It’s time to fire up the grill or the smoker and enjoy some fun in the sun with some great food. May is National Barbecue Month and there are many ways to celebrate. You can host a backyard barbecue, try out new recipes or even make your own homemade sauce. You can also choose to visit one of the many local restaurants that serve up some yummy BBQ ribs, wings, brisket, chicken – it’s ALL good!
Smoke It!
For some really delicious, traditional Texas BBQ, keep your eyes out for a food truck that can be seen serving it up all around Genesee County – PitBoss Smokehouse. MCM met up with the boss himself – Brent Thomas.
An ironworker for 20 years, Thomas and his wife Shane got into the food truck business six years ago after Thomas was injured. He always enjoyed cooking for friends and family, and BBQ is his passion!
On the PitBoss menu, you will find some tasty options: smoked pork sandwiches, brisket, pork tacos and smoked ribs to name a few, served with hand-cut fries or Five Cheese Mac. “Everything is smoked! Thomas exclaims. “That’s my thing!”
PitBoss Smokehouse meats are smoked right on the truck for 16-18 hours using apple, cherry and hickory wood. The most popular meat is brisket. “We can’t keep it on the truck,” he says, adding that the pulled pork-loaded Five Cheese Mac is a top seller, as well.
According to Thomas, many people are using smokers at home for their own backyard BBQ. His advice for the home smoker is to “be on top of it” – watch the temperature. “If the temperature drops too quickly, you will get tough meat.” And, don’t over-season, he adds. “You can always add more but you can never take it away.”
The food truck owners were kind enough to share this popular recipe:
PitBoss Smokehouse Asian Pork Tacos
Salsa
- 1 cup pineapple, diced
- 1 cup mango, diced
- 1/2 cup red sweet pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh Jalapeno, diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Slaw
- 2 cups green cabbage, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, grated
- 1/4 cup dark sesame seed oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- Also Needed
- Corn Tortillas
- Hoisin Sauce
- Chili Tia Sauce
To Make
Place three warmed tortillas on a plate. Add a portion of smoked pork and equal amounts of both sauces. Add salsa and slaw. Enjoy!
Grill It!
Gas vs. Charcoal: The debate continues!
While there are scientific reasons to believe that charcoal can produce a more intense and complex flavor than gas grilling, there are also practical considerations to take into account, such as convenience and ease of use. Cooking with gas may be more convenient – just fire it up and it’s ready to go, and cleanup is much easier. But many people love the char-grilled flavor of food cooked over coals. But does charcoal really make food taste better? According to bbqspitrotisseries.com, it is really a matter of personal preference. Ultimately, the best way to find out what works for you is to experiment with different methods and techniques until you find your perfect grill.
BBQ It!
BBQ chicken and baby back ribs … yum! These are favorites for many foodies when firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue. And many people say the secret is in the sauce. There are so many to choose from: Texas-style, North Carolina vinegar, South Carolina mustard sauce, Alabama white, honey sauce, Kansas City BBQ, sweet and spicy – the list is endless!
According to learntobbq.com, the five best-selling bottled barbecue sauces in America are: Sweet Baby Ray’s, Stubb’s, Kraft, Bulls-Eye and KC Masterpiece. Sweet Baby Ray’s is the clear market leader and Stubb’s and Kraft are also very popular. Bulls-Eye and KC Masterpiece are favorite brands, but their sales are slightly lower than the top three.
All of the top five sauce brands offer a variety from mild to spicy, as well as different flavor profiles such as smoky, sweet and tangy.
Of course, many people prefer to make their own sauce. Here is a simple, classic recipe from Taste of Home.
Classic Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 1 to 2 Tbsp water (optional)
To MakeIn a small saucepan, combine all ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate leftovers.
