Thursday, July 24, 2014

Creating The Best BBQ In San Diego

By Paulette Mason


The southern coast of California enjoys blissfully warm weather practically all year round. As a result, there are plenty of opportunities to have the best BBQ in San Diego. A barbecue is an outdoor meal. At its most basic, a barbecue is just meat cooked over an open flame in a specially designed grill and eaten outdoors.

A barbecue can involve just you and the family, or you can invite the entire neighborhood. These outdoor parties are often held in celebration of major summer holidays, from Memorial Day at the end of May, the Fourth of July and Labor Day in September. Birthdays and graduations are also popular occasions for an outdoor get-together.

In many families, the father takes the lead when it comes to outdoor cooking. He who can barely butter toast indoors is suddenly a television chef when it comes to presiding over the grill. This is especially true when it comes to actually lighting the barbecue. Easily accomplished by drenching charcoal briquettes in special fluid and then tossing a match, this rarely works the first time.

Barbecues make great "coming out" parties for those new marinade recipes you have been working on perfecting. Steak, chicken, fish, even vegetables can be marinated. Experiment with hot dogs and hamburgers for some low-budget family taste tests. There are few things better in this world than a potato wrapped in foil and then baked directly on the hot charcoals.

Barbecues are also a good time to break out all those summer salad recipes you have been reading in the magazines at the hairdresser. Bean salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, all are popular and everyone has their own particular twist to the mix. Green salads offer a great platform on which to show off your gardening prowess.

Garlic bread is another food that is best when made outdoors. Mix your finely chopped garlic with butter, low-fat spread or margarine early in the morning and allow the flavors to mingle. Slice baguettes lengthwise and then cut into individual portions, then slather with the garlic/butter mixture. Place butter side down on the grill and wait for the heavenly smells. Serve when lightly charred.

Appetites are huge when people are eating outdoors. This is especially true when people have been swimming, surfing or even just lazing on the beach all day. It is practically impossible to have too much food at a barbecue. Potato chips and dip and crudites make ideal snacks for the family while waiting for the meat to cook. People can get very impatient when the outdoor cooking smells start wafting around!

Finish the meal off with jello, ice cream or fruit salad. Depending on your culture, whether or not you serve alcoholic beverages is up to you. Beer goes down well in the hot San Diego weather. A popular camping favorite that translates well to the back yard is smores. These consist of a toasted marshmallow sandwiched in between two layers of chocolate and graham cracker. Create a great barbecue and the world will be coming around for s'more!




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