Barbecue Time

[Flame Angel]

Anyone here into barbecue? What with summer coming at us at a full clip, now's the time to go out and stock up on all the yearly toys for doing it. In all the years I've been doing it, tho, no single piece of equipment was more useful to me than one book.

Barbecue! Bible: Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes Butters & Glazes, by Steven Raichlen.

He presents the techniques, vocabularly, and basics of the hobby in incredible detail, yet makes it easy to read, as well. The amount of knowledge one can glean from this book is phenomenal, and I heartily suggest it to anyone to at least give it a try. You can find it here.

Also recommended is his other book, How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques, A Barbecue Bible! Cookbook, which can be found here.

 

[djconn]

I love to barbecue although my stupid home owners association won't let us bbq on our condo's balconies.

I just find other places to do it like the beach!

 

[Flame Angel]

Example recipe...

Here's an example of a wonderful dry rub that I've personally tried and enjoyed greatly. It has been taken word for word from the book....

Jake's Boss Barbecue Rub

Kenton "Jake" Jacobs is a quiet man with a lot to say about barbecue. The Boston put master has won dozens of barbecue cook-offs and his funky Boston restaurant is one of the few smoke houses that belong to the James Beard Foundation. (You can't mistake his dining room: There's a bigger-than-life sculpture of a steer's head bursting through one wall.) Jake wored long and hard to develop his house rub, which he uses on everything, be it hoofed, feathered, or finned. Perhaps the reason that it works so well is that it contains something for every taste bud: brown sugar and cinnamon for sweetness, lemon pepper for heat and acidity, dried herbs and allspice for fragrance, and even a shot of MSG to sharpen all the taste buds. Not everyone likes MSG, so I've made it optional. This should be obvious by now (given the secrecy of most pit bosses), but this isn't exactly how Jake makes his rub. For one thing, he uses freeze-dried molasses rather than brown sugar. I also suspect the presence of Worcestershire sauce. (For a source see page 281. But don't worry if you can't get it; the rub will still be delicious.) So, here's my interpretation; it works like the real McCoy.


1 3/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1/2 cup paprika
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons dried Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon Pepper, homemade (see page 21), or use a good commercial brand
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon MSG (optional)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir or whick to mix. Transfer to a large jar, cover, and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months. Makes 2 cups

Try This!
Jake sprinkles this rub on everything: ribs, pork shoulders, chicken, turkey, even the barons (whole hindquarters) of beeffor which he's so famous on the Boston barbecue circuit. For a richer flavor, rub the meat the night before grilling and let it cure in the refrigerator. For a more spontaneous effect, sprinkle it on steaks, chops, and chicken breasts just prior to grilling.

 

[djconn]

Man, you've made me hungry!

 

[Phischy]

I need to get a grill, put it down by the pool and start roasting dead animal flesh. BBQing is the ONLY way to cook. Little mess, not much to clean and you can't make Queesch (if I can't spell it, I"m not eating it) on it.

A sharp stick and an open fire is the real way to cook.

 

[Dollarz81]

I love to bar-b-q. I actually grill out about 3 or 4 times a week. I am gonna try that recipe tomarrow.

 

[Karita]

i am one of those who loves to eat bbq that someone else has cooked :wink:

 

[Dollarz81]

You can have some of my bbq Karita.

 

[djconn]

One of the best things I've ever barbecued is small, recently-caught black tip shark. I've cooked it right on the beach before. Marinade it for an hour or so in fresh homemade salsa with fresh onions, tomatos, etc. Sprikle on some Tony Chacheres and cook for about 5-8 mins per side. Then case it with an ice cold beer...ahhhh.

I don't anyone say that we shouldn't be eating shark. There are WAY too many of them in the gulf especially along the Texas coast.

 

[Karita]

YUM, thanks!!!!