Four smart grilling tips for your 4th of July barbecue
The 4th of July weekend and the days surrounding that holiday are some of the biggest grilling days of the year. With the 4th of July fast approaching, it makes sense to get your grill ready and to think ahead with tools and ingredients for a top-notch barbecue party.
Here are four tips that can help you up your grilling game just in time for the fireworks.
Grilled peaches are always a crowd favorite at barbecues. (Photo by Mike McCune)
Consider grilling non-standard proteins and sides too
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that popular burgers, dogs, chicken wings, and additional smoked meats are on the menu at your next barbecue. However, if you want to please your guests (and their plus ones), try grilling some non-traditional picks as well, including spicy chorizo sausages, and vegetarian-friendly burgers and dogs. We’d also recommend using the grill to add some flame to veggies like asparagus and Brussels sprouts and fruits like peaches and watermelon.
Grocery stores can carry a surprisingly diverse array of sauces today, which you can offer at your barbecue. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Diversify your sauces and rubs
There are tons of great sauces and rubs you can purchase at grocery and specialty stores, so why not experiment with a variety? Buy rubs that aren’t just salt-and-pepper focused and embrace other flavor profiles (such as coffee, habanero, and garlic). Use those rubs generously on your meat well before you start grilling. Then, when you’re serving your meat, offer your guests a variety of BBQ sauces, including Kansas City tomato sauce, North Carolina vinegar sauce, South Carolina mustard sauce, and Alabama white sauce.
The ThermoPro TP20 is one of the wireless meat thermometers that can help you up your grill game. (Photo by ThermoPro)
Invest in a wireless meat thermometer
One tool that we’re seeing a surge in popularity in is wireless meat thermometers because of their versatility and ease of use. Tools like the ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Remote or OXO Good Grips Thermocouple Thermometer will make your grilling and smoking easier and potentially take it to a new level since you can step away for short periods and still keep an eye on your temperatures.
Try out premium lump charcoal when it's a special occasion. (Photo by FOGO Premium Lump Charcoal)
Don’t be afraid to experiment with a new fuel source
Backyard barbecue enthusiasts are often the first ones to stock up on charcoal for the summer whenever prices drop for Memorial Day sales. However, it’s okay to splurge for special occasions or when you really want to impress your family and friends. Try switching from commodity charcoal briquettes to a premium lump charcoal. While more expensive, premium lump charcoal contains fewer or no additives and will likely result in longer, hotter, and cleaner cooks and better tasting results. Similarly, if you’re a pellet grill user or even a stick burner, try a higher grade of pellets or a different wood source to change things up.
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These are just a few small tips that could be helpful when you’re trying to make the best possible 4th of July barbecue. If you need some inventive and classic recipes as well, Bon Appétit has a list of 99 classic 4th of July recipes that you can look at for inspiration. We hope your celebration goes well and that the grilling gods smile upon you!
Sean Ludwig (NYC BBQ) and Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founders, The Smoke Sheet
Here are the top recent barbecue news stories from around the country:
Bloomberg's list of the five best regional barbecue sauces is a must-read. (Illustration by Jaci Kessler Lubliner)
Bloomberg recently highlighted five of the best barbecue sauces from different regions of the country, including traditional classics and creative contemporary sauces.
After a visit to The Slow Bone Barbeque in Dallas, J.C. Reid of the Houston Chronicle contemplated whether fried chicken belongs on the menu of a barbecue joint.
Smokelore author Jim Auchmutey examined the historical connection between barbecue and politics in a story for The Bitter Southerner.
The Dallas Observer profiles Matt Pitman’s Meat Church brand, showing how it went from an online store with just four products to a viral sensation and now a brick-and-more barbecue supply store in Waxahachie, Texas.
Melanie Haupt of The Austin Chronicle recently reviewed The Switch in Dripping Springs, Texas, writing that it is pushing the boundaries of the barbecue genre with cajun and global influences.
A group of recently-released barbecue cookbooks has helped Bloomberg’s Kate Krader come to the conclusion that barbecue is no longer easy, requiring commitment and complexity.
Atlanta takes a look at the hotly-anticipated opening of Wood’s Chapel BBQ in Summerhill.
Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly visited Liberty Barbecue, comparing it to pitmaster John Brotherton’s other successful restaurant, Black Iron Barbecue in Pflugerville. Vaughn says the flatbreads make Liberty Barbecue stand out but says the brisket needs work to lure patrons from Black Iron Barbecue.
NBC News took a look at costly food mistakes that could cause you problems at your next summer barbecue.
According to The Oregonian, with the addition of Holy Trinity, Portland now boasts a quartet of fantastic barbecue carts.
Lubbock’s Evie Mae’s BBQ stepped up to lend a hand to fellow area barbecue restaurant The Shack after it lost its smoker in a fire.
Here are BBQ shows, podcasts, or books you should check out this week:
Watch: How Whole Hog Barbecue Became a Family Legacy - Southern Foodways Alliance
In this 2017 video from the Southern Foodways Alliance, we meet 25-year-old pitmaster Zach Parker (see above), who took over for his legendary father Ricky Parker at Scott’s-Parker’s Barbecue in Lexington, Tennessee when he passed away. Cutting back and forth with archival footage from Zach’s adolescence, the video shows how he carries on the tradition of cooking hickory-smoked whole hog the same way his father did, while at the same time forging his own path. Watch it here.
Listen: Billy Durney - Communal Table Podcast
In this episode of the Communal Table Podcast, Food & Wine senior editor Kat Kinsman talks with Hometown Bar-B-Que’s Billy Durney. They talk about his background, how he became a pitmaster, how 9/11 impacted his life, and how he fed his Brooklyn community in the wake of the destruction from Superstorm Sandy. Listen to the episode here.
Read: Thin Blue Smoke - by Doug Worgul
This title is an epic American redemption tale about love and loss, hope and despair, God and whiskey, barbecue and the blues. LaVerne Williams is a ruined ex-big league ballplayer, an ex-felon with an attitude problem, and the owner of a barbecue joint he has to run. Ferguson Glen is an Episcopal priest, a fading literary star with a drinking problem, and a past he is running from. A.B. Clayton and Sammy Merzeti are two lost souls in need of love, understanding, and another cigarette. Hilarious and heart-rending, sacred and profane, this book marks the emergence of a vital new voice in American fiction. Order it here.
The Inaugural BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland Speedway takes place this weekend.
June 29: BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland Speedway - Chicago, Illinois
The Inaugural BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland Speedway will be a KCBS Master Series Competition with over 40 professional teams. Fans will also enjoy appearances, demonstrations, samplings, book signings and Q and A's from some of the biggest names in BBQ, including Hall of Famers Myron Mixon, Dr. BBQ Ray Lampe, Chris Lilly and Famous Dave Anderson. You can attend free BBQ SmokeDown events, activities and meet BBQ stars and learn the tips and techniques of the masters, taste samples from Hall of Famers and see the first ever SmokeDown Champion be crowned. More info here.
July 5-7: I Love BBQ and Music Festival 2019 - Lake Placid, New York
This annual event in Lake Placid, New York attracts some of the best BBQ competitors in the country and continues to grow in popularity each year. Not only are there Kansas City Barbeque Society competitions happening on-site, but there are also lots of food and drink vendors for the public to eat and drink well while watching a ton of live music. More info here.
July 12-14: Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival - Chicago, Illinois
Get ready for beer, BBQ, and country tunes, because the Windy City Smokeout BBQ & Country Music Festival is returning to Chicago. The Windy City Smokeout is one of the largest barbecue festivals in the U.S. and this year it will feature 20 of the world’s best pitmasters and more than 15 musical acts. More info here.
July 13: South Sound BBQ Festival 2019 - Lacey, Washington
The South Sound BBQ Festival is one of the largest BBQ events for the Pacific Northwest. It will include a pro cook-off sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association plus an assortment of food vendors and non-food vendors from around the South Sound. There will be live entertainment, free kids activities, chicken wing eating contest, adult-only beer & wine garden, and much more. More info here.
August 17: Stumptown Beer Revival and BBQ Cook Off 2019 - Monte Rio, California
This event, which is also called the “Russian River Beer Revival & BBQ Cookoff,” features copious amounts of beer and barbecue. An entry fee includes beer, cider, and barbecue tastings for the duration of the day, along with live music and activities. More than 40 breweries and 30 barbecue teams will participate. More info here.
September 7: Pig Island NYC - Brooklyn, New York
For those that love all things pork, the 10th annual Pig Island NYC in Brooklyn will be a can’t-miss affair. Held outdoors at beautiful Erie Basin Park in Red Hook, this all-inclusive event will feature great food from top Northeastern pitmasters, plus a ton of beer, cider, and liquor. More info here.
September 12-15: American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Kansas City, Missouri
The American Royal is celebrating 40 years of competition barbecue in 2019. On top of a huge KCBS competition with teams from around the country, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including incredible live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a full line up of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. More info here.
Southern “Crowd Pleasing” Potato Salad
For our Recipe of the Week, we chose a simple and delicious potato salad recipe from Divas Can Cook. This Southern potato salad recipe is easy to make and requires only a few traditional ingredients, including potatoes, mayo, mustard, eggs, and seasonings. The recipe has the perfect mayo to mustard ratio and results in a creamy dish with lots of flavor. View the recipe here.
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