May is National Barbecue Month
May is National Barbecue Month, and according to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association (HPBA), most Americans have a special attraction to outdoor cooking for many reasons.
One reason people love eating outdoors is sharing with other people. Grilling food outdoors brings family and friends together for fun and eating. According to a study done by the HPBA, 64% of adults agree that a barbecue is a better way to spend quality-time with their friends or relatives. In addition, 81% of the same study group claims that some elements of cooking outdoors are even easier than cooking indoors. A final reason Americans like to grill their food outdoors is the cost. The HPBA study found 71% of Americans prefer cooking outdoors over dining out at a restaurant to save money. In conclusion, the study established that Americans find grilling outdoors a convenient method to cook, a great way to celebrate with other people, and a chance to save money. For more tips and trends on how to enjoy National Barbecue Month, the HPBA website is a great place to start. The site offers the Top 10 Trends about barbecue and a fun quiz called Discover Your Barbecue IQ.
AmazingRibs.com – Grilling Tips, Techniques & Reviews
Another great resource to help you get outside to grill this summer is AmazingRibs.com. Don’t let the site’s name fool you. This helpful reference offers hundreds of articles on smoking, barbecuing and grilling all kinds of food. Created 11 years ago, this fantastic site will help the novice griller as well as the experienced outdoor pit master. Founder Meathead Goldwyn has assembled the site with the help of his talented crew of enthusiastic grillers. Under the tab “Tested Recipes” Meathead presents hundreds of wonderful recipes. The recipes cover a variety of meats (beef, pork, lamb, chicken) as well as vegetables, and even desserts such as Grilled Peaches with ice cream and Grilled Apple Pie! In a section called “Hot Tips & Techniques”, this gang of grilling gurus offer insights to grilling, and the site includes videos so visitors can watch exactly what should be done while cooking on a grill.
Speaking of grills, AmazingRibs.com offers a “Ratings & Reviews” section. Max Good provides in-depth reviews of hundreds of grills, smokers, thermometers, and other products. Before he joined the gurus of grilling, Max’s friends thought he was one of the best barbecue chefs in the Chicago area. He even developed his own line of barbecue sauce called Black Swan All-Natural Sauces. Since 2012, he has reviewed over 500 outdoor cookers in his four years with AmazingRibs.com. so he knows quite a bit about grilling, and he shared his wisdom in a recent interview.
Mr. Good’s first rule to better outdoor cooking: “People have to realize that grilling is a science, and anyone can do it once they have learned the basics.” Max warns people to avoid the biggest common mistake of the weekend griller – overcooking. “People tend to overcook chicken especially. They should remember it is not unusual to see pink juices come from a thoroughly cooked piece of chicken.” The experienced equipment evaluator claims everyone should use a digital thermometer when cooking meat on a grill to see if it has reached the proper temperature. Max owns numerous grills at home, but he personally has no preference when it comes to using charcoal or gas grills. “They both do certain things well, but gas grills are a little easier to use because you just turn them on and dial up a cooking temperature. When I’m in a rush, I usually go gas. That said I’d rather clean a charcoal grill any day of the week than a gasser. If I could have only one grill, I’d pick a Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill because it will smoke, bake and grill anything from brisket to bread and all points in between. There’s nothing you can’t make on a kettle.”
Perhaps the hardest part of Max’s job at AmazingRibs.com is evaluating grills. Each year he creates six Top Ten lists broken into the categories of Best Value Charcoal Grills, Best Value Gas Grills, Best Value Backyard Smokers, Best Value Tailgate & Portable Grills, Best Value Multifunction Grills, and Luxury Grills & Smokers. If you need a new grill for this National Barbecue Month, you should visit Max’s Top Ten lists of equipment. Obviously, you’ll find a wide variety in this large database, but all of the grills have one thing in common. The manufacturers have been awarded a Glass Flame Award for appearing in the 2016 AmazingRibs.com Top Ten.
Barbecue & Flame Themed Awards
We at Hit Trophy take pride in providing the Glass Flame Award used by Max Good and the folks at AmazingRibs.com. Listed as item G230123 in our online catalogue, this fabulous flame of ½” thick, tinted glass comes in three different sizes. All sizes come with a deluxe gift box for formal presentation. Max heartily recommends this award. “This year we sent out 55 unique trophies. Many winners use their awards for print and internet marketing”.
Having a barbecue competition in your community? As well as the Glass Flame Award, we have a number of other fantastic awards to present to your local pit master. Two of them are the Fire Glass Art Award (item #AGS15) and the Crystal Flame Art Award (item #CRY043). Both are remarkable replicas of dancing flames which measure at least a foot tall. You can personalize each trophy with the winner’s name, a date, and the competition title, and our design team will use laser technology to engrave each award. We provide free engraving for all of our awards and trophies.
We even offer modest backyard barbecuers a nice gift. Our Personalized Barbecue Set (item # BBQ01) will be appreciated by the rookie as well as the champion of the charcoal. The kit includes a spatula, tongs, and long grilling fork.
The box set is lined with foam for a secure fit of each utensil, and we will engrave the box lid to personalize the set. This personalized set makes a fabulous Father’s Day gift.
BBQ Recipes & Grilling Tips
Warm breezes are blowing, and the smell of grilling has started to float through the air. If you have not yet fired up your grill, National Barbecue Month is the time to get started. For recipes and grilling tips, don’t forget to visit AmazingRibs.com and the HPBA website.