An outdoor barbecue party is your best chance to show everyone your cooking and grilling skills. Never been in charge of the grill before? Never fear! Even if this is your first-ever BBQ party then we got you covered with the 5 best tips on how to be the best barbecue party cook….in the world.

1. Make a Plan

BBQ-ing may look like a lazy affair, but trust us, you will be a more efficient cook if you plan your party entrees ahead of time.

• • If you plan to serve vegetables, peel them and cut them the night before. Soak these in water to preserve freshness.
  • Prepare sauces ahead of time as well. Place these in microwaveable containers so you can serve these fast and hot.
  • Order your meat, poultry or fish ahead of time. Cut and clean these before you store them inside the fridge

2. Perfect your Grilling Techniques

• Grill large vegetables like corn and potatoes by coating these heavily in butter. Sprinkle with salt and wrap in aluminum foil before you place the on the grill.
• When grilling chicken, if you want crispy, delicious skin, rub the with butter or oil and lightly season it. The skin will become nice and crispy.
• Choose steaks with thin strands of fat in between the muscle tissue. These will melt when cooking to make the meat juicier.
• Avoid browning or blackening of grilled meats by applying tomato-based sauces with sugars only during the final 10 minutes of grilling.
• Cook your hamburger until it’s well done. There are more bacteria present in ground beef, so cook it completely to kill bacteria. If you are grilling a large burger patty, use a meat thermometer and make sure that the temperature is not less than 160 degrees in the center of the patty.
• Salt draws away moisture so do not salt to meat before it is cooked to prevent the meat from becoming tough and dry.

3. Marinate Your Meat Well – Use the best vacuum sealer

Marinate meats overnight inside the best vacuum sealer container. A vacuum seal container will keep flavors and moisture in. Marinades do not just flavor meats but also tenderizes them. There are many commercially-made marinades out there but don’t rely on these solely. Use different types of marinades, rubs and seasonings to provide a unique and tempting taste to your grilled food. If you don’t have 24 hours to marinate your meat, soak for at least an hour before cooking.

When cooking frozen meat, do not leave it out of the refrigerator and in room temperature for more than an hour. If you leave uncooked meat on the counter for too long, bacteria can grow and can affect the freshness of meat as well. To thaw frozen meats completely, do it inside the refrigerator.

4. Take Smoking and Grilling to a Whole New Level

Nothing beats the taste and smell of meats cooked in a smoker. And definitely it is not too early to purchase the best pellet smoker 2018. These are available for purchase today.

• Regardless of what type of grill you use, give your grill plenty of time to preheat. You can use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature of the grill or you can simply use your hand. If you cannot hold your hand over the grill grates for more than 2 seconds then the grill is already ready and hot.
• If you are using a smoker, light your charcoal with a chimney starter. This is by far the quickest way to get your coals going, plus you won’t have yucky lighter fumes in your smoker and food as well.
• If cooking with a smoker, reduce the times you open the smoker door. We know how excited you are to check if your meat is cooked but frequently opening the door will affect the temperature and humidity inside the smoker chamber.
• Only have a regular grill? You can still add smokey flavor to your food by lining charcoal on the bottom of one side of the grilling chamber. Use hickory or mesquite wood chips and place these on the top of the hot coals. Your meat should be on the other side of the grill, or on the side away from the coals. Indirect heat will cook your meat well with a smoky flavor.
• To ensure that smoky flavor sticks to your food, keep the lid of your grill closed at all times. Take note that this can increase cooking temperatures and can increase cooking time as well, so be on alert at all times.

• No one wants that nasty fuel taste on food so if you are using lighter fluid, make sure that the fire is completely out before placing your meat on the grill. You can tell that the lighter fluid is completely burned out when the charcoal is mostly gray in color with just a few red embers glowing underneath them.
• To check if meat is cooked, do not pierce meat with a fork because the delicious juices will escape. This can also make meats drier and blander. Use only a spatula or thongs to flip food; do not use prongs or forks.

5. Experiment with Different Barbecue Sauces

Nooooo! Not the same old barbecue sauce on your meat again! Why not test some new flavors, even sauces that you have never thought would be possible with barbecue? There’s teriyaki, chipotle, hot sauce and more. You can make your own sauces from ingredients like brown sugar, paprika, honey, chopped onions, red peppers, lemon juice and so on.

Another way to add rich flavor to your grilled meats is butter. There are a variety of butters that you can brush over your meats as these cook. Bobby Flay loves to us garlic butter, cilantro butter or balsamic-rosemary butter on grilled foods. We don’t always agree with Bobby Flay, but we do always agree with butter.

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If you know craft beer, you know the Alchemist out of Vermont. They brought us the famous Heady Topper and now this. The Focal Banger brings with it claims of superiority even over the Heady Topper. It is an American IPA with TONS of hops jammed into each pint-sized can. Thanks to a good friend, I was able to try a can of this out myself. Otherwise, take a trip up to New England and find out when they hand this stuff out. Here are our thoughts:

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Close your eyes and think of the senses of walking through a hop garden. That’s what this smells like – fresh hops surrounding you.

Appearance: The can says “Drink from the can!” so I have no idea.

Mouthfeel: CRISP. A very refreshing, clean, and crisp mouthfeel from start to finish.

Taste: HOPS. Then some more hops. Some sweet malts, and finally more hops. But these are flavorful hops. Juicy citrus hops lead the way, followed by pine and other earthy hop flavors. This is the hoppiest beer I’ve had without losing the integrity of the beer of tasting too bitter.

Overall: Find this beer! It’s true – this is better than Heady Topper. Focal Banger gives you everything you want in an IPA. It is crisp and refreshing, has fresh, juicy flavors, and tastes like the can is actually filled to the top with hops. Try it for yourself.

Endless Pairings

Cheese: Aged gouda with dried apricots, fig jam, and crackers.

Appetizer: Truffle fries.

Main Course: Fish tacos with a side of guacamole

Dessert: Key Lime Pie

Cigar: Gispert Toro

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After a long, hard day, we tend to gravitate toward one of two things (sometimes both): booze or junk food. Last week, I just had to have junk food. Lucky for me, my wife made homemade, fudgy, super-chocolaty brownies. These things are so decadent, thanks to Dutch dark cocoa, espresso, and lots of butter, that there is no need to top them with ice cream. Just an ice cold glass of milk and a brownie – that’s all you need to turn any day around. Don’t believe me? Try them for yourself.

Decadent Fudge Brownie Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup double dutch dark cocoa
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. espresso powder
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips (mix it up to what you like – half dark, half milk, all milk, peanut butter – the world is your oyster, damnit)

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9 x 13″ pan

• Beat eggs, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla for about 4 mins on medium speed
• Melt the butter with sugar until all butter is melted over low-med heat (do NOT let it bubble)
• Add hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture and stir until smooth
• Add flour and chocolate chips – stir until smooth
• Pour batter into the pan and cook for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

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We love food, we love beer, we love wine, we love booze. Of course, as we all grow up and mature, the kinds of beer, booze, and wine we enjoy tends to change. Now that we are all “adults,” it is important to know when it is and is not okay to bring a box of wine, a six-pack of Natty Light, or a bottle of Sailor Jerry. We got you covered on beer and cocktails. But what about the classic whiskey? That’s why we bring you our list of the top ten whiskeys to impress. Whether it is bourbon, single malt, or a blend, we have you covered. Enjoy – literally try them all.

10. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve

Knob Creek can be found in nearly any liquor store. This is a good starter for drinking whiskey straight. This is a smooth bourbon that goes down nice and easy!

9. OOLA Discourse Three Shores Blended Whiskey

Many scoff at the thought of blended whiskey. However this is a blended whiskey that will turn anyone. The blend features some of the best whiskeys in the world in one bottle. This is a well balanced sweet, spicy, and smooth blend to get you started.

8. Clyde May’s Bourbon

Impress your friends with this sweet bourbon. Don’t add water. Don’t add ice. Just pour it into the glass and drink it up.

7. Angel’s Envy Rye

Now this stuff isn’t cheap, but well worth every penny. This stuff gives new meaning to rye whiskey with it finishing off in rum barrels. The spice of the rye meshes well with the sweetness of the rum barrels. YUM.

6. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

This award-winning bourbon packs a punch. Four Roses is a well-known brand amongst whiskey lovers, but the single barrel provides fruity undertones without losing the strength of a bourbon whiskey.

5. Catskill Distilling Co. Rye

While this may be more difficult to find, it is well worth the search. Catskill Rye comes out of the Empire state with a complex flavor profile. Some find the description of “leather” as odd. However, the flavor comes out underneath other flavors such as caramel and vanilla finishing with smoky and spicy flavors (that “wood” description they provide).

4. Basil Hayden Bourbon

At 80 proof, this bourbon goes down easy straight. Smooth flavors of spice and honey make it an enjoyable whiskey that is worth keeping in your liquor cabinet.

3. Bulleit Rye 

You’ll find this one behind just about every bar you go to. Tend your own bar with this for anything from straight whiskey to mixed drinks. Or keep on dumping in Old Crow and not realizing that whiskey can taste good even in mixed drinks.

2. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

This one has been around for quite a while. What does that mean? Well developed flavors through maturing in barrels and perfecting the cuts. With such great color to the bourbon and TONS of flavor – you can’t go wrong with Woodford Reserve.

1. Teeling Irish Whiskey

Of course, we can’t leave out Irish whiskey! Like the Irish, Teeling packs a punch. In your face spice hits you first, along with a nicely balanced boozy flavor. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you are going to go with an Irish whiskey – start here.

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After making a list of crazy things to make in a waffle iron, I decided to “have at it” myself. But what to make? And how much of a mess do I want to make in a waffle iron? Lucky for me, I had a snow day to experiment. Every once in awhile, we make BMT paninis for lunch to satisfy some cravings. BMT meaning basil, tomato, and mozzarella. We make ours with pesto instead of basil. Anyway, I made the typical BMT sandwich and threw it in a waffle iron to make the panini.

The key to this recipe is the bread. A crusty bread is a must when it comes to shoving it into the waffle iron. If you pick a slice of bread that is soft, you will just end up with a big, gooey mess in the waffle iron. We used ciabatta. With the waffle iron bringing heat to both sides of the sandwich, there is no need to flip, and the hit gets to the cheese much quicker. Try it out for yourself!

BMT: Basil, Mozzarella and Tomato Panini…in a Waffle Iron

Ingredients

• Crusty bread
• Mozzarella cheese
• Basil pesto
• Tomato

Recipe

• Get out the waffle iron and grease well
• Build your sandwich
• Put it in your waffle iron and hold it down with force You may have to rotate your sandwich to evenly flatten it

Easy enough?

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Think peanut butter shake. Do you taste that? The smooth and rich flavor of peanut butter? Mmmm, so good. Now, imagine that flavor in a can of beer. Manyunk Brewing Company, near Philadelphia, brings you the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Porter. The brewery sought out to create a beer that brings the flavors of a porter along with in your face peanut butter (and a little chocolate). The question is – did they meet the mark? Check it out.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Peanut butter throughout. A slight bitter note of coffee and chocolate, but overwhelmingly peanut butter.

Appearance: Dark dark brown – nearly black.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, not much of an aftertaste, high carbonation.

Taste: Peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter. Taste starts with strong peanut butter flavor. Little chocolate flavor is there, but you do taste a hint of the porter in between the notes of peanut butter.

Overall: For the peanut butter lover, this is one of our favorite peanut butter flavored beers. It does not taste artificial, but as if you are eating freshly roasted peanut butter. I’d say it would ALMOST satisfy my craving for a Shake Shack peanut butter shake (that says a lot).

Endless Pairings

Cheese: Swiss with crustini, honey, and almond.

Appetizer: Spicy shrimp skewers.

Entree: BBQ Baby Back Ribs with mashed potatoes.

Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Cigar: Drew Estate Java

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Don’t tell me that you skip over the crock of french onion soup whenever it is on the menu. I have a hard time not getting it! The cheese that oozes over the top of the crock, the delicious piece of bread in the middle, does it really matter what the broth tastes like at that point? But still, even the broth of french onion soup beats out most soups. Then there are the strategies in eating it. Some people mix the cheese in and eat throughout, others save the cheese for last, even others dive right into the bread. No matter what way you eat it – it is indeed tasty.

So one of those cold winter days (feels literally like yesterday), my wife took out the dutch oven and asked “what do you think of french onion soup tonight?” To which my response was, “well, do we have enough cheese?” Hells yes we did. Hours later, we had nice hot bowls (sorry, we don’t have crocks yet) of french onion soup oozing with cheese over the top. This was a success that went straight into the recipe book. Here you go.

Ingredients
4 tbsp butter
8 medium onions sliced thin
5 minced garlic cloves (what typically makes onions so delicious)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
2 tbsp flour
2/3 cup dry vermouth
32 ounces of beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
French bread sliced thick and toasted with butter
Sliced Provolone Cheese
Sliced Swiss Cheese
1/4 cup red wine
Salt & Pepper

Recipe

Melt butter in dutch oven, adding onions and garlic.

Sautee on med-low for 20 minutes until the onions are carmelized. For darker broth, let them brown a bit, being careful not to burn them.

Add flour and stir.

Add dried herbs, salt & pepper, and vermouth and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened.

Add beef broth, stirring and bringing to a boil.

Add wine if desired, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir and return to a boil.

Cover and let simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Ladle into oven safe bowls, top with bread and a slice of provolone and swiss. Broil on high in the oven until the cheese is browned.

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Don’t worry – this is not another post all about breakfast. One thing that was on the top of my list when my wife and I registered for our wedding was a waffle iron. Not only do I enjoy a good Belgian waffle, but I can also appreciate the versatility of a waffle iron. Use it to cook paninis, grilled cheese, and much more! Check out our top ten sweet and savory ways to use a waffle iron.

10. Quesadillas

What can a quesadilla maker do other than make quesadillas? Not as much as a waffle iron. Check out this ooey, gooey buffalo chicken quesadilla recipe from Pure Wow.

9. Italian Chicken Panini

This looks a cut above your average panini. Now I want to give a go at it myself!

Check out this recipe from Healthy Delicious.

8. Cookies!

This and a glass of ice cold milk? I’m set!

Check out this recipe from Busy Creating Memories

7. Mac and Cheese

Will it Waffle? is a website completely dedicated to waffle iron recipes. This particular one just makes me cheese. Check them out!

Check out the recipe from Will it Waffle? or check out the book here.

6. Hot Dogs

I kept seeing corn dogs that were made in a customized hot dog waffle iron. Why bother when you can just do this?

Find this recipe at Pennywise Cook.

5. Hash Browns

Cheese, potatoes, and a crispy outside with soft ooey inside. All of Waffle House, now in one waffle. YUM.

Find this recipe at My Favorite Things.

4. Mixto

One of our own recipes is a remix on a mixto sandwich. Everything you could want in a sandwich without the panini press!

3. WAFFLES!

Not gonna lie, I may try this ES recipe out for myself on the next Sunday morning we are home.

2. S’Mores

Nothing to say here.

Check out this recipe at Will it Waffle?

1. Cinnamon Rolls

Try this out with pre-made cinnamon rolls, OR try it out with our recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls!!

Check out this recipe at Shaken Together.

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What’s a strata? Well, a breakfast strata is a casserole made of egg, cheese, bread, and breakfast meat. Ron Swanson’s dream (other than a heaping pile of bacon on top of an additional pile of bacon, on top of sausage). Anyway, at work, our gracious overlord bought the staff breakfast, but we were also asked to bring a casserole of our choosing. …or juice. Well I wasn’t going to be the ass face that brought juice, so I went to one of my favorite brunch items that was also one of the easiest – Sausage Breakfast Strata. Why? Because I’m an awesome team player with a culinary hand that will blow your face off by surprise. Bitches.

What could go wrong? You have breakfast in one dish. Bread, cheese, sausage, and egg. That’s a 2-2-2 deal in diners across this nation. A staple that one shan’t take away. So I made it the night before, let it sit in the fridge, and woke up early to pop this in the oven. I brought it into work, and BINGO-BANGO – it was destroyed by all. “Oh, I didn’t know you were a good cook!” “YOU made that?!” “Hey, everyone loved that breakfast casserole you brought in.” Faces. Blown. Off. And you can too…here’s how.

Simple Sausage Strata

Ingredients

6 Eggs

2 cups Milk

1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons of mustard (yellow or dijon)

1 loaf of bread (your favorite – something crusty)

1 – 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Sleeve of Sausage (1 lb crumbled sausage)

Salt & Pepper

Recipe

Cook the sausage to brown

Whisk together eggs and milk with salt & pepper

Cube your bread (I had a nice crusty loaf of Puerto Rican bread)

Grease an oven-safe baking dish (about 13 x 9)

Cover the bottom of the dish with cubed bread (use crust parts first). Eat the extra.

Sprinkle sausage on top of the bread – throughout entire dish. Use all sausage.

Sprinkle about half of the cheese on top of the sausage.

Cover with egg mixture

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top

Cover with foil and let sit in the fridge overnight. You don’t HAVE to do this, but it tastes better this way.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the dish (uncovered) for at least 35 minutes. Depending on your oven – it may be longer. To check, put a knife in the center and it should come out clean. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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1. Bojangles’ Sweet Potato Pie: $3.14

I wish there was one around me – they look pretty dang good.

2. Hungry Howie’s: $3.14 for a pizza when you buy Howie Bread

I’ve never been to a Hungry Howie’s, but if you like a good deal – this is the one.

3. Whole Foods: $3.14 off bakery pies or pizza bakes

You’re most recent excuse to get to Whole Foods? PIE.

4. Villa Italian Kitchen: $3.14 for a plain cheese pizza

That just looks so damn good. Plus, it’s $3.14.

5. Urban Bricks: $3.14 pizza all day

For all you Texans out there…check it out.

PLUS Boston Market: FREE Chicken Pot Pie (with indiv. meal and drink)

I mean…if you’re there anyway, why not?
What deals are we missing? Let us know!

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