Tips For Hosting A True Texan BBQ Party

Photo: Wikimedia

As the saying goes ‘Everything is big in Texas’, the Texan BBQ Party is no exception. You do not have to go to Texas. Stay where you are and we offer you swashing ideas for a Texan BBQ Party.

Set the backdrop

Texan BBQ Party will be a fun – frolicking experience for you and your guests. To be swept in the mood of Texan style party forgo the fancy flatware and get to the down-home approach. So set the stage for the Texan mood at your backyard.

Start with a dress code of faded blue jeans or head-to-spur fringe to keep the guests in a Texan frame of mind. You may bring out some posers with naughty slogans like – ‘high noon until the cows come home’ or ‘eat barbecue without a napkin’ etc. Spread a desperado décor by turning your backyard into a tumbleweed-strewn dust bowl with straw on your deck or patio and hay bales for guests to sit. Cast-iron cookware, dinner bell, cowboy boots, saddles, horseshoes, bedrolls, wagon wheels, dried chili pepper, rope, Texan flag and many more of your innovative ideas to bring the right mood. A county toe-tapping music by Texas-born country artists is a must, without which it would be a big bore.

Unfold a red checked or denim tablecloth. For napkins, make some colorful bandanas tied with rope or even sheriff’s star work wonderfully at your Texan BBQ Party. Make ‘guest name cards’ to place on the tables, which makes them feel special. Add decorative centerpiece on clay pots with cactus or hide a pot in an old pair of boots and some fresh flowers in the pots.

A Texan’s mouth waters like the Colorado River for a slab of spareribs or a hunk of cornbread. The food turns attractive with mouth-watering varieties of special hot sauce. For adventurous guests add tortilla chips and funky salt and pepper shakers. If possible keep the drinks in an old styled washtub filled with ice.

Fun at the BBQ party

Guests may be unknown to each other. Bring in a fun and break the ice with a dance lesson. Invite guests on the floor barefoot or with cowboy boots for a line dancing class.

Texas Hold’em is a fast and funny game of 2-10 people. The objective is to finish with the best poker hand and win the pot.

Cattle Corral is steer roping. Position a pint-sized wrangler a few feet away and try catching the cattle.

Squirt-gun-showdown to set a lit candle or an empty soda can and get your guests to shoot a water pistol to either knock out the flame or the can first.

Just because the sun sets, it does not mean the fun has to end, set up a campfire, which is legendary with Texas cowboys, and invite someone to strum a song on the six-string to reach to the climax of Texan BBQ party.

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Why is Barbequing So Popular?

Rice - BBQ - Photo: Pixabay

Barbequing is an American tradition. Each year, statistics show that at least 90% of families attend at least one barbeque party or celebration. About 40% of families delight in throwing parties that center around the idea of barbequing. With statistics like that, one must wonder why barbequing is such a popular event and tradition.  

First, barbequing or grilling allows you to create a meal that is unmatched by any other type of cooking. The grilled smell and taste will perk up even the pickiest meat eater.

A variety of meats and side dishes are used when barbequing. Traditionally, families cook pork, beef, and fish on their grills. When visiting your local grocery store, look for meats that are specifically cut and packaged for barbequing. If you do not find pre-packaged meats, then chances are spices, marinates, and kits for grilling are somewhere nearby.   

Traditional side dishes include potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. These sides work well with the variety of meats available and are easy to prepare and store until it is time to eat.

Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. 

Different types of grills will present different types of flavors. Charcoal and smoker grills present a natural “smoked” flavor which is one of the most known tastes of barbequing. Smokers even allow you to control slight changes in the favor of the meat by using different types of woods.  Alternatively, propane grills allow grillers to cook their meals faster but still have a grilled flavor.

Some grills have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allows you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rice dishes or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Another reason barbequing is so popular is the fact that it gives you a reason to hold a party or celebration. 

Outdoor parties not only allow your guests to be present during the cooking of the meal, but also give them the opportunity to be with friends. 

Themed parties are always fun for your family and guests. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

Finally, barbequing is popular because it can be considered a hobby as well. Barbequing, like anything else in life, takes time and practice. It can be fun to play and experiment with different techniques and recipes. Once you have developed a like for barbequing, then you can focus on creating your own variations on traditional recipes and ideas.  

Barbequing is typically thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of barbeque will not think twice about breaking out their barbeque grills right in the middle of winter. 

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What's A Barbecue Party Without Some Condiments?

Meat Condiments - Photo: Pixabay

Condiments are substances applied to food to improve or enhance flavor. They usually come in the form of powders, spreads, and sauces. A condiment is typically squirted, sprinkled or smeared, with commercially prepared condiment products often packaged in plastic or glass containers. Some are served as single-serving packets too as what is common in cafeterias and airlines. Of course, BBQ parties and cookouts are never complete without a steady supply of condiments.

Some of the more common condiments include ketchup, mayo, pickles, mustard, wasabi, vinegar, salad dressings and salt. Barbecue and hot sauces are other popular condiment choices used to complement or add flavor to dishes. Since people have different preferences when it comes to seasoning their meats, having an assortment of condiment products on hand when hosting a barbecue is always best.

Condiments and Smashing BBQ Parties

Nothing spoils a barbecue quicker than a shortage of condiments. Whether it's ketchup, hot sauce, mustard, relish or BBQ sauce, finding yourself running low on any of these items can spell disaster for a party. You see, a condiment gives food that added a kick to keep people coming back for more. Further, half the fun of eating is being able to adjust the taste of the food to suit each individual's particular taste buds so without condiments, people will have a tough time managing this.

Holding a hit barbecue event isn't easy. But if you keep your shelves well-stocked in the condiment department, you're halfway there. Here are other tips to ensure your next BBQ is a smashing success.

• Get out that old BBQ grill that's been collecting dust in the garage. Fix the patio and wash all the utensils you'll be using before you start grilling.

• Prepare the outdoor cooking recipes in advance. Visit the market and buy the freshest meats needed.

• When it comes to cooking a whole chicken on the grill, stuff it with a half-filled beer can. The beer aroma will stick to the chicken and give it a great beery taste. If others don't appreciate it, have them slather up some condiments on the chicken.

• When cooking burgers, put holes in the center so they'll cook thoroughly. The holes will close up once they're grilled so don't worry about it!

• Shop around for great condiment and sauce products. Make sure to check out InsaneChicken.com. It's got an online catalog of the best condiments, hot sauces, salsas, rubs and marinades in town.

Condiments play a huge role in the success of a BBQ party. For the best barbecue condiment selections, there's only one place to go really – InsaneChicken. It's got the Ass-Kickin' Mustard, the Ingleby Farms Jalapeno Ketchup, the Smuggler's Run Jolly Rouge Chipotle Creme and a bunch of other mouth-watering condiment delights. Add life to your future barbecue parties – get your condiments and sauces from the best in the business – InsaneChicken. Ah, will someone please pass the 20 Pepper Hot Garlic Pickles, please?

White Barbecue Sauce - Sweet, Sour, Tickling and Tangy

BBQ Sauce - Photo: Pixabay

The 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 manié 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 tasted 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, go with them comfortably enough.

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BBQ Food is the Mental Cue that summer is Here

BBQ Food - Photo: Pxhere

Winter is over, spring has sprung, and summer is on its way. It’s the perfect time to take the cover off of the barbecue grill and get grilling. BBQ food is the perfect start to a great summer. As the smells of neighborhood grills begin wafting down the streets of towns all across America, there is a theme that permeates the breeze. Summer is here; it’s time for fun in the sun.

There is nothing that takes me back to my childhood quite like BBQ food. The smells, the flavors, and most importantly, the feeling of quality time spent with family and the knowledge that we are building memories for our children to someday share with their children. If you think about it, you can have BBQ food of some sort, almost any night of the week. As long as you are willing to use your grill, which has the benefit of keeping the heat of cooking on the outside of your home.

Here are some great grilling ideas that will enable you to have BBQ food almost anytime you want. 

• Veggies taste better when cooked on a grill. You can also have fun mixing flavors and seasonings. Kraft had a great idea of butter mix-ins for vegetables, I also like to marinate mine in Italian dressing and grill them in foil packets. 
• Almost any meat you can purchase will taste better cooked on a grill. I even enjoy smoked sausage cooked on a grill with BBQ sauce. 
• Make it a great night by allowing family members to make their own shish kabobs. 
• Have theme nights for your BBQ food, you can do Italian BBQ, Mexican BBQ, Caribbean, be creative and have fun. 

The real beauty of BBQ food is that it is an excuse we use to build lasting memories of good times with family and friends. There is no reason we can’t make meal times special each and every day, not just during the summer months.

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The Right Grill for your Barbecue

BBQ Grill - Photo: Wikimedia

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice of meat (or in some cases vegetables), the creation and choice of sauce, and of course the flame. Once the components are gathered together, then the real talent starts with the maintenance of the flame, smoke, turnings and sauce applications. 

We are going to focus on the flame and the types of flame sources for our barbecue. There are basically three main sources in use today: Wood, Charcoal, and Natural gas or propane. 

Natural gas and propane

Gas grills are easy to light. The heat is easy to control (via knob-controlled gas valves on the burners), so the outcome is very predictable. They result in a very consistent and tasty result, although some charcoal purists argue it lacks the flavors available only from cooking with charcoal. Advocates of gas grills claim that gas cooking lets you "taste the meat, not the heat" because it is claimed that charcoal grills may deposit traces of coal tar on the food. Many grills are equipped with thermometers, further simplifying the barbecuing experience. However propane and natural gas produce a "wet" heat that can change the texture of foods cooked over such fuels.

Gas grills are significantly more expensive due to their added complexity, and higher heat. They are also considered much cleaner as they do not result in ashes (which must be disposed of) and also in terms of air pollution. Proper maintenance may further help reduce pollution.

Charcoal

This generally begins with purchasing a bag of processed charcoal briquettes. A charcoal chimney starter is a traditional (but generally underused) method for getting a consistent heat from your coals. Alternatively, they can be lit in a pyramid directly inside the charcoal grill after presoaking with lighter fluid. 

After all, coals are ashed-over (generally 15-25 minutes), they are spread around the perimeter of the grill, and the meat is placed in the center for indirect cooking. For additional flavor and attractive appearance, thicker cuts of meat may optionally be seared over direct heat (outer perimeter of a grill) prior to indirect cooking in the center. Water-soaked wood chips (such as mesquite, hickory, or fruit trees) are often added atop the coals for an extra smoky flavor. The temperature of the grill is controlled by the amount and distribution of coal within the grill and through careful venting.

An alternative to charcoal briquettes is lump charcoal. Lump charcoal is wood that has been turned into charcoal but unlike briquettes, it has not been ground and shaped. Lump charcoal is a pure form of charcoal and is preferred by many purists who fear that artificial binders may be used to hold briquettes in their shape.

Wood

The choice and combination of woods burned result in different flavors imparted to the meat. Different types of wood burn at different temperatures. The heat also varies by the amount of wood and controlling the rate of burn through careful venting.

The type of wood chosen is really what sets this method apart from the others. This is where the gourmet can really experiment. Let's go through some of the woods available to get a feel for the differences we can expect. 

Golden Birch is very delicate & slightly sweet, typically used with fish, pork, lamb, goat, poultry, and light-meat game birds. As a smoke source Golden birch would be used to smoke Salmon.

Wild Apple is slightly sweet with a fruity smoke flavor. Used mainly for beef, poultry, game birds, and pork (particularly hams).

Sugar Maple has a mildly smoky, sweet flavor. Good with lamb, goat, pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds.

White Cedar has a fine light smoke and doesn't add much in the way of other flavors. Ideal for cooking fish, beef, and pork. 

Wild Black Cherry, is hard to get a hold of but offers a distinctively sweet and fruity smoke. Great with beef, poultry & game birds.

Author: Jerry Powell

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