to apply to food (we’ve been known to use a new, regular sized, paint brush).

SKEWER COOKING

Barbecuing with skewers is fun and easy. You can cook your meat and vegetables separately or at the same time. Cover grate (on bbq or open fire) with aluminum foil. (You can use an oven rack for a grate when camping or cooking away from home/grill) Spray foil with oil, puncture holes in foil (not too many, just enough to help drain). Set grate aside. Prepare fire. Place grate on fire. Put skewers on grate, baste with marinade. Turn over and baste other side. Baste and turn frequently until all food is cooked. Return to grill if the meat/veggie is not done. Repeat process until all skewers are done. You may want to invest in metal skewers if cooking over the camp fire (open flame).

***FRUIT ON SKEWERS***

Cook any of these on individual sized bamboo skewers, one per person. Two skewers stuck through the fruit near the edge will hold better. Always soak bamboo skewers in water before use.

BANANAS: Cut in large chunks, dip in melted butter and grill, turning gently. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts before serving.
APPLES: Cut tart green apples into eights. Dip in melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Place on grill and cook until just soft.
FRUIT KABOBS: On each bamboo skewer, place chunks of apple, banana and pineapple. Place on grill and cook for about 15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Baste frequently with melted butter to which you’ve added sugar and ginger (optional) to taste.


***SPICED SHRIMP ON SKEWERS***

2lbs medium sized prawns
Marinade:
1t chili powder
1T vinegar
¼ t pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t salt
1 t basil
1 T finely chopped fresh mint
¾ C olive oil

Wash, shell and de-vein prawns. Marinate 4 hrs or overnight. Thread shrimp on skewers, grilling 7-10 minutes, turning once and basting frequently with marinade. Makes about 50

Did you know that fish is relatively low in fat and cholesterol and that it is high in protein as well? Fish are good for you and they are easy to prepare!
If there is a secret to cooking fish, it is probably to not overcook it. Your cooking time is determined by the method used and the size of the fish. The kind of fish can also make a difference. Fish is done when it flakes easily when tested with a fork. If you cook it too long, it may dry out and /or have a tough or rubbery texture.
Clean fresh caught fish promptly, wrap and place on ice or in refrigerator. Prior to cooking, check fillets for bones. If you are freezing some of your catch, be sure to use freezer paper or paper bags. Some people freeze their fish in cartons filled with water.
If you have a very large fish and prefer thinner fillets, use a sharp fillet knife to slice fillets across the grain. Partially thawed fish slice easily. Thin fillets fry up nice and crisp!
Cooking fish over the coals may prove difficult, as it falls apart easily. Try roasting the fish over the coals with a flat piece of lightly-greased foil. Foil wrapped fish roasts quickly over hot coals, a tasty meal in minutes!!
Spray oil can be used in pan fry recipes and an electric fry pan with a non-stick surface is perfect for cooking fish at home!

Fish in Foil:

4 pan size whole fish (1 trout or small fish/serving)
4 lemon slices
4 t butter or margarine
4 T canned French-fried onions, crushed
Garlic Powder
4 T white wine (optional, or you can use chicken broth)

Pace each whole fish on individual pieces of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap it in. Be sure to cook your fish in individual packets, fish do not cook properly when wrapped together. Put one lemon slice, 1 teaspoon of butter/margarine, and ½ Tablespoon crushed fried onions inside the fish cavity. Sprinkle each fish with a little bit of garlic powder, ½ Tablespoon crushed fried onions and 1 Tablespoon of white wine or chicken broth. Fold foil in a double seam down the middle of the packet and fold ends up in a double fold.
Cook packets over hot coals until done. Turn often to prevent burning. Takes about 10-15 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your fish and the heat from your coals. Serve in foil packet, serves 4.

There is nothing better than crisply-fried, fresh fish fillets. Although, fish sautéed in butter or oil is good, we prefer a light coating of crumbs. Some of the mixtures we use are listed below. In each instance we moistened the fish with water, milk or a sprinkle of lemon juice. Roll it in one of the mixtures and fry in hot oil, butter or margarine

Corn Meal Mix #1

1 C flour
½ C yellow corn meal
1 t baking powder
1 t paprika
½ t celery salt
½ t seasoned salt
½ t pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. Yields 1 ½ Cups.

Corn Meal Mix #2

1 C cracker crumbs, finely crushed
½ C yellow corn meal
1 T chili powder
1 t celery seed
1 t garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. Yields 1 ½ Cups.

Pepper Crumb Mix

1 ½ C townhouse or ritz type cracker, finely crushed
½ C buttermilk baking mix
1 t celery salt
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
1 t black pepper
½ t red pepper (or less, according to taste)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Yields 2 Cups.

Dill Cracker Mix

2 C Soda crackers
½ -1 t dill weed
1 t lemon and pepper seasoning
1 t paprika

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Yields 2 Cups

½ C Buttermilk baking mix
½ C flour
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1 t paprika
1 C beer
1 ½ -2 lbs of fresh fish fillets (catfish, snapper, grouper, walleye, etc.)
Flour
Cooking Oil

Combine the first 6 ingredients, in order given, in a medium bowl and mix well. Wash and dry fish fillets and make sure all the bones are removed, if possible. Dust fillets lightly with flour. The flour helps make the batter stick. Heat oil for deep-frying fish. Dip fillets in batter and deep-fry 2 at a time if possible. Remove fillets when the batter is golden brown. It does not take very long to cook fish, so keep a close watch. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking rack set inside a cookie sheet. Test the fillets with a fork, if it flakes easily, it is ready to eat!

2-3 lbs of fish (skinned, de-boned, and cut into 2” chunks)
Water
1 T Pickling spice
1 T sugar
2-3 drops of hot pepper sauce
1 t salt

Make sure all bones are removed and discarded. Cut fish into 2” chunks and set aside. Fill a deep pot ½ - ¾ full of water and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Drop fish chunks, a few a time, into the boiling water. They will rise to the top when they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a strainer so excess water will drain off. When all of the fish are done, place in covered dish and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce with Red Cocktail Sauce. Serves 4-6

Red Cocktail Sauce

1 C Ketchup
¼ C lemon juice
2 T Hot Horseradish (to taste, start with 1 T)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Yields about 1 ¼ C and can be doubled.

1 ½ -2 lbs of fish fillets
1 lemon (grate lemon & use gratings & juice as directed)
3 T butter or margarine
1 lg. garlic clove, minced
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1 lg. onion, sliced into rings
¼ t salt
½ t pepper
½ C white wine or chicken broth

Place raw fish in a single layer on platter; sprinkle with lemon juice and gratings, set aside. In fry pan, melt butter or margarine. Sauté garlic, pepper rings and onion rings until tender. Do not over brown. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, raise heat & fry fish about 10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and flaky. (Add additional butter or margarine if needed.)
Place peppers and onions on top of fish after you have turned the fish over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. When fish is done, remove to a heated platter (kept warm in the oven at a low temp). Cover with peppers and onions. Pour wine or broth into fry pan and heat for about 2 minutes. Pour over fish and veggies, serve! Serves 4

Did you know that fish is relatively low in fat and cholesterol and that it is high in protein as well? Fish are good for you and they are easy to prepare!
If there is a secret to cooking fish, it is probably to not overcook it. Your cooking time is determined by the method used and the size of the fish. The kind of fish can also make a difference. Fish is done when it flakes easily when tested with a fork. If you cook it too long, it may dry out and /or have a tough or rubbery texture.
Clean fresh caught fish promptly, wrap and place on ice or in refrigerator. Prior to cooking, check fillets for bones. If you are freezing some of your catch, be sure to use freezer paper or paper bags. Some people freeze their fish in cartons filled with water.
If you have a very large fish and prefer thinner fillets, use a sharp fillet knife to slice fillets across the grain. Partially thawed fish slice easily. Thin fillets fry up nice and crisp!
Cooking fish over the coals may prove difficult, as it falls apart easily. Try roasting the fish over the coals with a flat piece of lightly-greased foil. Foil wrapped fish roasts quickly over hot coals, a tasty meal in minutes!!
Spray oil can be used in pan fry recipes and an electric fry pan with a non-stick surface is perfect for cooking fish at home!

Fish in Foil:

4 pan size whole fish (1 trout or small fish/serving)
4 lemon slices
4 t butter or margarine
4 T canned French-fried onions, crushed
Garlic Powder
4 T white wine (optional, or you can use chicken broth)

Pace each whole fish on individual pieces of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap it in. Be sure to cook your fish in individual packets, fish do not cook properly when wrapped together. Put one lemon slice, 1 teaspoon of butter/margarine, and ½ Tablespoon crushed fried onions inside the fish cavity. Sprinkle each fish with a little bit of garlic powder, ½ Tablespoon crushed fried onions and 1 Tablespoon of white wine or chicken broth. Fold foil in a double seam down the middle of the packet and fold ends up in a double fold.
Cook packets over hot coals until done. Turn often to prevent burning. Takes about 10-15 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your fish and the heat from your coals. Serve in foil packet, serves 4.

There is nothing better than crisply-fried, fresh fish fillets. Although, fish sautéed in butter or oil is good, we prefer a light coating of crumbs. Some of the mixtures we use are listed below. In each instance we moistened the fish with water, milk or a sprinkle of lemon juice. Roll it in one of the mixtures and fry in hot oil, butter or margarine

Corn Meal Mix #1

1 C flour
½ C yellow corn meal
1 t baking powder
1 t paprika
½ t celery salt
½ t seasoned salt
½ t pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. Yields 1 ½ Cups.

Corn Meal Mix #2

1 C cracker crumbs, finely crushed
½ C yellow corn meal
1 T chili powder
1 t celery seed
1 t garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. Yields 1 ½ Cups.

Pepper Crumb Mix

1 ½ C townhouse or ritz type cracker, finely crushed
½ C buttermilk baking mix
1 t celery salt
1 t garlic powder
1 t paprika
1 t black pepper
½ t red pepper (or less, according to taste)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Yields 2 Cups.

Dill Cracker Mix

2 C Soda crackers
½ -1 t dill weed
1 t lemon and pepper seasoning
1 t paprika

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Yields 2 Cups

½ C Buttermilk baking mix
½ C flour
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1 t paprika
1 C beer
1 ½ -2 lbs of fresh fish fillets (catfish, snapper, grouper, walleye, etc.)
Flour
Cooking Oil

Combine the first 6 ingredients, in order given, in a medium bowl and mix well. Wash and dry fish fillets and make sure all the bones are removed, if possible. Dust fillets lightly with flour. The flour helps make the batter stick. Heat oil for deep-frying fish. Dip fillets in batter and deep-fry 2 at a time if possible. Remove fillets when the batter is golden brown. It does not take very long to cook fish, so keep a close watch. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking rack set inside a cookie sheet. Test the fillets with a fork, if it flakes easily, it is ready to eat!

2-3 lbs of fish (skinned, de-boned, and cut into 2” chunks)
Water
1 T Pickling spice
1 T sugar
2-3 drops of hot pepper sauce
1 t salt

Make sure all bones are removed and discarded. Cut fish into 2” chunks and set aside. Fill a deep pot ½ - ¾ full of water and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Drop fish chunks, a few a time, into the boiling water. They will rise to the top when they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a strainer so excess water will drain off. When all of the fish are done, place in covered dish and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce with Red Cocktail Sauce. Serves 4-6

Red Cocktail Sauce

1 C Ketchup
¼ C lemon juice
2 T Hot Horseradish (to taste, start with 1 T)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Yields about 1 ¼ C and can be doubled.

1 ½ -2 lbs of fish fillets
1 lemon (grate lemon & use gratings & juice as directed)
3 T butter or margarine
1 lg. garlic clove, minced
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1 lg. onion, sliced into rings
¼ t salt
½ t pepper
½ C white wine or chicken broth

Place raw fish in a single layer on platter; sprinkle with lemon juice and gratings, set aside. In fry pan, melt butter or margarine. Sauté garlic, pepper rings and onion rings until tender. Do not over brown. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, raise heat & fry fish about 10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and flaky. (Add additional butter or margarine if needed.)
Place peppers and onions on top of fish after you have turned the fish over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. When fish is done, remove to a heated platter (kept warm in the oven at a low temp). Cover with peppers and onions. Pour wine or broth into fry pan and heat for about 2 minutes. Pour over fish and veggies, serve! Serves 4