Barbecue Recipes

Does the word "barbecue" make you think of bland burgers and cheap hot dogs? Barbecues don't have to be boring—change up the menu a little and get big results. Use these tips to spice up your boring barbecue meats the next time you're getting ready to grill something.

Mix up simple seasonings to add to your beef before you start grilling. A mild mix I use in hamburger meat and on grill cuts has equal amounts of salt, pepper, garlic granules, and onion granules. This works great in hamburgers and on steaks. Mix some in with ground beef as you make patties, or sprinkle a little on when you start grilling.

You can also make a simple rub that's a little spicy:

• Combine equal parts chili powder and dry ground mustard seed.
• Add twice as much of each ground cumin and oregano.
• Finally, add enough salt to double the volume of the whole mix, and add in a little pinch of cinnamon.

When you're ready to grill, use equal amounts of olive oil and spice mix to make a paste, and rub it on the meat. It has a little bit of a bite, and it will wow your guest. This works great on pork, beef, or poultry.

Here's an awesome and simple chicken marinade recipe:

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups soda pop (things like Sprite, 7-Up, Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper work great—you just need something sweet and carbonated)
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder

Mix it all together in a bowl and add your chicken (you can also marinade turkey in this recipe). Cover the bowl and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Pull the bowl out and allow your chicken to come to room temperature before grilling.

You can also make a good, simple glaze for fish that helps keep it moist and tastes delicious:

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dill

Mix everything together and brush it on your fish AFTER you have started cooking it. Cook on one side, then flip and brush the glaze on the side that's done. When the other side is done, flip it again just long enough to brush glaze on the other side, and flip again to warm up the glaze. That's it! It's so simple, but people will be amazed by the flavor. It's especially good on salmon.