the "Can't miss BBQ of the Year" Event

For the past 4 years, I have tried every summer to have my "Can't Miss BBQ of the Year" Event. This year, we had about 18 people come. Every year I try to make something new and cook the food that everyone liked from past BBQs. This year, since I was able to get corned beef brisket on sale I decided to try my hand at making pastrami (smoked spiced brisket). I have seen it being made on TV and read recipes. I could create a fake smoker using the charcoal grill. The other foods I made were ribs (dry and wet versions), pineapple bbq sauce (for wet ribs), steak with chimichurri sauce, dry jerk rub and terriyaki style chicken wings, honey glazed and dry jerk rubbed chicken drumsticks, sausage and peppers, grilled veggies, salsa, homemade pickles, fresh lemonade, and ginger peach iced tea.

To prepare for the BBQ, I took the corned beef brisket and soaked in water bath for 1 1/2 days to get rid of excess salt. Then made a pastrami rub. Put all over brisket to marinate. I cleaned the ribs then put a rib rub to marinate for 2 days. Made the chimichurri sauce, salsa, and terriyaki sauces a day ahead.

Top: The whole brisket out of the grill
Bottom: brisket sliced on plate

Left side: dry rub ribs Right side: wet rub ribs
Below ribs: Pineapple BBQ sauce

To prepare the grill to cook the ribs and brisket, I created a smoker. To do this you soak wood chips for 1 hour then drain. Prepare the grill for indirect heating, where you put coals on one side of the grill and add the wood chips on top of the hot charcoal. This allows the brisket to slow cook without getting the outside burnt while the inside is not cooked. Also the wood would give the brisket a slight smoky flavor.

Place the brisket on the side without the coals and wood. Place the one rib on the side with the coals, depending on how big your grill is you can add more ribs. Close the grill and let the meat cook the brisket for about 3 hours, depending on how big of a brisket you have. Check on the brisket so it does not get burnt. Cook the ribs for 2 hours. Check every hour and turn the ribs, making sure they do not burn. after the last 30 minutes, take pineapple BBQ sauce and baste on the ribs to get a nice caramelized wet rub. Ribs are done when you hold them with a tong and they flop at a 45 degree angle. Brisket is done when internal temperature reaches 185 degrees.

Jerk style chicken wings

Terriyaki style chicken wings

Chicken drumsticks on the grill

Steak with chimichurri sauce

For the chicken wings, chicken drumsticks and steak, prepare the grill for direct heat. You need high heat to be able to create a nice crust on your wings and steaks. To create direct heat just spread hot coals all over the bottom of the grill. Put seasoned wings on oiled grill and cook until done. For the terriyaki sauce chicken wings, take the cooked wings and toss in the sauce. I also cooked chicken drumsticks in homemade dry jerk seasoning and a honey garlic glaze.

For the steak, make sure coals are very hot, Place marinated steaks with salt and pepper onto the grill. For medium rare, cook one side for 4 minutes, turn and cook other side for 3 minutes. Place on plate and let sit for 10 minutes (this is crucial) for the juices to redistribute and get a juicy steak, if you cut after you take off the grill the juices will run and you will have a tough steak. Patience is key to having a perfect steak. Drizzle homemade chimichurri sauce over the sliced steaks.



My friend made sausage with peppers and onions. We grilled the sausages (sweet), then sliced them. Sliced up the green and red peppers and onions. In a saucepan we took the peppers and onions and cooked until almost caramelized then added the cooked sausage to heat all the ingredients together.

I also prepared homemade lemonade and ginger peach iced tea. For the iced tea I took fresh peaches and cooked them then strained the juice, made hot tea and added minced ginger, sugar, and the peach juice then let this sit overnight. Next day, strained the ice tea to get rid of the ginger. Add some ice cubes. Made a simple syrup in case it was not sweet enough for people.

This was a very successful BBQ party, people loved the ribs to the brisket to the steaks. Now to think of what New I can make for next year :)