Charcoal grills will be fired up in backyards and picnic areas all over the Centre region as we celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, but this does not have to be your grandfather’s cookout.
While simple classics like hot dogs and hamburgers are always crowd pleasers, holiday menus have been changing in recent years.
“There’s definitely a trend recently towards ribs and pulled pork,” says an employee at Fat Jack’s BBQ located on North Atherton in State College. “They’re our most popular items, especially pork ribs,” he added.
Cecelia McMichael, who works at Danny’s BBQ in Altoona agreed.
“A whole lot of ribs,’ she said.
“Smoked pork and smoked or barbecue chicken is also really poplar. People love a full brisket too.”
Like a lot of people, you may love BBQ but maybe you’re not brave enough to attempt it on your own grill.
State College resident Brian Simpson always enjoys quality barbecue food but rarely produces it on his own.
“I don’t really make barbecue,” Simpson said. The only thing I make are barbecue baked beans with bacon.”
“Real barbecue takes time, and you have to have the proper equipment.”
Penn State student James Kreibick echoed those sentiments.
“I enjoy chicken or ribs on the grill, but I mainly just stick burgers or hot dogs on my own,” he said. “I’m not real sure how to do some of the other stuff.”
Thankfully, there are more creative barbecue ideas than ever before, and most are not too hard to pull off with a grill and some instructions. Below are five Memorial Day recipes that are sure to impress your guests.
Pulled Pork:
· Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, 1 bottle of barbecue sauce, 1 bottle of root beer, Hamburger buns
· Instructions: Begin by placing the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker. Then pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily. This part usually takes 6-7 hours. Drain, add barbecue sauce, and serve over hamburger buns.
Ribs:
· Ingredients: Pork baby back ribs, barbecue sauce
· Instructions: Tear off enough aluminum foil to cover the entire slab of ribs. Spray each piece of foil with vegetable cooking spray. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and cover each individual slab in foil and refrigerate for eight hours. Cook on the grill at 225 degrees for three-four hours.
Brisket:
· Ingredients: Beef brisket with the fat trimmed off, ½ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves,
· Instructions: Combine thyme, paprika, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin in a small bowl. Rub brisket all over with liquid smoke, then rub with spice mixture. Wrap the brisket securely in foil and cook it with the grill covered for three hours, turning it once. After three hours have elapsed, uncover the brisket and cook it for 20-30 additional minutes.
Barbecue Chicken:
· Ingredients: A dozen chicken legs and thighs, 2 quarts of water, 2 tablespoons of salt, ¼ cup brown sugar, 4 sprigs fresh thyme.
· Instructions: Mix the salt, water, brown sugar, and thyme together in a bowl and transfer it to a large resealable plastic bag. Then add the chicken in and refrigerate the bag for up to two hours. Preheat the grill for 10-15 minutes and then cook on regular heat.
This last recipe combines classic meats with a bit of creativity.
Burger Dog:
· Ingredients: 1 pound of ground beef, salt and pepper, Hot dog buns (Cheese mayonnaise, ketchup, and other condiments can later be added at individual discretion)
· Instructions: On a sheet of plastic wrap, make the ground beef into 8.5 x 4 inch rectangles ½ inch thick. Add salt and pepper, roll the beef into a log shape, and slightly flatten it. Preheat the grill on high, cook for four-five minutes and then flip the burgers and continue cooking for another three-four minutes. Let the finished product sit for five minutes before eating.
Some of these ideas will take a bit more time and preparation than just throwing hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and calling it a day, but if executed properly, the extra work will be well worth it.
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