Food and Beverage

March 9, 2009

White Barbecue Sauce – Sweet, Sour, Tickling and Tangy

Filed under: Gourmet — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — pongchan @ 9:57 am

BBQ sauce is generally a basic mixture of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Tomatoes used can be in various forms such as tomato sauce, paste, puree and even ketchup. Sugar adds sweetness to the barbecue sauce and can either be corn syrup, honey or molasses. The addition of vinegar, on the other hand, lends a sour flavor to the bbq sauce and can be in the form of beer, white or flavored vinegar, wine or citrus juices. In general, bbq sauces can be used throughout the barbecue process from preparation to cooking.

Bechamel sauce or White Barbecue Sauce has a long and illustrious history. It has been a pet of the French food connoisseurs, since 1651. One of the mother sauces of French cuisine, the white sauce is nowadays made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux. However, it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre mani้ into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour. White Barbecue sauce, unquestionably adds a delicate flavoring to your meat dishes.

White Barbecue Sauces of Alabama are different from most other barbecue sauces in the use of their bases. These sauces are predominantly mayonnaise based, unlike the traditional and ubiquitous tomato. Chicken, turkey or pork – these white sauces are taste uppers beyond imagination. Like its tomato- and mustard-based cousins, white barbecue sauce comes in shades ranging from porcelain to putty. There are also differences in consistency. Some sauces flow like fat free milk, while others are more reminiscent of a creamy dressing. As for the ingredients, well, purists such as Myra Grissom, owner of Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, insists there are only four items who play the role: mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and coarsely ground pepper. Perking up salads or topping pulled pork sandwiches or grilled fish whatever you are up to these sauces are great.

Smuggler’s Run White Grilling Sauce and Big Bob Gibson White BBQ sauce are sauces that can be recommended, without any hesitation. Mayonnaise, Egg Yolks, Water, Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Calcium Disodium, Cider Vinegar, Onion, Garlic, White Pepper, Salt and Xanthium Gum are what goes into the making of this taste bud rocker.

Big Bob Gibson White BBQ sauce comprises distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, spices, egg yolks, mustard flour, paprika and garlic. Poultry, pork, seafood, and wild game-Big Bob, goes with them comfortably enough.

November 28, 2008

Barbeque Techniques: Two Methods to Consider

Filed under: Cooking — Tags: , , — pongchan @ 3:11 am

When it comes to barbequing, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use.

The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners. Rarely is the lid ever closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique. If sauces are desired, they can be added before hand, during the cooking process, or even after the food comes off the grill. These choices will all create different and enjoyable tastes and flavors.

The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder. When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat. This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. The temperatures generally sit in around 250บF. During this cooking method, the lid of the barbeque remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning. This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.

No matter which method you use, it’s important not to cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen is able to melt. This means that your cut will be dry and tough. However, you cannot cook too slowly or you will risk a bacterial contamination. Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.

If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat. If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.

As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.

November 22, 2008

Cooking In Lapland: The New Tundra Grill

Filed under: Cooking — Tags: , , , , , , , , — pongchan @ 6:37 am

To offset any confusion, we are not talking about a grill for the Toyota Tundra but the powerful new Tundra Grill from Hammacher Schlemmer, built to withstand the elements and burn a variety of fuels including wood, charcoal, pinecones and brushwood, as well as cook all kinds of meat, poultry, fish and pretty much anything else you want to throw on, within reason. With the Tundras 37 inch diameter basin you are not limited to one type of cooking method either; you can grill, broil, simmer, fry, smoke and bake.

The options do not end there is the Tundra Grill comes equipped with a grill rack, skewers, and three swing-out skillets for frying eggs, simmering sauces, or even baking bread Dutch-oven style. No need to fret about your steak not coming out just the way you like it; the skillet, skewer, and rack height are adjustable for precise flame proximity. You will be able to cook for an entire dinner party or family gathering all at once, with space for two whole fish, three whole chickens, and six steaks. Want a cup of hot coffee or soup on a brisk morning or chilly evening? No problem; put on a cast-iron kettle for coffee or stock pot for soup.

The Tundra Grill is built to last, justifying its price tag. Whether you are cooking out in your backyard or braving the tundra, this grill has all the features and equipment to accommodate. The Tundra comes with a stainless smoke hood to induce draft in a gazebo or lean-to, or to keep out the rain so nasty weather will not thwart dinner plans. The Grill is wind deflector also helps make outdoor cooking a cinch. Zinc-coated steel shrugs off anything Mother Nature dishes out, while Birchwood handles allows for safe skillet use. Worried about messy ash clean up? The Tundra has got you covered,the Grills ash box and scoop makes for one-step ash disposal.

November 11, 2008

Bbq Ideas – Have A Fantastic BBQ After Dark

Filed under: Wine — Tags: , , , — pongchan @ 4:58 am

It’s a no-brainer. Great food, warm weather, cold drinks, and the people you love. Maybe that’s what adds so much appeal to the great BBQ Ideas you will find.

However, you will always find the same kinds of BBQ’s, and the same kinds of food. Toss it up a bit, people! Here are two great BBQ ideas that are unique, fun, and are still great BBQ’s.

BBQ After Dark

This is one of the greatest BBQ ideas, whether you’re entertaining a crowd, or it’s just you and your sweetheart. Start by getting your food items together earlier in the day.

Have everything ready to go on the grill by sunset. Hook up a bright light close to the grill so that you’re able to cook the food without giving your guests Salmonella or something like that. Then, you want to set up the actual eating area in the yard, away from the lights.

Get a great fire pit, and place chairs around it. You can find these anywhere, or you can learn how to make them on your own.

Light a whole bunch of citronella candles so that no buzzing blood suckers will pester you and your guests. You can add some Tiki torches as well.

Place some twinkling lights in the bushes nearby, or make a walkway from the grill to the seating area with tea light candles placed in white paper bags. This is truly a breathtaking sight.

For a few added details, you can place a bucket next to the fire pit with some pre-selected long sticks and a couple of bags of marshmallows.

This way your guests can roast marshmallows while you shoot the breeze and watch for lightning bugs. No amount of boring BBQ ideas can top the feeling of being under the stars, and enjoying great food, cold drinks, and the company of your family or friends.

Other great BBQ ideas can be found at http://www.bbqideas.net

How To Barbeque Perfect BBQ Ribs

Filed under: Cooking — Tags: , , , — pongchan @ 4:54 am

If you are grilling BBQ ribs on a regular charcoal grill, then you’re probably frustrated when you find that your ribs are tough instead of “meat falling off the bones” tender.  If this is the case, then you can learn how to barbeque perfect ribs easily by preparing your ribs properly in advance, before you ever place them on your grill.

Most master grillers prepare their ribs first, before cooking them on a charcoal grill.  This is why some grillers cook perfect ribs every time.  Usually at a BBQ event, guests see the cook placing the ribs on the grill, never knowing that work was done beforehand to get the ribs ready.  Those new to grilling assume that the cook is just brushing sauce on the ribs, and then cooking them until done directly on the grill and this isn’t always so.

To prepare your ribs, first bring a large pot of water to a boil.  You should do this the day before your BBQ event or dinner.  Add a bit of salt to the water, and then bring it down to a simmer.  Add your ribs, cover and simmer them for 1 to 2 hours and then carefully remove them from the pot.  Your ribs should be tender and juicy now, but you shouldn’t place them on the grill just yet.

Place them in a large bowl, add your BBQ sauce, cover and refrigerate this overnight.  This provides ample time for the ribs to marinate in the sauce, to produce that rich BBQ flavor that everyone loves so well.

The next day, light your grill and let the coals die down to warm glowing embers.  You should never BBQ your ribs over an open flame; this can burn the sauce and ruin the flavor of your BBQ ribs.

Once the flames have died down, brush some more sauce on your ribs and place them directly on the grill.  Cook for 10 minutes, brush some more sauce on the top of the ribs, turn and cook the other side for 10 minutes.  Continue cooking the ribs in this fashion until they are fully done, turning your BBQ ribs every 10 minutes while adding fresh sauce at every turn.

Once your ribs are done, place them on a serving platter and serve while they are still hot.  Your guests will go crazy over your delicious, juicy and tender ribs.  This is the proper way to cook perfect BBQ ribs.  If you just throw the ribs on a grill, without preparing them first, then your ribs will be very tough and not very good no matter what type of sauce is used.

BBQ sauce is used to add flavor, not to cover up inferior cooking.  Don’t you owe it to yourself and to your dinner guests to go that extra mile, ensuring that your ribs are not only tasty, but also mouth watering tender?  You’ll be known as the best BBQ rib griller in your area.  Especially if you combine your juicy and tender ribs with your very own homemade BBQ rubs, sauce or marinades instead of using those pre-bottled sauces provided in local grocery stores.

November 8, 2008

BBQ Ideas That Will Have Your Kids Jumping For Joy

Filed under: Wine — Tags: , , — pongchan @ 2:24 am

It’s nice to have a BBQ and enjoy the adult talk while the children play. However, if the children grow bored, they’re going to let you know pretty quickly.

Stop the whines and moans by giving the kids some great things to do while you enjoy adult conversation and have fun watching the kids play. Here are some great BBQ ideas that are kid-friendly.

1. Place a big basket of outdoor toys that are age related outside near the BBQ area. This will help keep your children occupied so that they will also be having a great time.

You can choose toys like dump trucks, little cars, shovels, or other things that your kids will enjoy.

2. Encourage your friends or family to bring their children. The kids will love getting a chance to play together while the adults converse.

It is also a great excuse to get the extended family together to let the cousins play with each other.

3. Set up the sprinkler a good ways from the BBQ area, but still in sight. Let the kids put on their swimsuits and splash around in the water.

This is a great thing for a summer day, and one of the greatest kid-friendly BBQ ideas. If the weather is not warm enough, you may want to skip this little idea.

4. By adding some soft plastic on the ground, your kids can run and slip and slide across the plastic. You can use a commercial one if you want, but it’s just as easy to make on out of house plastic or a very soft tarp.

I hope you enjoyed these unique BBQ ideas to make your outdoor get-together that much more fun. There are many more great BBQ Ideas at http://www.bbqideas.net/

Catering your BBQ theme to children lets you enjoy the same fun atmosphere, but you get to keep things interesting and fresh. Enjoy.

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