Help me bbq better!

July 19, 2007 8:04 AM

Looking for new BBQ marinades and recipes...(mi)

So, i've browsed through all the previous questions here about barbequing, and I'm still looking for information.

Every year I cook for a gathering of 100-200 people. Over the last couple years i've had more control over the food and I've tried to improve on myself each time.

This year i'm looking for some new ideas, for marinades, and even dishes to serve. I'll give a rundown of last year's food to give you an idea. Also, I worked for a year as a prep / line cook, so cooking concepts like sautee don't scare me.

Last years food I prepped and or cooked -
Marinated chicken / vegetable skewers
Marinated shrimp skewers
Hand pressed burgers
Sausages of various types
grilled zucchini
portobello mushrooms
hot dogs, etc

So if you know any super-duper things i should be using as marinade, or ways to cook, etc please let me know. For what it's worth, i try to avoid grilling fish at this party.


BTW, If anyone is interested in checking out the party, it's on last Saturday of this month, in the Portland, OR area. I was the guy that brought the doughnuts to the 8th aniv, so if you remember me and thought, "hey, i'd like to drink free beer and have that guy make me food," well here's your chance.

posted by efalk to food & drink (13 comments total)

A couple weeks ago I went to a barbecue where the guy had marinaded the chicken in something he'd bought at the store called Mojo. Don't know where he bought it, but googling shows lots of recipes. This was the only time EVER I have eaten the chicken at a barbecue when ribs were available. It was insanely good.
posted by solotoro at 8:15 AM on July 19, 2007

This ribs recipe is insanely good. I've found Tandoori Chicken is always a hit, and it's ridiculously easy to make. Any of the recipes you find on the web are probably decent. Serve it with sliced red onions and lemon wedges and give it a touch of char.
posted by AaRdVarK at 8:25 AM on July 19, 2007

Flank steak marinated in ruby red grapefruit juice (the real shiz, not the 'cocktail'), garlic and rosemary.
posted by spicynuts at 8:42 AM on July 19, 2007

I have had this so long I don't know where it came from, however this is an awesome bbq sauce recipe.

3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, minced
1 or 2 habaneros minced
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix all ingredients together and marinade meat overnight. Cook low and slow and baste with sauce. Enjoy!
posted by Mr_Zero at 8:44 AM on July 19, 2007

My old boss in the Air Force taught me this marinade. He lived in Guam for 8 years and picked it up there.

Kikkoman Soy Sauce (Must be Kikkoman and noting else)
Lemon juice from fresh lemons
Lawry’s seasoned salt
French’s Mustard
Yellow Onions

I usually mix in a plastic bowl then throw into gallon freezer bags to marinade.
Mix the soy sauce and lemon juice until the mixture is grayish in color; if it’s brown you’ve used too much soy sauce, set off to the side. Rub the meat with Mustard and then sprinkle on some seasoned salt and rub it again. Slice up some big onions into thin rings. Put the meat into gallon freezer bags and then pour in the soy/lemon juice mixture. Add the onions a little at a time and mix it all together so there is a good distro of onions throughout the meat. Seal bag and put in the fridge. I usually go overnight for ribs, not more than 4 hours for chicken. Grill or BBQ as you normally would and brush on your favorite BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking time, or not, the marinade by itself leaves great flavor. Sorry no set amounts; I just experimented until I got the level of saltiness I like. Be careful with the seasoning salt and the soy sauce, they can make it much too salty. If you keep the soy/lemon juice mixture fairly light in color you should be fine, and lightly sprinkle the seasoning salt.
posted by white_devil at 9:34 AM on July 19, 2007

the guy had marinaded the chicken in something he'd bought at the store called Mojo

Mojo (mo-ho) is basically Spanish for marinade. Common ingredients in mojos are citrus juices, allspice, salt, black pepper, red pepper and garlic. They are best on poultry, pork and seafood, but would work on anything really.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:02 AM on July 19, 2007

My signature BBQ chicken recipe always draws raves and goes like this:

(1) Get a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
(2) Rub liberally with a rub* so that thighs are entirely coated. You can put on grill right away if you are rushed, but I often like to let it sit for 30 min.
(3) Preheat grill to medium (or if using charcoal, push most to the sides so you get indirect heat)
(4) Put chicken smooth side down on grill (opposite side of where the bones were removed)
(5) Grill, checking that you start to get some color, then flip.
(6) At this point, use a brush to mop** the chicken all over.
(7) Mop, grill, turn, mop some more, and keep this up for 15 min or so--better to cook longer on lower heat than scorch them.

The rub gives tremendous flavor and the mop adds an a tangy edge, keeps the chicken moist and helps with carmelization. Delicious.

*I make an all purpose rub that varies with each batch, but the basic outline is:
1 cup paprika
1/4 cup celery salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2T onion powder
2T garlic powder
From here you can change things up, my last batch included:
1t cayenne pepper
1T ground chipotle
1T chili powder

Mix well, store in a jar. Makes a great gift.

**A mop is just a liquid concoction. I never measure and for this recipe I use about 1 cup of cider vinegar and squirt in maybe 1-2 tablespoons of honey (pomegranate molasses is another nice choice). Sometimes I add 1/4 t red pepper flakes depending on how heat-tolerant my guests are.
posted by donovan at 11:22 AM on July 19, 2007 [2 favorites]

I like to use a spice rub on meats when cooked instead of marinades and sauces.

As you might imagine, you simply rub the mixture into the meat and grill, roast, or smoke the meat as you see fit.

Here is the recipe I use:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons red pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground celery seed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
posted by Argyle at 11:57 AM on July 19, 2007

For steaks, Chaka's MMM Sauce is the bestest, yummiest thing in the whole world. I could drink that stuff straight from the bottle.
posted by logic vs love at 11:57 AM on July 19, 2007

Veggie Marinade
-Olive oil and balsalmic vinegar (3:1.5)
-As much minced garlic as you can stand, and then another few tablespoons
-Fresh basil leaves (at least several cups of loosely packed leaves)
-S & P (and red pepper flakes) to taste
Combine above in food processor for a few pulses.

Tequila Lime Shrimp
This feeds four with shrimp as the main meat so increase accordingly.
-1/2 C. tequila
-1/2 C. fresh lime juice
-3 tsp. cumin
-3/4 C. olive oil
-4-5 cloves minced garlic
-1 bunch green onions, chopped
-1-2 shallots, minced
-2 pounds raw shrimp


What about side dishes?

Delicious
Feta and watermelon is a great combination for hot summer BBQ time. You can skewer cubes of each together but it sounds like you might be sick of skewering so combine cubes in a big bowl with a few mint leaves for color.


Cold Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
This feeds six-eight as a side.
-1 C. uncooked orzo
-1 can garbanzo beans, with liquid
-3 bunches green onions, chopped
-1/2+ C. fresh dill
-3/4 C. fresh lemon juice
-1 cucumber, diced
-2 C. crumbled feta
-3+ cloves garlic, minced
-2 shallots, minced
Cook, drain and rinse orzo, combine with other ingredients. This is best if you can make it ahead and serve it cold from the fridge the next day.

Roasted Potato Salad
Roast quartered red potatoes in the oven with garlic, rosemary and olive oil until crispy. Let them cool and then add mayo and sour cream (equal parts), bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped white onion, chopped green onion, a splash or two of white vinegar, and loads of salt. Nutritious and delicious.


p.s. count me in.
posted by click at 12:26 PM on July 19, 2007

Try the Persian marinade I mention in this thread for somthing completely different. Best with lamb but will suit any meat really.
posted by Wilder at 12:26 PM on July 19, 2007

For the meatless crowd, make Black Bean Burgers.
I wish I could give you my mom's recipe, but she's 1200 miles away right now.
This one seems almost equivalent. She uses panko, though.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 1:31 PM on July 19, 2007

It's not a marinade, but my mom makes this recipe for barbequed pulled pork, and it is absolutely delicious. Seriously, this is probably my favorite food EVER. Or, if you don't want to mess around with the rub and stuff, the barbeque sauce is great to put on about anything.
posted by gueneverey at 6:16 PM on July 19, 2007