It's BBQ SEASON!

That's right dudes and dudettes! It's Spring, the snow's gone, and it's time to get your BBQ on!

I'm not going to throw down a dozen recipes and brag about how much of grill pimp I am (I am) because this is a blog for the rookies out there. The great thing about BBQ is that no matter how much of a kitchenphobe you might be, everyone feels awesome when they're over a grill.

OK, so what are some the things you want to do on the grill? Steaks are easy enough, anyone can throw a couple of hot dogs or frozen patties on heat and it's summery awesomeness. But, I think it would be fun to let you fledgling grillmeisters in on some of my favourite BBQ recipes and tricks.

But first things first. You need to actually BUY a BBQ if you don't have one! Now, what kind you should get is up to you. Propane is good for quick start and convenience. Problem is, if you live in an apartment, chances are it's actually ILLEGAL for you to have. My landlords mentioned that yo me when I moved in to my current place, stating that the propane tanks can't be inside or something to that effect. Which means you have to go with charcoal. And frankly, charcoal grilling tastes better and is more fun.

Also, charcoal BBQs are much cheaper. You can get a hibachi or round grill for about 50 bucks new.

There are a million different recommendations about BBQs. I'll simply tell you to type in "What is the best kind of barbecue" in Google and see what comes up.

I will say this: I bought this BBQ (well, the 2007 version of it) for about $150 Canadian at Canadian Tire and it has served my VERY well. Last summer I smoked ribs for the first time using it and... yeah... drooooooll.... So, take from that what you will.

Alright. Some other things you'll need: spatula, tongs, oven mitts (for those wimps amongst you), basting brush, skewers. Often, these sort of things come with a BBQ, or can be bought on the cheap. Again, I turn it over to Canadian Tire.

Something else I swear by is the portable grill basket. This allows you to grill up veggies with minimal annoyance. Basically take cut up tomato, zucchini, peppers, onion, etc., soak 'em in your favourite marinade and toss them in the basket over the heat. Here's my easy and delicious marinade for grilled veg (also good with shrimp): equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil, dash of salt, pepper, basil & oregano, a squeeze or two of lemon juice, whip together with a fork, toss over cut veg and seal in a freezer bag or container, let sit for a couple of hours, done! Do the same with shrimp, just DON'T peel the shrimp until after you cook it.

Now, something else to bless your meat is my whiskey marinade for steak. This allows you to take a fairly cheap cut, like a flank steak, and turn it into the gourmet sh**.

Here ya go:

Irish Whiskey Marinade

¼ cup Irish whiskey (Bushmill’s)
¼ cup BBQ sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp minced garlic (fresh)
1 tsp minced ginger (fresh)
1 tsp Montreal steak spice
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
5-6 drops hot sauce (optional)

- whisk ingredients together with fork
- pour into Ziploc-type bag with steak and shake well
- marinate for 24 hours



I'll be back in a bit with more BBQ goodness.

Enjoy!