What are you BBQing?

Before we talk BBQ, I want to thank the men and women who serve and have served. You are the reason we have our Independence. Thank you!

As this wonderful, holiday weekend approaches where fireworks light the sky, parades entertain, and friends and family celebrate, I thought it would be fun to talk BBQ. I mean seriously, who goes out to eat on July 4th?

What will you be grillin' or smokin'?

Hot dogs, burgers, chicken, ribs? Maybe some pulled pork or beef brisket?  Any of the above will soothe my growling tummy. As long as it is on a wood-fired grill or smoker and not one of those fancy gas or electric dohickeys. It just ain't the same.

Do you do a fruit salad? Or just go for the slices of watermelon WITH seeds? Give me a good old-fashioned watermelon and a seed spitting contest any day.

What's for dessert? Cookies, cake, or my favorite...Strawberry shortcake WITH whipped cream!!

Have any great recipes that you will be using this weekend for your family and friends BBQs? I am not a fan of bottle barbeque sauce so when I grill or smoke some meat I pull out the ingredients and slave over a hot stove and make homemade sauce. Yummy!

I mean truly, isn't homemade anything the best?!

Here is the recipe I use and friends and family have come to expect and enjoy. I like my sauce like I like my men...hot and spicy. The best part about this recipe is you can make the sauce hot and spicy or not.

Sauce Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar (vinegar is the best part of the recipe and key to a good BBQ sauce)
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (I actually use Turbinado sugar)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard (I actually used dry yellow mustard and the kind you put on a hot dog)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (use Mexican chili powder if you want more heat to your sauce)
Tabasco sauce to taste (I use habanero Tabasco sauce)

To make the sauce:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, including Tabasco sauce to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside. Pour some of the sauce in a small bowl to use for basting the ribs. (I don't actually baste. I leave sauce to everyone's taste.)

Have a Happy 4th of July! May you and your family eat and enjoy each others company all weekend long.

Denise