Labor Day is just around the corner which means your grill has been working hard all summer.  By now you may know how to give your steaks the perfect grill mark and the right amount of heat to produce the juiciest pulled pork; but are you truly ready for your last BBQ of the summer this upcoming Labor Day weekend?  Take this quiz to find out!

1.        Which US president hosted the first barbecue at the White House?

a)      John Quincy Adams in 1825

b)      Thomas Jefferson in 1801

c)       Ulysses S. Grant in 1869

d)      Theodore Roosevelt in 1901

2.       Which US president introduced Texas-style barbecued ribs to the White house?

a)      William Howard Taft in 1909

b)      Andrew Jackson in 1837

c)       Lynden B. Johnson in 1963

d)      Ronald Reagan in 1981

3.       What is the most popular day to barbecue?

a)      Labor day

b)      Memorial day

c)       President’s day

d)      Fourth of July

4.       What is the most popular food to cook on the grill?

a)      Chicken

b)      Steak

c)       Burgers

d)      Hot dogs

5.       What is the most common side dish prepared on the grill?

a)      Potatoes

b)      Corn

c)       Cheese

d)      Other vegetables

6.       What is the most popular flavor of barbecue sauce?

a)      Honey

b)      Hickory

c)       Mesquite

d)      Spicy-hot

Answers: 1.b 2.c 3.d 4.c 5.b 6.b

Let me take you on a tasty Texas barbecue adventure.  Just imagine you are standing in the middle of Texas (somewhere north of Austin).  Right in front of you is a wooden direction post with signs pointing towards East Texas, West Texas, Central Texas, and South Texas.  Picking all of them would be a good choice but since you can only choose one let me tell you what you’ll find in each direction.

In the East Texas style the beef is slowly cooked to the point that it is “falling off the bone”, typically over hickory wood, and marinated in a sweet, tomato-based sauce. In the Central Texas style the meat is rubbed with spices and cooked over indirect heat from pecan or oak wood.  In the West Texas style the meat is cooked over direct heat from mesquite wood giving it a somewhat bitter taste. The South Texas style features thick, molasses-like sauces that keep the meat very moist.  Now, if you haven’t quite made up your mind there is one more sign pointing towards the Deep South.  This barbecue is heavily influenced by the traditional Mexican barbecue, ‘barbacoa’.  In barbacoa, though beef may be used, goat or sheep meat are common as well (sometimes even the whole animal may be used). In its most traditional form barbacoa is prepared in a hole dug in the ground and covered with maguey leaves.  Alright, did you choose a direction?  It’s too hard to pick just one?  Well then it sounds like your Texas bbq adventure has just begun.  Yeehaw!

You know you’re a Texan if…

1. You don’t associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
2. You’ve actually seen an 80 mph speed limit sign.
3. You know someone who ate a 72 oz. steak and got it for free.
4. You can drive all day (and more) and never leave the state.
5. You see just as many Texan flags as American flags.
6. You end a lot of words without the letter “g.”
7. You measure distance in minutes.
8. You know that DQ = Texas Stop Sign.
9. You know exactly what “cow tippin’ and “snipe huntin” are.
10. You think people who complain about the wind in their states are sissies.
11. When you hear a tornado siren, you go out and look for a funnel.
12. You can say “110 degrees” without fainting…easily.
13. You know it’s a given that the true value of a parking place lies in the shade, not the distance to the door.
14. You’ve actually burned your hand opening your car door. (or front door for that matter)
15. You’re quite aware that seat belts make pretty good branding irons.
16. You know for a fact that in July, it takes only 2 fingers to drive your car.
17. You’ve had experience gettin’ sunburned through your car window.
18. You realize asphalt has a liquid state.
19. You know that green grass DOES burn.
20. The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a bit chilly.
21. Hot water comes out of both taps.
22. You know all 4 seasons: Almost summer, Summer, Still summer, and Deer season.
23. In July, even though the kids are on summer vacation, not one person is out on the streets.
24. You don’t find it at all unusual for sunscreen to be sold year round, and kept at the front of the checkout counter.
25. You watch “Cowboy” movies and laugh at the phony “Texan” accents.
26. You know that Texans make better Mexican food than the Mexicans do.
27. You choose a brand of salsa with the same care that another might use to select a bottle of fine wine.
28. You can properly pronounce Corsicana, Palestine, Decatur, Wichita Falls, San Antonio, Mexia, Waco, Amarillo, and Bexar County.
29. You know: if it grows, it sticks. If it crawls, it bites.
30. You refer to soft drinks as “coke,” regardless of flavor.
31. You know that “Fixinto” is one word.
32. You know what a “Cowboy Cadillac” is.
33. You strongly believe that eating any ice cream other than Blue Bell is sacrilegious. (unless it’s DQ of course)
34. You use the words: “gonna,” “lotsa,” “kinda,” and “sorta.”
35. You know a sunscreen formula less than 30 SPF is a joke and you only wear that to go to the shopping mall.
36. You consider hot air balloons a joke…’cause they can’t go (at all).
37. You can testify to breaking out in a sweat the instant you step outside….at 7:30 AM …before work.
38. You can tell a rock from an armadillo at 300 yards.
39. You can make instant sun tea.
40. You have owned at least one belt buckle bigger than your fist.
41. You can bake cookies on your vehicle’s dashboard.
42. You aren’t surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, and bait all in the same store.
43. You know that fire ants consider your flesh a picnic.
44. You know that when the world ends, only cockroaches and mesquite trees will survive.
45. You know that anytime you wear long sleeves, you’ll always roll ‘em up past the elbows.
46. You’ve had to switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day.
47. Your school classes were canceled because of cold.
48. Your school classes were canceled because of heat.
49. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
50. You don’t find it unusual that in South Texas leaves fall off the trees in January.
51. You know there are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in Texas.
52. You know there are 10,000 types of spiders and 10,001 of them live in Texas.
53. You could never dream of putting vinyl upholstery in a car or not having air conditioning.
54. Your biggest bicycle wreak fear is, “What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?”
55. You know if another Texan is from south, east, west, or north Texas as soon as they open their mouth.
56. You know that in the city, you can leave your house, head out of town, and an hour later you still haven’t left the city limits. (During rush hour, you haven’t left your neighborhood.)
57. You have to turn on the air conditioning in January, two days after a low of 29 degrees.
58. You can always count on findin’ a Walmart, DQ, and Sonic, in every town with a population of 1000 or more.
59. You use A/C 12 months a year.
60. You know everything goes better with BBQ sauce.
61. You consider the first cool snap to be anything below 70 degrees.
62. Your local grocery store sells cactus in the Fresh Produce department.
63. You shop at H.E.B.
64. You don’t consider people from Austin to be real Texans.
65. You see more trucks in your daily commute than you’ll find in the whole state of New Jersey.
66. You think the humidity being below 90 percent, makes a GOOD hair day.
67. You know that in order for a place to be considered a town, it has to have a DQ, Sonic, and a Walmart.
68. You can fix anything with Duct Tape.
69. You know everything is bigger in Texas.
70. You have ever burned your hand on a car door.
71. You know what Juneteenth is.
72. You can tell how hot a chili will be just by hearing the name.
73. You have known someone who has attempted to fry an egg on the sidewalk (or you have done so yourself).
74. Your feet are practically invincible from walking barefoot on gravel.
75. You’ve ever had to tell someone that you don’t ride a horse to school.
76. You know that you’re not supposed to pronounce the h in the town “Humble.”
77. You don’t think it’s weird at all that there are towns that consist solely of 56 members of the same family

What would you add to this list?

A British engineer, Jack Henriques, has built the world’s largest barbecue, dubbed “God-grilla”, which can cook more than 1,000 sausages at once.

“God-grilla” is the world’s largest barbeque that can cook 1,000 sausages at once.  Or if you’re feeding a giant (or a wedding party) can cook seven whole lambs, three pigs, or two whole cows at the same time. Don’t worry Texas, we still have a larger lorry barbecue in Texas, but Ms. Lorry is a smoker rather than a traditional grill.  God-grilla is officially the largest fixed barbecue in the world.  31 year old Jack Henriques of Britain spent three months welding this bespoke steel grill that weighs two tons, measures 16ft across, and requires 14 bags of coal to ignite!

”When the barbecue is loaded up to full capacity at least three chefs are needed and it would be impossible to flip everything on your own,” Henriques said.  With temperatures that have reached up to 500 degrees centigrade…”It does get extremely hot and you often have to cover your face because you are standing just a few feet away from a big wall of flame which can cook a cow.”  And just when you thought grilling has hit its new height, Henriques says someday he plans to go bigger!  Alright Texas, I guess we’ve officially been challenged.  Game on Henriques, game on.

When it comes to grilling I tend to stick to what I know best; my crowd pleasing recipes, my signature BBQ sauce, and Old Betsy, my sturdy grill and companion over the past ten years.  But when something comes along like the new Bodum FYRKAT, a cone shaped grill, I can’t help but wonder what it has to offer that I don’t have.  First of all, with the FYRKAT you have the option of grilling your meats at two different levels on the top grill or easily and quickly transforming the FYRKAT into a battery-operated rotisserie with rotating spit and all.  The lower grill level is for meats that can take the heat and the upper level, which offers a little less heat exposure, is ideal for vegetables and fish (both levels can be used at the same time!)  Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room, what’s with the cone shape?  Well as unconventional as it may look, the bottom of the cone serves as a place to catch all the ashes and is also an adjustable airflow regulator.   Now that’s what I call a smokin’ design!  For only $180 I think it’s worth a try.  And if I’m not satisfied, I’ve always got Old Betsy.

You can buy them on Amazon or the Bodum site.

Now that summer is here it’s time to partner up your grilled meat with the perfect seasonal vegetable.   Sometimes my grilled corn on the cob is as in demand as the ribs next to it.  When you buy summer vegetables from your local farmer you can really taste the difference.  Why buy squash from the other side of the world that’s been sitting on a boat and then a truck for a few days when you  can go to your local farmers market and buy vegetables that were picked that morning.  To find a farmers market near you visit http://www.localharvest.org/.

Here’s a list of some of the summer vegetables you can throw on the grill as a kebab brushed lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper or as grilled vegetables.   For delicious grilled vegetables place a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Brush the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over.  For a delicious finish whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves, 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, salt and pepper to taste,  and drizzle over the grilled vegetables.

·         Bell peppers (8-10 minute grill time)

·         Corn (30 minute grill time)

·         Eggplant (7 minute grill time)

·         Summer Squash ( 7 minute grill time)

·         Zucchini (7 minute grill time)

And don’t forget your seasonal butter lettuce and tomatoes for the most delicious burger of the year!

Swordfish is the perfect fish for grilling this summer because of how easy it is to cook and how well it holds up on the grill.  Grill em’ up with a simple marinade as steaks or delicious veggie swordfish kebabs.  Cook swordfish like you would a rare steak: Use high heat to sear the outside, and let it stay a little rare in the middle.  I usually cook it about 5 minutes on one side, then 2-3 minutes on the other for an inch-thick steak. The uneven time gives you a great sear on one side (the side you serve facing up) while not overcooking the swordfish.  Make sure to leave the skin on when you grill, but take it off to serve: The skin is rubbery, but helps keep the meat moist.

Grilled Swordfish with Lemon, Mint and Basil

(http://www.foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 (5 to 6-ounces each) swordfish steaks

Directions:

Prepare the grill (medium-high heat). Whisk the oil, mint, lemon juice, basil, and garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Season the lemon and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.  Brush the swordfish steaks with 2 tablespoons of the lemon and olive oil mixture. Grill the steaks until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness of steaks). Transfer the steaks to plates. Spoon the remaining sauce over and serve.

You may think all you need is a healthy appetite and a deep love of barbeque to be a BBQ competition judge, but there’s a lot more that goes into being aCertified Barbeque Judge than you may expect.  The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) takes its competitions very seriously and expects a dedicated team of judges to decide which competitors are truly the best-of-the-best.  So how do you become a Certified Barbecue Judge?   Well first you’ll have to attend one of the hundreds of classes conducted by KCBS every year throughout the country.

During the more than four-hour class you’ll learn about the types of meats used in a competition, how they are cooked and presented for judging, the rules cooks and judges must follow, and how to judge the meat by KCBS standards based on appearance, taste, and tenderness.  Did I mention you’ll be eating lots and lots of barbecue?  Here’s a thought; if I already take the liberty to judge every barbecue joint and backyard barbecue I attend on my own, I might as well be certified right?  Sign me up!

Certified Barbeque Judge’s Oath

I do solemnly swear to objectively and subjectively evaluate each Barbeque meat that is presented to my eyes, my nose, my hands and my palate. I accept my duty to be an Official KCBS Certified Judge, so that truth, justice, excellence in Barbeque and the American Way of Life may be strengthened and preserved forever.

The story behind Certified Master BBQ judge: Alex Brown

Is it true that after only 14 weeks on its feet Franklin Barbecue is already being named “the best”?  Well according to Bon Appétit magazine Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas is “the best BBQ in Texas, if not America.”  So what’s the secret to being the best?  Maybe a resume that lists barbecue experience since the age of nine or a hand built smoker that holds just enough meat for one day worth of business (usually only a few hours).

As humble as Aaron Franklin is, he says being the “best” is a combination of many things; “The food is good, and it’s always been super-duper consistent. Our barbecue is one of the more consistent ones out there, and we’re always nice to people.”  With the high demand and only one smoker, when does Franklin have time to clean his grill?  For now he has no choice but to let the smoker cool down for a day so he can scrub it clean for the next week.  Lucky for us Franklin’s plan is to add another smoker (welding already in progress) so they can stay open until about 9 or 10 o’clock at night.  The goal?  Have a whole back patio so people will be able to come in, drink beers, and chill.  Until then, make sure to get a taste of what everyone’s talking about.

Franklin Barbecue. 3421 N. Interstate 35. 653-1187
www.franklinbarbecue.com.
Hours: 11 a.m. until the food runs out (usually around 2 p.m.)
Wednesdays-Sundays

Have you ever been curious about using fresh herbs with your barbecue?  Rosemary partners up particularly well with lamb, chicken, and potatoes.    And you’ll find tarragon tastes excellent with fish, turkey, and chicken.   Well I don’t have much of a green thumb, so I figured my chances of having my own herb garden were pretty slim.  Turns out it’s actually pretty simple!  A barbeque herb garden does not have to be big; a sunny and sheltered spot is the most important. Most herbs can be grown in pots successfully on your balcony, roof, or terrace. Although they do need some tending, most barbeque herbs are quite forgiving when it comes to soil and water conditions.  Pick up herb starters at your local garden store or check out how to grow your own herb garden.  If you’re in the mood for mint, check out this delicious recipe below.

Steve Raichlen’s Mint Julep Ribs with Bourbon Mint Barbecue Sauce

Method: Indirect
Serves 4

For the rub:

2 teaspoons iced tea mix (made with sugar, not artificial sweetener)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons dried mint (peppermint or spearmint)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)

For the mint glaze:

3 tablespoons mint jelly
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons sugar

2 racks baby back ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)

Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (see below)

You’ll also need:

2 cups hickory chips, soaked in water to cover for 1 hour, then drained (optional-only if using a charcoal grill)

1) Make the rub: Place the iced tea mix, sugar, mint, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

2) Make the glaze: Combine the mint jelly, lemon juice, butter, bourbon, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often, and cook until the mint jelly is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy, 5 minutes. Set the glaze aside.

3) Prepare the ribs: Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of each rack of ribs: Turn a rack meat side down. Insert a sharp implement, such as the tip of a meat thermometer, under the membrane (the best place to start is right next to the first rib bone). Using a dishcloth or pliers to gain a secure grip, pull off the membrane. Repeat with the other rack.

4) Place the ribs on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the ribs on both sides with rub, rubbing it into the meat. Cover the ribs and store in the refrigerator while you set up your grill.

5) Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. Brush and oil the grill grate.

6) Arrange the ribs, bone side down, in the center of the grate over the drip pan away from the heat. If working on a charcoal grill and using wood chips, toss half on each mound of coals. Cover the grill and cook for 1 hour.

7) Brush the ribs on both sides with the mint glaze. Recover the grill and continue cooking until the ribs are well-browned and cooked through, yet tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 15 to 30 minutes more, or 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours in all. Brush the ribs once or twice more with glaze, and if using a charcoal grill, replenish the coals as needed. When the ribs are cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by about 1/4 inch.

Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board, and cut the racks in half, widthwise, or into individual ribs. Serve at once with the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce on the side.

Bourbon Mint Barbecue Sauce

Yield: About 1-1/2 cups

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup mint jelly
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the ketchup, chili sauce, mint jelly, bourbon, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke in a heavy saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the sauce until thick and richly flavored, 8 to 10 minutes, whisking from time to time. Correct the seasoning, adding a little more vinegar for tartness, sugar for sweetness, and salt and pepper to taste.