Quick tip: Vinegar is a natural meat tenderizer. If you do not have the ingredients to make the vinegar-based sauce, simply add 1/4 cup white vinegar to 2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
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Mushroom Swiss Burgers with Garlic Aioli
Garlic Aioli
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Burgers
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Worstershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and Worstershire sauce. Form into 4 (1/4 pound) burger patties. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Place mushrooms in pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until they are tender. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to build the burgers. Using a gas grill over high heat, grill the burgers for 3 minutes, then flip and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes or until desired doneness. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on each burger during the last minute of cooking. Remove burgers from the grill. Spread a generous amount of Garlic Aioli on each side of the sesame seed buns. Place the burgers on top of the buns and top with sautéed mushrooms.
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Kabobs
2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 slices bacon, cut in 1/3 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
6 wooden skewers, soaked in water
In a large bowl, combine ranch seasoning, sour cream and lemon juice. In a large resealable bag, add chicken and half of the ranch marinade. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes. To assemble the kabobs, wrap a slice of bacon around one piece of chicken. Place on the skewer and add one piece of onion and one piece of bell pepper. Continue threading on skewer 3 more times ending with bell pepper. Repeat on the remaining skewers. Baste with half of the remaining marinade. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates. Place kabobs on grill and cook for 2 minutes, then turn. Repeat this 5-6 more times until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve with remaining ranch marinade.
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Grilled Corn 3 ways
8-12 ears of corn in the husk
Mexican Street (Click here for recipe)
Cajun (Click here for recipe)
Pesto and Parmesan (Click here for recipe)
Peel back the husk and remove the silk from each piece of corn, then fold the husk back around the corn. Place the corn in a large pot filled with water and soak for 15 minutes. Remove from water and place on grill over medium heat. Grill for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from grill and peel back the husks. Return corn to grill and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on each side to add grill marks. Top with any of the 3 toppings below.
Mexican Street
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder and lime juice in a small bowl. Spread evenly over corn and top with cheese.
Cajun
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients and spread evenly over corn.
Pesto and Parmesan
1 cup basil pesto
cup freshly grated Parmesan
Spread pesto evenly over corn and top with grated Parmesan.
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Fried Chicken and Potato Salad
2 gallons peanut oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 whole (5-6 pound) chicken
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
In a large stock pot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 365 degrees. Rinse chicken and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Combine all seasonings and rub all over the chicken, inside and out. Place chicken in a drain basket or attach to a drop hook. Slowly lower the chicken into the oil. The temperature will drop immediately. Maintain the temperature at 350 degrees for the entire fry time, which is 4 minutes per pound. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees. Allow to rest for 10- 15 minutes before slicing.
Potato Salad
5 russet potatoes, peeled
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
11/2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon pepper
In a large pot, add potatoes and fill with water until potatoes are covered. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and allow to cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and add to potatoes. Toss gently to coat and serve with additional paprika on top.
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BBQ Ribs with Bacon and Brown Sugar Baked Beans
1 (2-3 pound) slab baby back ribs
For the rub:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Using a sharp knife, remove silver skin from ribs along the rack. Rinse ribs and thoroughly pat dry. Combine the ingredients for the rub and cover the ribs entirely, being liberal with coverage. Allow to set for 10-15 minutes at room temperature. Heat one side of grill to medium-high heat. Place ribs on opposite side so that the ribs cook over indirect heat. Baste ribs every 10 minutes with Vinegar BBQ Sauce for a total cooking time of 45-55 minutes. Remove ribs from heat and double wrap in aluminum foil. Return to grill on low heat and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Vinegar BBQ Sauce
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
In a small pot over low heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool and transfer to a Mason jar. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Shake well before each use.
Bacon and Brown Sugar Baked Beans
6 (15.5 ounce) cans pork and beans
8 thick slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
11/2 cups Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 90 minutes.
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Deviled Eggs 3 ways
Classic Southern
6 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Sliced green olives
2 tablespoons Durkee Famous Sauce
Paprika
Slice eggs in half and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl and smash with a fork until most lumps are removed. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Durkee Famous Sauce, relish, salt and pepper. Mix well and add to egg whites until cups are full. Place one green olive on each egg’s filling and sprinkle with paprika. Serve on your favorite deviled egg tray.
Pimento Cheese
1 (4 ounce) jar pimentos, not drained
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar (yellow)