The Clambake Grill Out Party

by Kendall "The Barbecue Apostle" Matthews on June 24, 2010

Grill-outs are popular for events such as the 4th of July, birthday parties, receptions, going away parties, and family and friend get-togethers. No matter why you have decided to plan a grilling party, the memories that will come from it are sure to stick with your guests for many years to come, provided that you plan ahead.

Alternatively, a new popular type of grilling is a barbecue clambake. Clambakes are typically held in a pit on the beach, but if a beach is not available, you may want to consider holding your clambake right from your backyard grill.

1) First, no party for a grill master would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will be able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for. You can use the free service from http://www.Evite.com to schedule your events.

2) Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just in case unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you grill-out during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. Grilling in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends. Use http://www.Weather.com to determine future weather patterns.

3) You will need to purchase the items for your clambake. The traditional items you will need is Clams still in the shell, seawater (if available), corn still in the husk, and potatoes.

Side dishes can also be bought, but are not necessary since the potatoes and corn can act as such. If you feel that you need other side dishes, the simplest approach to side dishes is chips, dip and maybe even salsa. Chips and dip do not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests.

4) Depending on the theme of your party, you may want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any $1 or .99 Cent store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

5) The day before you party, you will want to make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Store the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate until it is time for it to go on the grill. Prepare any side dishes that you can ahead of time. That way you will have less stress. We like less stress, don’t you?

6) The day of the party, get up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only take you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks. Every detail counts, even if it is small. Most folks will appreciate even the little things you do.

Place your clambake on the grill, layering your already cooked potatoes, corn still in the husk, and your clams on the grill. Then grill these until the corn and clams are complete.

Depending on the time in which your guests arrive, you may want to include you guests in the actual cooking of the clambake. Enjoying a few Long Island Ice Teas around the grill will not only give you time to gather and joke around, but will also make your guests mad with hunger, as they smell the wonderful aroma coming from the steaming vegetables and clams… everyone will appreciate your hard work and you will definitely earn the title of “Weekend Grill Master.”

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Appetizers On The Grill

by Kendall "The Barbecue Apostle" Matthews on June 22, 2010

Do you think that being the person in charge of the grill is a lonely and thankless job?

You can make the grill the center of attention at your next gathering by making appetizers on the grill. Just about any hot appetizer can be prepared on the grill and it is much easier then you may think.

You can prepare tasty appetizers such as mini pizzas, mini tacos, buffalo wings and potato skins on the grill and they will be tastier than if you prepared them in your oven.

The main difference between cooking appetizers on the grill and cooking them in the oven is that a grill will have a much more intense heat, even if you are using the indirect method. But if you coat the cooking surface with oil, use indirect heat and the upper rack and keep a close eye on your food you will be successful.

A tool that can be very useful when making appetizers is the grill topper

You can find grill toppers at hardware and department stores and it will be a good investment. You can use it as a tray and transfer everything to the preheated grill at once. When the food is cooked, just remove the grill topper and serve…

The trick to making the best appetizers for your gathering is to do as much of the preparation as possible in advance.

You can prepare most of them a day in advance. The mini pizzas, potato skins and buffalo wings can be already to cook and will just require a little heating on the grill to be ready to eat. The grill will heat them up fast too, so you won’t need to stay around the grill to long.

You will want to match up the appetizers to the meal.

•If you are preparing steak a great appetizer is the potato skins.
•If you are making a Mexican meal try grilling up some beef strips and vegetables for fajitas as an appetizer.
•Another great appetizer that goes with almost anything is beef or chicken kabobs.

They are easy to make if you prepare them the night before.

Our favorite is to use a good cut of roast and cut the meat into 1 inch cubes. Throw the cubes in a dish with thousand island dressing and let soak overnight. The next day cut up red and green peppers, mushrooms and sweet onion and alternate them on square metal skewers. They will cook in a few minutes and be ready for your guests.

If you plan on making appetizers and you use a charcoal grill, (Our preference – we believe you get a much better flavor with a charcoal grill or a smoker!) then we would suggest a two or three level fire.

If you are making foods like the mini pizzas then you will be best served by the three level fire. You can heat the pizzas over the area of the grill with no coals.

Other foods can be prepared at the same time over the other areas of the grill and when you are ready to make the main course you just need to add some coals.

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Rubs – Enhancing The Flavor Of Your Meats

June 17, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/06/rubs-enhancing-your-meats/’;You can use spices and seasonings to add flavor and color to your grilled foods.
There are Two Different kinds of rubs, dry and wet.
Dry rubs are made of spices and herbs which you can sprinkle on the meat or rub into the meat.
Wet rubs have a liquid base, which is usually an oil, and is [...]

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Searing – The Secret To The Perfect Steak

June 14, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/06/searing-steak/’;Let’s start out this article by saying that, for us, the perfect steak is medium rare.
To cook a steak to well done is an unforgivable sin. That being said, if you want your steak well done, then don’t use the searing method. If you do, you will end up with a steak that is charred [...]

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The In and Out of BBQ Grilling

June 3, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/06/ins-outs-bbq-grilling/’;When grilling you can use two different methods to cook, they are direct and indirect heat.

For direct heat cooking, food is placed on the cooking rack directly over the hot coals or fire.
The indirect method is used for more delicate foods and for larger cuts of meat that need longer cooking [...]

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11 Tips For Picnic Park Barbecue Cook Outs

May 31, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/05/11-tips-park-barbecue/’;Whether you are using a charcoal grill or a gas grill, there are certain tips you need to know that will make you a better grill master.
Below we have provided you with these tips. Follow them and you will be forever known by your family. Friends, and community organizers as “The [...]

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New Town at St. Charles BBQ

May 18, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/05/new-town-2010-bbq/’;Let’s get ready to rumble!!!
Have you been to New Town at St. Charles yet?
If not, this weekend May 21 – 23, come on down and cheer us on. Remember, to wear your Ms. Piggies’ Smokehouse buttons.
Do you need an extra $10, 20, or $60?
When you visit us at the New Town  St. Charles BBQ Showdown [...]

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How Be A Pro Barbecue Fire-Starter

May 12, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/05/how-be-a-pro-barbecue-fire-starter/’;A Pro likes to have a controlled temperature variation, a hot area and a not so hot area. In grilling this is called a two level fire, are you taking notes? Because we do have a bonus at the end of this book for those who keep reading.
If you have a dual burner gas grill [...]

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3 Steps To Building The Type of Fire That Would Make Your Daddy Proud

May 8, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/05/3-steps-to-building-fire/’;Before you can become a weekend grill master or barbecue warrior, you will need to know how to properly build a fire.
Hopefully, you’ve already figured out that the fire is the beginning of the grilling process. Without a proper fire, you can expect to be the frustrated person who wished to have just used the [...]

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The 8 Basics Of Grilling

May 5, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/05/8-basics-of-grilling/’;In 1999, we opened the doors to our first restaurant, Ms. Piggies’ Smokehouse in St. Louis, Missouri; and one of the things we’ve learned is that even though we hickory smoke our beef, chicken, and turkeys… grilling is just like any other kind of cooking, it is a learned art. It’s [...]

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How To Make A Pizzeria Uno Classic Deep Dish Pizza

April 10, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/04/how-to-make-a-pizzeria-uno-classic-deep-dish-pizza/’;“WOW, I Can’t Believe You Made This Yourself!” said You.
Save money and impress your friends by making your favorite
restaurant dishes at home. Get the secret recipe cookbooks shipped
to you today – go to:
The Recipe Secrets
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It’s a beautiful day here on St. Louis. It seems like this week we skipped Spring and jumped right into Summer. [...]

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How To Find Out What Your Customers Are Saying About You [Day 2 - 31DBBBR]

April 6, 2010

url=’http://mspiggiessmokehouse.com/mspiggiessmokehouseblog/2010/04/how-to-find-out-what-your-customers-are-saying-about-you-day-2-31dbbbr/’;

Today your challenge in the 31 Day project is to find out what your customers are saying about you behind your back… or rather online.
Today’s Teaching:
Have you ever been to a restaurant and the bathroom looked like a dirty-bomb exploded in it? Have you ever waited for a drink at [...]

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