Barbecuing is one of the most important aspects of American culture. Americans do not kid around when it comes to barbecued food and it makes sense, considering that the concept of barbecued food has existed in the history of America for hundreds and hundreds of years. It is something that people have been enjoying for quite a long time and is a sort of tradition that we take very seriously and proudly! Rightfully so! American barbecues are great. They are delicious, fun, and is a way to celebrate and bring people together. It makes people happy and keeps people healthy and socializing which is so important for being happy mentally. Overall there are a lot of benefits that come with a good barbecue and there is no doubt about it. Of the many great things that a barbecue can provide, probably one of the things that people tend to dislike the most about barbecuing is the immense amount of time and patience that goes into making a wholesome barbecue feast for everyone to enjoy. It is true. Barbecues can be quite time consuming and for that reason is something that is enjoyed occasionally rather than frequently. In addition, many people view barbecuing as a skill and if you do not have that skill you shouldn’t do that. Yet if people really understood how easy it is to actually replicate a good barbecue recipe with no skill and very little time, then I can see a whole lot more people actually doing barbecued food as a frequent item on the menu for dinner (or even lunch!).
Three Super Easy and Quick Barbecue Recipes!
I am going to give you the lowdown on three insanely tasty recipes that can be done in under 30 minutes. The best part about these recipes is that they take very little time so they can be whipped up even under the busiest of days and they do not require serious barbecue skill and knowledge! Say goodbye to standing at the barbecue grill for ages to cook that perfect meat and say hello to actually using that time wisely to spend with family and loved ones! The best part is that while you save time, you don’t have to compromise great, quality barbecued food!
Grilled Chipotle Marinated Shrimp Skewers (www.vindulge.com)
Seafood is not the most common go-to barbecue meat when it comes to authentic American barbecues, but holy moly it should be! Seafood is a great option to consider for your next barbecue recipe. They taste great in a variety of sauces, cook quickly, and provide a healthy satisfaction! This recipe uses chipotle to reel in all those who love tangy and sweet mixed together, oh so heavenly! Pair up the delicious and sweet sauce with the juiciness and tenderness of the shrimp and you realize that this recipe is absolutely mouthwatering!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 20 mins (excluding the time it takes to marinate)
Ingredients
● 2 lbs. of shrimp (this recipe calls for about 26-32 shrimps that are peeled and deveined)
Chipotle Honey Lime Marinade
● ⅓ cup of chipotle in an adobo sauce (both the peppers and the sauce)
● 2 cloves of garlic
● 1 teaspoon of salt
● ½ a lime juiced
● 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice
● 1 tablespoon of honey
● 2 tablespoons of shallots that are roughly chopped
● 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Using a food processor, place all marinade ingredients together and pulse until the ingredients are combined and pureed well.
2. Then proceed to put the pureed ingredients into a large gallon sized plastic bag. Toss the shrimp into the bag. Mix them together well and place it into the refrigerator so that the marinade and shrimp can marinate well for about one hour.
3. Preheat the grill for direct cooking.
4. Take your metal skewers and thread the shrimp onto each skewer. You can feel free to discard the rest of the marinade that sits at the bottom of the plastic bag.
5. Grill up the shrimps for about 2 minutes on each side. Be sure to flip them once for about 90 seconds. You will know they are ready once the shrimp has gone from an opaque color to a pink color. Be very careful though once you flip! Shrimp are infamous for cooking extremely well so overcooking them will cause them to be rubbery and hard. It won’t take long so keep an eye out. Once they hit the desired color, you will know immediately that they are done!
6. Some other things you can do to intensify the flavor of your shrimp include throwing in some salt and pepper on the shrimp before you cook them. If you are feeling extra bold then feel free to sprinkle some of your favorite dry rub!
Of course, a barbecue meal is never complete without some appetizing sides to consider. A meal is never enjoyed without sides so do not leave your shrimp hanging by themselves! Some sides to consider that will spice up your meal wonderfully include salads, pasta salads, grilled vegetables, rice, and grits! Try some grilled corn and throw on a spicy aioli to keep the spicy theme going for your dinner! If you feel that you don’t want to go down the spicy trend with your sides since the shrimp is doing all the work then maybe opt for more light and refreshing options like jicama mango slaw with cilantro and lime, a burrata salad with stone fruit and asparagus, or a Persian style cucumber and tomato salad!
Contest-Winning Barbecued Pork Chops (www.tasteofhome.com)
A barbecue and steak sauce work together to produce this tasty barbecue recipe that is also incredibly easy to manage. Sherry and honey are then added to produce a delectable sweet and tangy flavor to the barbecue and steak sauce, offering a gorgeous glaze and well paired flavor like none other! This recipe will instantly become a dinner favorite around your household and if you try it out, you will quickly see why!
Prep Time/Total Time: 20 minutes
Yields: About 6 servings
Ingredients
● 2 tablespoons of honey
● ⅓ cup of A1 steak sauce
● ⅓ cup of sherry or unsweetened apple juice
● ⅓ cup of hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce
● 6 bone-in pork loin chops that are about ¾ inch in thickness and 8 ounces each
● ½ teaspoon of pepper
● ¾ teaspoon of salt
Directions
1. Mix up your hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce, A1 steak sauce, sherry or unsweetened apple juice, and honey in a bowl. Be sure to leave about ⅓ of the mixed ingredients or sauce aside for serving.
2. Sprinkle up the pork chops with salt and pepper. Place the chops on an oiled grill rack over medium heat. Grill with the grill covered until the thermometer reads about 145 degrees on both sides. This will roughly translate to about 4-6 minutes on each side. Be sure that you brush the pork chops frequently with the remaining sauce after turning. Allow the pork chops to stand for about 5 minutes before serving. Then proceed to serve the pork chops with the rest of the reserved sauce. Enjoy!
One thing you should consider when cooking the dish, is all the wine options that you can choose from. Pork chops are absolutely delightful to enjoy with paired with a great tasting wine and we have you covered on the types of wine you should consider when you make this delicious recipe! Since this pork recipe falls under the category of fruity with the sherry or unsweetened applesauce, the best wine options include a Peary Pinot Gris or a light Pinot noir. The Pinot Gris is wonderfully refreshing to enjoy with this sweet glazed pork because it has the characteristics of many citrus fruits like lime, lemon, pear, white, nectarine, and apple. The Pinot noir on the other hand can offer a redder fruit type of approach with cranberry, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, cola, mushroom, tobacco, and more taking center stage on this wine profile. Either way the smokiness and fruitiness that this wine offers will truly complement your smoky and sweet pork barbecue dinner!
Grilled Honey Sriracha Chicken Thighs (www.joyfulhealthyeats.com)
Everything you could ever want in a sauce is literally all in this delicious recipe! The sauce combines sweet, salty, and spicy altogether for a flavor that is absolutely incredible and it takes such little time and skill. Ginger and garlic litter these thighs to produce even more flavor and the sweetness of the honey mixed with the kick of the sriracha provides flavors that are overwhelming, powerful, and absolutely mouthwatering! So, without further ado I give you the recipe to grilled honey sriracha chicken perfection!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
● 2.5 lbs. of just BARE chicken thighs
● 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
● 2 garlic cloves, minced
● 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
● ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika
● ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
● 6 tablespoons of sriracha
● 1 tablespoon of lime juice
● 4 tablespoons of honey
Directions
1. Heat up a barbecue grill to about medium, high heat that is about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add butter to a small saucepan and once the butter has melted, proceed to add in the fresh ginger and garlic. Stir it all up until it is fragrant, for about 1 minute.
3. Next up! Add in some smoked paprika, ground cloves, honey, sriracha, and lime juice! Stir them all up and be sure they are combined well, before letting them simmer for about 4-5 minutes.
4. Pat each chicken thigh dry and season them up with salt and pepper on both sides.
5. Spray the grill grates with cooking spray or you can rub it with an olive oil-soaked rag.
6. After doing that, place your chicken thighs on the grill for about about 4-5 minutes and be sure that you grill with skin side down. Flip the chicken after the 5 minutes and cook the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes.
7. Continue to cook up your chicken, flipping the chicken every 3-4 minutes. This is very important as doing this technique will ensure that the chicken does not burn as it slowly reaches the desired temperature of about 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take about 25-30 minutes.
8. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, use a brush to brush over the glaze on both sides of the chicken. Proceed to remove from the grill.
9. Serve it up and enjoy!
A dinner is never complete without a delicious dessert to enjoy afterward. After all that heaviness and smokiness that the chicken has to offer, a nice, light dessert will be what you are craving afterwards! The complexity or simplicity of the dessert is up to you! You can choose to make simple desserts such as a strawberry “Cool Brule”, a rocky road parfait, a quick and easy cherry crisp with vanilla ice cream, mocha chocolate mousse with strawberries, and more! Or if you absolutely love to bake and are willing to explore you can opt for more complex desserts such as chocolate souffle, creme Brule, eclairs, macarons, cookie caramel bars, and a napoleon!
Here you have it! Three of many quick and easy barbecue recipes that you can incorporate into your home for a seamless and delicious dinner concept! All recipes are surely not to disappoint and are incredibly easy to make for even beginners who are at the grill and are still learning. Hopefully with these easy recipes you can see how a barbecued dinner doesn’t always have to be long or time-consuming! Good quality food can also await you if you research well for it! The best part about these recipes is that it will give you the much-needed time to spend with your family and loved ones after a busy day. You can bond outside at the grill or while you wait to marinate, but either way you still get the time to truly be around the people you love, keeping the essence and tradition of American barbecue alive.
