Can we talk BBQ?

[witzend]

I know some of you ladies are Southern gals, and that most of you are excellent cooks. husband and I have offered our home for a charity event this summer, and are including a smoked BBQ dinner to our guests, along with a jazz band and good company. I am hoping that you can give me some hints with an authentic Southern BBQ menu. Now, I know that there's the difference in Memphis BBQ and Texas BBQ, but I'm open to all ideas.

I have an excellent spice rub for chicken that I intend to use. I want to do ribs as well, and will probably do baby back pork ribs. I have a pretty good rub for pork chops, but am open for a different recipe. I thought I would do some boneless short beef ribs and have no idea of what to rub that with. I'd like to brush them all with sauce when they come out of the smoker, but there again, I have no clue what to slather on them.

Then, there is the question of side dishes. I'm thinking I will do a simple slaw and some corn on the cob. Does anyone have other ideas? What about rolls? Does anyone have a decent Parker House recipe, or would that be wrong? Should I do Corn Muffins? Do you do honey butter with them?

I'm going to make peach sorbet for dessert. It's not until the last weekend of July, so Strawberry Shortcake is out. Bread Pudding is too hot and heavy. Is there something else that is more traditional and is also easily made ahead of time that I can consider?

Thanks all! I know that you will help me make this a rousing success!

 

[shellyd67]

That all sounds soooooo delicious ! Not a southern gal so I can offer no recipes, but everthing you have listed so far sounds just perfect for the event. Have Fun !

 

[AnnieO]

Oh, YUM!!!

Now I don't know what kind of rub you have, but it will likely be just fine.

Honestly, in my opinion the best ribs are the ones that are slow cooked and then served with BBQ sauces on the SIDE. This gives your guests the chance to choose - sweet, or spicy, or smoky, or if you're like me you mix the sauces...

As for sides - slaw is wonderful, as in "corn-on-a" as I used to call it. However - they will need some way to hold the ears. Baked beans are good, too - or green beans. I'd go for the baked, myself. I can make "greebies" any time.

For dessert... I'm so Texan here. Small wedges of watermelon! It's cool, it's traditional, it's healthy, and it can be cut ahead of time! ...And almost everyone loves it. We used to put ours in a mesh bag and stake the bag just under the water in the lake, so it would stay cool...

Sorbet is good too. Hard to keep frozen, though, after dishing it up, unless you have a HUGE freezer.

Oh. Cornbread is a great idea - but plain butter is best in my opinion.

Just my $0.02...

 

[Star*]

Down here?

If you were making Ribs and Chicken? The usual sides would be

Slaw and baked beans, Green beans - and if you bring green beans they should be seasoned with hog jowls or fat back, hash (and I don't eat it but it's VERY popular here) yuk. and during certain times of the years some BBQ's will offer Okra, fried or pickled. Sometimes someone will make collards and I like greens (collards) but they had better be flavored right (smoked and fatbacked) otherwise - NAH. Sounds bad tastes delicious. Not very good for your cholesterol .



Corn muffins with honey butter and offer plain butter as well. Personally I like the sweet cornbread muffins with plain salted butter. Most Southerners do.

Dessert:

Peach cobbler and banana puddin' (yes puddin') with that nilla wafer crust. Chocolate cobbler in Winter Time.

and ice tea - sweet and non sweet to drink and lemonade for the kids. (or for those who are NOT Southern and/or ya'll strangers what don' like Ice Tea) And you do NOT make tea on the stove you make SUN tea in big jars outside in the Sun.

 

[PatriotsGirl]

I was going to say baked beans, too. You could do corn bread or biscuits. I always make sweet slaw and beans with our bbq....

 

[AnnieO]

I made ribs last Friday for dinner, and we still have leftovers. I think that's dinner tonight...

 

[PatriotsGirl]

Step, I am drooling......

 

[donna723]

Potato salad? We always had either potato salad or slaw and baked beans with barbeque. Corn on the cob is wonderful but it might be a little messy and hard to handle, depending on how people are seated while they eat. When I make ribs I always use pork ribs, not beef. I bake them at a low heat for several hours so they get very tender and then just finish them off on the grill and add the sauce. And you could always make a big ol' bowl of banana pudding!

 

[Star*]

Oh great - corn on the cob-------NOW I'm off to the farmers Market for Silver Queen! Thank you darlin'! (not going to make it on MY grill)

 

[DDD]

If your theme is Southern cooking you could include fried okra or collard greens (you have to have fresh newer leaves for it to be just right). Desserts are big, lol, so maybe peach cobbler or cherry cobbler...and fresh brownies, too. Yum! DDD

 

[klmno]

Everyone has already mentioned the typical I sides I thought of. Another thought- a pig roast- as long as you can find someone to do it who knows how so those with weak stomachs don't have to see it. And in case I missed this idea in another post, if it is a southern theme, ice tea is a must!

 

[klmno]

Oh yes, DDD! And with home made ice cream!!

 

[donna723]

Around here they would be cooking fish ... with hush puppies, cole slaw, white beans, and maybe french fries.

 

[klmno]

True- anywhere around the Smokies fish is a winner because they "cathch the good stuff"!! This thread is making me hungry!

 

[witzend]

Baked beans is a definite must-add to to my menu. You all have me re-thinking the corn on the cob. This is an adults only meal, so no worries about the kids. I've been pondering whether to do a lemonade or a nice big self-serve ice water. I happen to have planted an awful lot of collard greens this year, and they're thriving. If I can keep them manageable until the end of July I'll go with that.

I found a wonderful web-site with BBQ rib recipes.

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/big_bad_beef_rub.html

I tend to like the pork ribs more than beef ribs. I think we'll go with chicken legs and thighs. They're so moist! I'm getting excited. Thanks for all of the good ideas, and keep them coming! YUM!

 

[HaoZi]

Oh yeah, you need a big container of syrupy sweet iced tea for sure! Potato salad is another one I also see often, and deviled eggs or egg salad. Desserts I would generally see pecan pies, apple pies, lemon meringue, or key lime pies.

 

[AnnieO]

Deviled eggs... Yummmmmm....

 

[everywoman]

Around here we do a pig pickin'---all BBQ is based in a vinegar sauce---Vinegar, sugar, a hint of mustard, a bit of ketchup, hot sauce, and spices. We usually serve baked beans, slaw, rice and hash (an acquired taste), rolls, and iced tea. The whole hog is placed on the grill, (round here we have pig cookers), and cooked low and slow overnight. While cooking it is doused with the sauce. Then it is chopped and everyone picks off the grill. Peach cobbler is the dessert of choice---made with fresh Georgia peaches and topped with vanilla ice cream.

Lately Mr. Sexy and I have been doing a beef brisket on the grill--more Texas than SC---but very good.

I can send you some recipes if you need them.

 

[DammitJanet]

Witz...down here a BBQ needs ribs and or chicken so you are good. You can par boil both of those so they are tender and partly done to make the grilling faster and the chances of burning is much less. In my experience, the food is better too.

I like a sweeter sauce than the actual Carolina sauce but to each his own. You can find the names of them in your grocery store Im sure but if you cant, let me know and I will send you some.

You will definitely need some good tater salad, some deviled eggs, and cold slaw would be great. Sweet tea is a must for a southern BBQ or if you are serving hard drinks...go for mint juleps.

 

[DDD]

I can't believe that I didn't think of deviled eggs. Geez, everyone loves those things and the look so pretty, lol. DDD