Food: Barbecue Must-Haves

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Barbecue Must-Haves
Tuesday, April 25, 2006

The summer grilling season is quickly approaching, so it's time to take stock and make sure you have everything you need for a delicious barbecue.

First on the list? A grill, of course. The type of grill you will need depends on many things-- your budget, where you live and how often you plan to grill. If you live in an apartment or a small space, a tabletop hibachi will serve you just fine. If you long for an old time charcoal barbecue grill, look for one of those kettle grills. Gas grills are also all the rage these days-- and they come in a variety of sizes. If you have a huge deck area that can accommodate a big grill and a bunch of friends, go for the extra big gas model.

Next, here are some must-haves that you should always have on hand for those impromptu barbecues:

Ground beef. You can shape the ground beef into hamburger patties ahead of time and store them in the freezer-- then just take a few out to grill them as you need them. You can enhance the flavor of the ground beef by adding a little salt, pepper and worstershire sauce before you shape them. There are recipes for burger mixtures that include eggs and breadcrumbs, although I find that the hamburgers can get too sloppy that way and sometimes fall apart during cooking. A dash of steak sauce in the ground beef is another delicious addition.

Good quality hotdogs. Nothing is worse than a generic hotdog. Really. Spring for the good quality, gourmet beef hotdogs. It makes such a difference. You can store these in the freezer as well.

Chicken breast. Chicken breasts marinated in bottled Italian dressing are great on the grill-- and they are so easy to make. Always have some chicken on hand for marinating or to coat with barbecue sauce. You can also cut chicken breast up and skewer them to make shish-kabobs-- I like to marinate the cut up chicken in a citrus flavored dressing before cooking.

Rolls. Good rolls are just as important as good meat. Buy them fresh and use them up as you buy them. You can store rolls in the freezer, but they taste so much better when they're fresh. For something different, try some potato or wheat rolls in lieu of plain white rolls.

Condiments: Keep some ketchup and a couple of types of mustards on hand (a yellow and a spicy kind should do you good). Also, even if you're not a relish fan, many people do like to slather it on their hotdog so make sure you have some. Barbecue sauce is another biggie-- use it on chicken or as a condiment for burgers and hotdogs. I like to shop around for unique barbecue sauces--check gourmet shops and websites for new varieties.

Cheese. No burger is complete without cheese, but try to think beyond basic old American cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese tastes great melted on burgers. For a southwestern flair, try some jalapeno pepper jack cheese. To add a touch of sophistication to your burgers, try stuffing them with some blue cheese.

Sides to always have on hand. You can keep some canned baked beans on hand to go with your barbecue meal. Canned baked beans can be doctored up by adding brown sugar, cooked bacon and barbecue sauce. Looking to bulk up your beans? Try adding a can of black beans or kidney beans. I sometimes add chunks of pineapple to my baked beans to give them a Hawaiian flair.

Super salads. I love potato salad at any barbecue. All you really need is a couple of potatoes and mayonnaise-- any other seasonings are up to you. For other summery salads, cook up some elbow macaroni or tortellini. Add whatever you wish-- olives, roasted red peppers, onions, cheese cubes-- and dress it in a tangy dressing. A Caesar salad goes great with a grilled steak dinner--look for convenient ready-made Caesar salads if you're short on time.

What about dessert? Summer fruits are made for barbecues--make a fruit salad using melons, grapes and strawberries. Add something unexpected-- like kiwi or raspberries. Or roast some marshmallows over the charcoal coals-- kids love to eat squishy, hot marshmallows.

Keep barbecue items on hand all summer long and you'll never be caught off guard when you're in the mood for some good grilling!

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