Gas Grills

Barbequing Tips

People take a lot of pride in their barbecue routine, and they love to show it off. For true barbecue master’s, the fun doesn’t come from enjoying their own food. It’s more about putting a smile on their guest’s face while impressing them at the same time. Barbecue kings are more than happy to stand by their grill and feed everyone before they take a bite themselves. There is also a bit of healthy competition that keeps barbecue going as outdoor cooks constantly try to outdo each other. It results in wonderful experimentation and calculated risks that result in absolutely delicious food. In order to be a true barbecue master, you have to combine ingenuity along with traditional know-how in order to produce the best results. Here are five elements you should keep in mind so that your barbecue food will stand above everyone else’s.

Get the Best BBQ You Can Afford – let’s face it, a good barbecue is expensive. You can go for cheaper options but they are not always the best value in the overall scheme of things. Saving money on a cheaper grill could actually end up costing you more when you have to get repaired or replaced it completely. It’s far better to start off with a bang and save up enough money for a quality gas grill. Find something that combines power with the overall cooking space to give you ultimate performance. It’s not always easy to come up with a big budget on a high ticket item, but in most cases it will end up paying for itself over time.

Use the Freshest Ingredients – how many times do you show up to a barbecue only to find out they are serving frozen burgers? Unfortunately, this seems to be happening more often than ever, as a lazy trend in barbecue is growing. It’s far too easy these days to go down to your grocery store and pick up a bag of pre-flavored chicken wings. Some of them are even cooked already and only require warming on the grill. While it might be faster to use these elements, you’re really not getting your guests a true barbecue experience in any way. Make sure to use fresh ingredients at every turn and never settle for anything less than the best.

Slow Cooking – direct grilling gets a lot of attention in the barbecue world, and you can cook wonderful things like charbroiled steak and salmon. But if you happen to have a more modern grill, don’t forget it can effectively be turned into an outdoor oven. In many cases, you’ll get an effect better than your kitchen oven because of the added bonus of smoky flavor. Slow cooking requires a different skill set and you definitely have to be patient. You have to marinade your meat and then allow it to slow cook in your barbecue for several hours. You have to plan out your day so that you can constantly monitor your meat, but it’s always worth it in the end when you are rewarded with a perfectly roasted chicken, rack of ribs, or a scrumptious brisket.

Side Dishes – it’s not just about what comes off your gas grills!  Hearty side dishes are just as important in giving your guests and overall experience. They are a perfect way to balance out the pallet in addition to offering healthier choices as well. Side dishes ranging from coleslaw or potato salad will always be popular favorites. You can also add elements from other types of cuisines, and don’t be afraid to explore multicultural dishes as well. Side dishes are the best way to compliment everything cooked on your grill, and a full barbecue meal wouldn’t be complete without them.

Your Own BBQ Sauce – every true barbecue master has their own recipe for a secret barbecue sauce. It’s something that you hold dear to your heart and won’t share under any circumstances. You could rely on generic barbecue sauce quite easily, but the taste is never the same. And remember, it’s actually quite easy to prepare a barbecue sauce recipe even if you’ve never done it before. In many cases, you can with one up in under half an hour, and you’ll have a great sauce that will add another dimension to your home grilling.

This article comes to us from gasgrillsandbbq.com  where you can find more details on the best barbecue equipment for your home.

It’s party season! The festive period is all having a good time. It’s the middle of winter and the nights are dark, what better way of celebrating than with a tasty pick me up? The regular beverages are out, even the sherry’s made an appearance, but this is all a bit predictable. What you want are drinks that impress. Here’s a quick guide to a handful of crimbo cocktails that’ll really get the party started, bring on that Christmas spirit (in both senses of the word)!

Christmas Pudding

This is an easy one. It only takes three, yes three ingredients and all you need to do is put them in the same glass. One ounce of Drambuie, five ounces of Guinness and one ounce of Southern Comfort. Boom, a Christmas pud of the liquid variety. Make the glass of the nice bowl shaped red wine variety and you’re on your way.

Brandy Blazer (Blitzen)

The name of this bad boy isn’t Christmas themed, though it can be! Blazer becomes Blitzen and you’ve got a cocktail named after one of Santa’s reindeer that wasn’t Rudolph. It’s a tasty one too this. Go with an old fashioned glass to start with and mix in it a double shot of cognac, a sugar cube (a reindeer favourite), a twist of lemon and a twist of orange. Flambe the lot, which will look spectacular, mix with a bar spoon of lengthy proportions and then extinguish. Then all that is left is to strain it into a snifter. Tada!

Winter Martini

Classic. The Martini is a drink that will have people debating long into the Christmassy night about the best ways in which to serve it. This winter version is a treat for any seasonal celebration, make no mistake. Break out the shaker you’ve been dying to use all night and fill it about two thirds full with ice, two to three shots of cognac, a shot of apple schnapps and a pair of sugar syrup dashes. Shake it like a Polaroid picture and strain into a Martini glass, what else. For a final flourish garnish with a slice of apple. Lush.

Candy Cane Martini

If the previous variation of Martini isn’t going down with your guests as well as planned try this version, it’s sure to entice the sweet toothed reveller. You get to use the cocktail shaker again, yay! Mix one and a half ounces of vanilla vodka, half an ounce of peppermint schnapps and one ounce of club soda. Shake it! Then prepare your martini glass with a rim of crushed candy cane and, if you can get them, a single miniature candy cane hooked over the rim. Strain in the mix and you’ve got sweet heaven in a glass.

Christmas Sour

Good name this, and great for serving to the more ‘bah humbug’ of your guests. It’s easier to make two servings of this fellow, so bear that in mind when it comes to the serving. One ounce of sweet vermouth, three ounces of scotch, two ounces of cherry brandy, one ounce of fresh lemon juice and one egg white. Oh yeah, this is a heavyweight. Jam all that in the cocktail mixer and shake strenuously. Strain the mixture into two highball glasses garnished with sliced lemon threaded on a cocktail stick. Oh, I can almost taste it!

These five beverages are worth having a Christmas party for! Get your glad-rags on, the stockings hung, the mistletoe at the ready and your cocktail bar well stocked. This is going to be a Christmas to remember!

David James writes on food and drink for Find Me A Gift, specialists in quirky gifts for men and unique gifts for her for any occasion.

Healthy Holidays

You know those times after you’ve eaten Christmas lunch and gone a little overboard? There’s that moment you wish you’d mastered bulimia so you didn’t have to undo your pants (and also so you could maybe eat some more). You kind of splay yourself somewhere until your body manages to process the embarrassing quantities of food you just ate. Quantities that would make an obese person do a little jig. Don’t look away – you know what I’m talking about.  We all do, which is why it’s time to separate yourself from the gluttonous mass consuming swarms this festive season and try something different.

No expanding your gut to Father Christmas-style proportions at the table deal? You don’t have to be a saint, just consider a few simple alternatives:

Go easy on the snacking. We all know Christmas lunch takes eons to prepare but, just like you would on any other day, have a sensible breakfast in the morning;  maybe even a snack midway through.

If you’ve already eaten something by the time lunch is served, you’re less likely to unhinge your jaw and swallow the entire table from hunger.

If you can’t resist a snack bowl, skip the piles of crisps lying around.

Do a U-turn if someone offers you nacho chips with sour cream. Punch someone in the face when they say you simply have to try the three cheese dip.

Run! Wait!!! –   this is your house and you can do whatever you want, so don’t even serve this stuff in the first place. Rather, put out some sliced veggies with a hummus dip, bowls of olives, gherkins and pickled onions, or strips of toasted pita bread with a sweet chili and avo dip –  way healthier.

If you’re making mash potatoes, try preparing it with sweet potatoes instead of regular ones, which are higher in kilojoules. The sweet potato option is low GI too, so it’ll impress that old, sickly aunt of yours that feels faint all the time.

Skip the meat. You’re not a Viking okay? It won’t kill you to skip the piles of pork, turkey, chicken and whatever other animal you tear into every Christmas to opt for something a little less greasy. Look at your cousin at the end of the table, yeah, the vegetarian. Sure she’s a little pale and cries a lot, but she’s skinnier than you — ever wonder why? Try a vegetable dish or a vegetarian meat substitute and skip the skin on the chicken.

Aaaarrrgh! You’ve got to be drunk to survive but it will help. Try sticking to stuff like whisky and water instead of sugar filled cocktails and coolers. It goes without saying that you’ll need to get a little sloshed to make it through the day with so many family members around, but if you stick to a light white wine and drink slowly, you should be fine. If you’re mixing drinks, stick to diet soda and avoid telling everyone at the table you hate them it’s just embarrassing.

Jacky Letard is an experienced online content writer who enjoys writing about various topics such as natural health practice, festive foods, nhp omega 3 plus and holiday exercise.