We all have fond memories of great barbecues. It is hard to say no when one of our friends or a family member invites us to a barbecue. The thought of the food on the grill with the smoky aroma all around is admittedly hard to resist. The barbecue has been a traditional get together meal for decades and it will be here for many more.

There are many different methods for cooking a great barbecue meal. Some prefer to use a dry rub seasoning on the meat while grilling, others like to marinate the meat for a day or so before cooking it, some people enjoy adding wood chips to the grill for added smoke flavor, and some just like their food smothered in lots of barbecue sauce.

Traditional barbecue sauce is a blend of tomato sauce and vinegar. You can use ketchup in place of those two items. If you like, cider can be used either in place of or in addition to the vinegar. Then, the creativity really kicks in, flavors and spices are added to give each sauce its own distinctive taste.

For sweet barbecue sauces, brown sugar or honey are usually added. You can also use fruit or jelly to sweeten a sauce. To make it spicy, you can add any type of pepper or hot sauce that you like, cayenne will give it a milder flavor while you can really spice it up with something like Habanero sauce. Any combination of herbs and seasoning can be used in your barbecue sauce, garlic and onion powder are very common but for added flavor you can also use something like fresh cilantro. Another ingredient that is often put into a good barbecue sauce is smoke flavoring. This can be used in place of wood chips in the grill. Mustard is also used in the making of several barbecue recipes.

Marinades are also very popular. Try out several different methods with this as well. A good marinade can either be made by adding water to one of your barbecue sauce masterpieces or creating something entirely new. Try a soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame for something different. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Then, you just soak your meat in it overnight in the refrigerator to let it really soak in the flavors.

The key to making the perfect barbecue sauce is to make it the way you would like it to taste. Add any ingredients you like, switch them up and use a lot of variety. Try new things especially if you have a few favorite herbs or flavor preferences.

Near Beer Barbeque Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cup. Catsup
1 tbsp. Tabasco Sauce
3/4 cup. Brown Sugar
1/4 cup. Vinegar
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup. Non Alcoholic Beer
4 tbsp. Liquid Smoke

Instructions:

Combine all of these ingredients in a saucepan and heat and stir with a wisp until blended, simmer for 15 minutes and remove from heat, and cool to room temp befor applying. Mixture can be refrigerated for later use. This makes a great beer barbeque flavor with out the alcahol of beer.

Fourth of July Anniversary bbq Sauce

Ingredients:

Vinegar 1 Cup.
Catsup 3 Cups.
Brown Sugar 1 Cup.
Maple Syrup 1/2 Cup.
Honey 1/2 Cup.
Oranges 2 Each Cut Halves
Liquid Smoke 1/4 Cup.
Cayenne Pepper 1 tbsp.

Instructions:

Make the sauce ingredients the day before the 4th of July to really set the flavors.

In a small pot add the catsup, vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cook on medium heat stirring till all the sugars dissolve and combine together, then add liquid smoke and cayenne pepper, stirring to combine cut the oranges in half and squeeze the juice into the pot and add orange rind as well, stir lightly till all are mixed simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Saucing Instruction:

This 4th of July BBQ sauce works well with pre cooked food like beef, pork, or chicken and duck, as a bbq glaze and sauce for cooking.

This is a traditional country barbeque sauce recipe for good down home grilling.

Ingredients:

1 cup. tomato juice
1/2 cup. water
1/2 cup. ketchup
1/2 cup. vinegar
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup. brown sugar
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup. Maple Syrup

Instructions:

Add all the ingredients in to a medium saucepan stir and heat on a medium high heat til blended, simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasonaly remove from heat and apply by basting the country barbeque sauce on raw or already bbq grilled foods.

Barbecuing Barbeque Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup. Catsup
1/4 cup. Chili Sauce
3/4 cup. Brown Sugar
1/4 cup. Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup. Salad Oil
1/2 cup. Lemon Juice
3 tbsp. Steak Sauce
2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp. Dry Mustard
1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 tbsp. Minced Garlic

Instructions:

Combine all of these ingredients in a saucepan: Heat and stir until you have a light boil stir once more and remove from heat.

WARNING! This Spicy Flaming Hot Sesame BBQ Basting Sauce is extremely hot and spicy. Do not attempt to try this basting sauce unless you have a stomach of steel. You have been warned!

1/4 cup Sesame oil
1/8 cup Soy sauce
1/4 cup Cayenne pepper sauce
1/4 cup Asian chili sauce
4 med Habanero peppers
2 Tbs. Sesame seeds
2 Tbs Tobasco
1 Tbs Vinegar

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until the peppers are minced. Cook your meat on the grill basting with your Spicy Flaming Hot Sesame BBQ Basting Sauce every few minutes.

Western Steak Rub Seasoning Recipe

This is a robust coffee based western steak rub which is perfect for outdoor grilling or smoking

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Finely Ground Coffee Beans
2 tbsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. Parsley Flakes
1 tbsp. Oregano Flakes
1 tbsp. Thyme

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients shown above in to an airtight container. Then shake or mix it well and apply it by hand. You can also use a shaker with large holes for appication to your steaks. Western steak rub can be kept in dry storage just as you would any other seasoning.

South Of The Boarder Dry Rub BBQ Seasoning

Ingredients:

1/2 cup. Black Pepper
1/2 cup. Cayenne Pepper
1 cup. Dark Brown Sugar
3 tbsp. Salt
2 tbsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. Parsley Flakes

Instructions:

Add all of these ingredients in to a blender or food processer set on pulse 3 to 4 times till blended, pour in to a airtight container for storage for later after use.

Here is one more fantastic dry rub recipe-enjoy this New Orleans Style Rub

Recipe Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
5 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. salt

Recipe Instructions:

Combine all of these ingredients in a container with lid for storage sprinkle generously or hand rub, hold for 24 hours in your refrigerator covered with plastic wrap befor grilling or oven baking good for all protine food items.

South West Barbecue Sauce For Grilling

Topping Ingredients:

1 med. carrot, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup.
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup.
1 16 ounce can pineapple chuncks syrup removed.

Sauce Recipe Ingredients:

1     tbsp. Minced Garlic
2     tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 1/2  tsp. Salt
1      tsp. Ground Black Pepper
2      cup. low sodium Chicken Broth
3      Bay Leaves
1      Sprig Fresh Thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
3     tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/2    cup. Cider Vinegar
2     tbsp. Ketchup
1     tbsp. Dry Mustard
1      tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4    tsp. Ground Cloves
1      tsp. Chili Powder
1/4    tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2  cup. Pinapple Syrup

Recipe Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot, place over medium heat on the stove till carrots are tender remove carrots, celery, and pineapple from pot with a strainer and place in separate bowl, continue cooking sauce until reduced to 2 cup.  Use to bast your meat,chicken or fish with glaze, after grilling place protein item, in 2 inch serving tray and garnish with carrot, celery, pineapple mix and remaining glaze.