Summer BBQ Ideas - Farmland Foods

Award-winning BBQ Festivals

Summer barbecue competitions are heating up all over the country, and whether you're scouting out what your competitors are cooking up, or just looking to sample some local flavor, you'll find a nationwide list of can't miss barbecue competitions in 2009 here.

Create Your Own Signature BBQ Sauce

So, you think you're ready to take on the competition? Here are a few tips for creating a signature sauce that will have your friends and family begging for the recipe.

Most traditional BBQ sauces start with one of three bases: Tomato, Vinegar or Mustard. The base determines the primary flavor a sauce will have. Once you've decided on which base you'd like to use, simply begin adding other ingredients, tasting as you go. (This is the experimental phase so don't worry about writing down the exact measurements for now.)

Traditional ingredients to consider adding include:

Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce
Brown Mustard
Yellow Mustard
Brown Sugar
Molasses
Ground Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Garlic
Onion
Lemon

It's your secret sauce, so you're free to make it as misleadingly simple or cunningly complex as you like. Experiment with various amounts of each ingredient until you find the tangy, sweet or spicy taste you've been looking for. Once all of your ingredients have been mixed together, allow your sauce to simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Once it's ready, the sauce can be added to the meat before, during or after it's cooked. Try your award winning secret sauce with Farmland Ribs and Pork Butts.

Source: bbqrecipesecrets.com

BBQ Sauce In a Snap!

Craving the taste of barbecue sauce but don't have all the ingredients or time needed to whip up your own? Simply mix together equal parts Dijon mustard and grape jelly for a quick-and-easy sauce that looks, smells and tastes like barbecue sauce. Sure, it might not win any awards, but it works just fine in a pinch.

Seven Common BBQ Mistakes!

An early BBQ mistake is not starting with meat that is totally thawed. If it's still slightly frozen in the middle, your meat will end up undercooked. Because of the low temperatures in the middle, your meat will look perfect on the outside and still be too raw inside.
Try to avoid lighter fluid if you are cooking on a charcoal grill. The chemical flavor will really change the taste of your food. Instead, use an electric starter or a chimney. You'll be able to tell a big difference right away.
The next big BBQ mistake is when you put your meat on. It's important to cook at the right temperature. Hot and fast is not best for BBQ. To get the best smoke flavor and tender meat, it's best to cook long and slow. Except for steaks that need searing, medium heat is best.
If you are using specialty wood, make sure it's aged. Using green wood will leave a bitter creosote coating on all your meat � very unappetizing!
Put the lid down and leave it alone! A common BBQ mistake is to keep lifting the lid to check the meat. Every time you open the lid, you drop the temperature in your grill. Relax. It's not going anywhere.
If you use sauces or mops while your meat is on the grill, make sure it does not contain any sugar. Sugar burns at a low temperature and will burn onto the meat. Also unappetizing.
The last BBQ mistake is to use the same plate or platter to carry the food back into the house. This is a food safety issue � nothing like food poisoning to ruin a party! Always use a clean platter.