BBQ Society

Welcome to the BBQ Society!

Essential Tips For The Perfect BBQ Cookout

It won’t be long before school’s out and the summer holidays are approaching. My kids are already packing the RV, we’re not even going for another two weeks but I can’t dampen their spirits.

I’ve still got a good few days left of work so I can’t afford to let myself go yet but just as I see the excitement in the kids’ eyes I know that I’ll be the same once I get the portable grill out of the garage.

I love to camp in Europe not just because of the freedom to go anywhere but also because of the myriad of interesting people that I meet on the way. Walk around the campsite anytime after 1.00pm and you’ll start to see the smoke rising as the families gather for a lunchtime cookout. Provided I prefix my introduction with a polite “Bon Appetite” or “Buen Provecho” I can usually get to have a recce, see what’s cooking and how they’re doing it and the best bit of course is when the complement is returned and they come over to see what I’m cooking.

There has been many a time when these friendly exchanges become more competitive and a small portion of whatever has been cooked is brought over to my pitch for sampling. Of course I have to reciprocate! Neither party can speak the other’s lingo so the international language of Europe is once again food – and barbecue food to boot.

What better way to pick up some free smoker recipes than wandering around the campsite? It’s also fascinating to see just how simple some of the flavorings are.

In Italy for example, meat (generally beef or lamb) is liberally sprinkled with salt and pepper, cooked on the grill until pink and then served up with a traditional balsamic vinaigrette and lemons.

The meat should only be seasoned on one side and don’t be tempted to turn it too frequently. You want the meat to cook at a good temperature to mobilize the natural sugars and if you turn it too frequently the meat simply doesn’t get up to temperature. Likewise the seasoning “protects” the meat so again one side not seasoned will get up to a higher temperature and so bring out more of the natural flavor.

For the balsamic vinaigrette it’s just 4 parts extra virgin olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar, give it a good stir (to create and emulsion) and drizzle over the sliced meat. It’s so simple but so effective.

Another variation of simple traditional food that’s great for the barbecue grill is Greek style. Diced lamb or pork in a marinade bowl with olive oil, the juice of one lemon and a sprinkling of dried oregano, leave it for an hour and then thread onto skewers. Ten minutes on the grill and pop it into a pita bread with salad and tzaziki.

For the Tzaziki:
· 1 medium cucumber peeled and finely chopped
· 225ml or ½ pint yoghurt
· 2 cloves crushed garlic
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 teaspoon vinegar
· ½ teaspoon salt

Just mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors come together.

Simple flavors, fresh meats and the job's done. The European camping tour really has produced some fantastic BBQ Recipes and I hope that this year will be no exception.

About the Author - Resource Information
BBQ Smoker Recipes - Free barbecue grill recipes & meat smoker cooking ideas on gas, charcoal or electric.

Barbecue Smokers - Buyers Information for Barbecue Smokers

BBQ Grills - Buyers Information for Barbecue Grills

Outdoor Smoker Recipes - Easy recipes for the smoker grill with lots of tips.

On The Texas Barbecue Trail

Among polite society, a few subjects are invariably touchy, threatening to flare into heated debate. Politics. Religion.

And don't forget to add one more topic to that list if you’re in Texas: barbecue.

Whether you spell it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-que, or just bbq, one thing's for sure: barbecue is more than just a meal, it's a mantra.

At last count, Texas boasted over 1,300 barbecue joints, ranging from side-of-the-road greasehouses with slamming screen doors to sit-down restaurants with beautiful vistas, air conditioning and even (gasp) wine lists. The business of barbecue rings up over a half-billion dollars annually, a cobweb of commerce that connects an otherwise diverse, sprawling state with a common mission: Go forth and seek out good barbecue.

Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the Texas variety is different from that in other barbecue capitals. Texas barbecue means beef brisket, basted meats, and tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all. The selection varies from pit to pit but in most tradition reigns.

In each region, divided by hundreds of miles, the local barbecue is influenced by other culinary cultures, from Southern to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito or barbecued goat is often served in the western portion of the state while pork or lamb is a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary as well. Out on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked over a slow fire of mesquite wood while in Southern and Central Texas pecan and oak are more common. Farther east, barbecue pits are stoked with hickory. Throughout the state, meals are served with sides of cole slaw, pinto beans, and spongy white bread, often on plates of butcher paper. Dessert, if found at all, is usually a scoop of banana pudding with a dose of vanilla wafers.

Unlike Kansas City and Memphis, Texas has no clearly defined capital of ‘que. But Texas does have what’s sometimes nicknamed the “barbecue belt,” a smoky swath that runs through the central part of the state and includes:

Llano: On the westernmost edge of the barbecue belt lies the community of Llano. What makes Llano unique among the central Texas barbecue towns is its cooking style. Most pit masters in this town rely on indirect barbecuing. In a firebox, wood burns down to coals, then it's transferred to the main section of the pit beneath the meat to impart a delicate smoky taste subtler than ordinary smoking. Don’t miss Cooper's Old Time Pit Barbecue. From its huge rectangular pits located by the front door to the dining room lined with loaves of white bread and jars of jalapeño peppers, this is the real deal.

Taylor: Taylor calls itself "The Barbecue Capital of the World,” home of two legendary barbecue joints separated only by a parking lot and small road at their locations on Second Street. Louis Mueller's is housed in one of the most authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door, smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot summer day. Next door, Rudy Mikeska's serves its equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters. If there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and his barbecue specialties were there.

Elgin: In Texas, the town of Elgin is synonymous with sausage. The small community, located about 25 miles east of Austin, produces the sausage sold by many barbecue joints through the state. The best known of Elgin's smokin' stops is the Southside Market, probably one of the most recognized names in Texas barbecue lore. In business since 1882, the market is known for its Elgin hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts.

Lockhart: Twenty-three miles south of Austin lies another "Barbecue Capital of Texas," Lockhart. The test of a real Texan is to know the correct pronunciation of the town’s Kreuz Market. No, don't say "Cruise." It's "Krites," rhyming with "lights." Also in town, don’t miss Smitty’s, housed in the building where the original Kreuz Market was located, and Black's BBQ, which claims to be the oldest barbecue house in Texas continuously owned by the same family. Since 1932 the Black family has been firing up these brick pits every day for lunch and dinner.

Luling: Located east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil wells. No longer a boomtown, today the barbecue restaurants are the ones producing black gold. The best known spot in town is the City Market, a no-frills smoky meat market, with ambiance replaced by plenty of local atmosphere.

About the Author - Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the authors of Texas Barbecue and numerous other books on Texas travel as well as the editors of TexasTripper.com, an online travel guide to the Lone Star State.

The Barbecue Experience

If you read the title and immediately opened the file thinking that this cooking method was included in the outdoor activities section by mistake, don't be surprised if we tell you that preparing your Sunday's barbecue festivity is actually a great outdoor activity!

Part of the U.S. outdoor living for decades, barbecue (also known as barbeque, Barbie, or abbreviated BBQ) has evolved from a method of cooking food, most frequently meat, to a social gathering and a great opportunity to exercise a variety of outdoor activities. If you have been present, even once to an outdoor barbecue extravaganza, you are familiar with the scenes. Kids running around, men over the heat and the hot gases of a fire, smoking food served on plastic plates, hot coals of charcoal ready to spread the scent of cooked food around, women preparing the dinner table and running back and forth to the kitchen or utensils area, people discussing, laughing, relaxing. What more could one ask for? Probably nothing, but the fact still remains that when people are asked to state their favorite outdoor activity, they seem reluctant to say "barbecue" since it is actually based on food preparation and does not necessarily involve any type of exercise. Well, one stop feeling guilty of barbecue. Especially if you come from the Southern or Midwest U.S. States, you should be proud of participating in one of the most important social outdoor activities of our time.

Since the heating process is not direct, barbecue is different from grilling, which is almost always a fast process over high heat. Barbecue experts strongly support that since the process used is always slow -indirect heat and/or hot smoke are applied to cook the food- the outcome of a proper barbecue is apparently tasteful and healthier. Instead of smoking the food and directly heating it to the level required for it to be cooked, barbecue's slower method breaks down the collagen in meat and tenderize tougher cuts for easier eating.

Today, the phrase "let's throw a barbecue" is used to refer to a casual event, usually outdoors or with an outdoor theme. College students organize barbecue parties frequently using any type of excuse; from announcing an event, like their college football team's victory to celebrating the end of those dreadful exam periods. Families organize barbecue events to invite friends, bond with distant family members and socialize in general. During these barbecue occasions, two important facts occur that facilitate the outdoor experience. First, people attend a familiar outdoor activity, which can only make them feel relaxed and enjoy the great weather and the company around, and second, exactly because a large number of people gather at a specific location and have to stay there for a certain amount of time (while the food is cooking), other outdoor activities are usually surface. For example, how many times have you been invited to play a friendly Frisbee match while waiting for the meat to be properly cooked? Well, you can see now my point. Regardless of the original purpose of one's visit to a barbecue place, the barbecue outdoor experience can become one of those times you nostalgically remember during the winter weekends. Having fun and eating fresh is always a good excuse to get involved with a barbecue event. Remember to add some exercise to these fun times and you can now have it all except that annoying guilt part!

About the Author - Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Outdoors, Recreation, and Family

BBQ Grilling Versus Smoking - The Great Debate

We all have heard about barbecuing, but we are unaware of the real tricks in it. Barbecuing is also a form of art. To a person who is new to this art may get confused, because cooking meat in an open fire is a really tricky method. In order to get a really good and delicious bbq dish, one must have a lot of patience.Barbecuing can be done in two methods: through grilling and smoking. Grilling is the quickest method of cooking meat over a direct source of dry heat, whereas, smoking is a slow process, where the food is kept at a particular distance from the fire. Now let us take the two separately, to know the real processing.

BBQ Grilling

Grilling is of two types: direct and indirect. But before going into the details,let me tell you that there are three varieties of grills: charcoal grill, gas grill and electric grill. Charcoal grills are relatively inexpensive when compared to the other two. Now we'll go back to the types of cooking. Direct method is a high heat method and is used for cooking relatively small pieces of food. Steaks, chops, chicken breasts,etc are some of the typical foods that can be grilled directly. In indirect method, as the name suggests, the food is kept to the side of the heat source. It is somewhat like baking a cake or such type of foods.Now we will move on to smoking.

BBQ Smoking

Smoking is the finest way to cook food,even though it takes time. If grilling is best for cooking smaller pieces, smoking is best for cooking larger pieces. Roasts, ham, ribs, brisket, etc are some of the foods that can be smoked. One must maintain a steady temperature, to come up with a deliciously smoked food. The normal,suited temperature for smoking is between 200-225 degrees. If you cook the meat until it's 165 degrees in the middle, it would make the meat more tastier,as the smoke flavour gets deep into it.For basic bbq smoking, you can use the regular grill. The only thing that one must be aware while smoking is, the selection of right type of wood.Because, each wood is different in its own way. So we have to experiment with all sorts of wood to find out which one is the best. Smokers may vary in shapes and sizes.There are smokers running in gas and charcoal.But the heat coming from any type of smoker is a cooler one,which is why it takes a lot of time to smoke.

Now to end with it, barbecuing has to undergo one more process, that's topping it with sauce.In fact it is the topmost ingredient, which one can't omit while barbecuing.Types of sauce varies according to the region. If vinegar-base sauce is typical in Southern United States, tomato-base sauce is typical in Western United States. The best time to apply sauce is during the last stage of cooking. ie, when you are sure that the meat is well cooked,because,sugar is one of the main ingredients in barbecue sauces and it tends to burn easily. So you must cook the meat before you burn the sugar.

About the Author - Chris McCarthy,the owner of the InsaneChicken website, and a bbq enthusiast. He had started this website, because of his intense love for bbq sauce. So checkout for more varieties of bbq sauces at Insanechicken.com

BBQ Safety Tips

When it comes to barbecuing, what could be more fun than whipping up sumptuous food on the grill in the company of family and friends? The thing of course is finding the right place for grilling and barbecuing. One favorite spot among true barbecue aficionados would be their very own backyard or outdoor kitchen with their own brick barbecue pit. Actually, any outdoor area is a potential spot for a barbecue but truth be known, the best places for a barbecue are the safest ones.

Choose a location for your BBQ grill that is away from trees, leaves, brush and overhanging limbs. Do not setup your gill in a high traffic area where someone may accidentally brush up against the hot grill.

When barbecuing in your backyard, be sure that you're 5 to 10 feet away from your house or any material that can potentially catch fire. Also, be sure the grill is stable and is away from children or pets that may bump into it. It would also be a good idea to have a water supply nearby like a garden hose.

If you live in an apartment building with a balcony or rooftop or any other outdoor space, be sure to consult with your building administrator (or in some instances, your local fire department) regarding specific restrictions. Generally, using charcoal and gas grills indoors or anywhere above the first storey is prohibited so you may want to consider electric grills instead for your barbecuing efforts.

Another great place to barbecue is in a campsite. Camping is such an exciting way to experience the great outdoors and barbecuing food over a campfire is definitely one of those practical yet cozy things you can do. Just be sure that you are at least 15 feet away from your tent and other camping gears.

Protect yourself by using the correct BBQ utensils such as oven mitts, thongs and a good spatula. Avoid wearing loose clothing while near the grill.

Always leave the lid to a gas grill open when lighting the fire so the gas does not build up under the cover. If the fire does not initially start, turn off the gas, leave the lid open and wait for at lest five minutes before trying again.

It is always a good idea to give your grill a checkup before using for the first time of the season and always store your tanks outside in a upright position where the temperature will never go over 125 degrees.

Of course, it's not just the atmosphere of being outdoors that can make a barbecue fun and special. It's also in the delicious barbecue dishes that you share with your loved ones. To make it all the more special, try a variety of BBQ rubs, marinades, salsas and BBQ sauce to capture the true taste of great outdoor barbecuing.

About the Author - Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken's Hot Sauce & BBQ Sauce Catalog. Visit InsaneChicken.com for a wide variety of BBQ Rubs, BBQ Sauce and Hot Sauce.

Barbecue Competitions

BBQ Competitions are great fun and I encourage you to enter one in your area and find out for yourself how much fun they are. Our book “Competition BBQ Secrets” has helped many teams take Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion and many other high finishes in the four main barbecue categories... ribs, pork, chicken, and brisket. If you want to get your feet wet before entering a big contest, try just entering the “backyard” division in a local competition. That’s a category where you will only compete against other beginners and amateurs. It’s a great way to get a feel for things before you start competing against the “big boys”. And don’t forget the other “side competitions” like whole hog, anything but BBQ competitions, pie contests, sauce contests, invitational only contests, Kid’s Q, etc.

Of course, you can always just visit a local contest as a spectator. But I have to warn you... you will not be able to taste the different competitors’ BBQ. They usually only cook enough to turn into the judges and maybe a little extra for themselves and a few friends. If you ask nicely, some of them might throw you a bone or two, but don’t count on it. Actually, they are not allowed to sell BBQ unless they have also paid a vending fee to the sponsor of the contest. So... there should be plenty of vendors selling BBQ, but you can’t go taste testing all the contestants’ BBQ.

However... there are three ways that will enable you to taste the contestants’ BBQ...

1) You can become a certified judge through the barbecue association of your choice and then volunteer to be a judge in a contest. This is a great way to learn how the system works and how real competition BBQ tastes. This is a great tip... become a barbeque judge first and then a competitor. The contests always need good, certified judges and you’ll also be able to take home what you can’t eat when you are judging.

2) You can become a volunteer helper at the contest. Most of the contests are run by non-profit organizations and they need plenty of help. Here’s a little secret... all the contestants are required to turn in a specific amount of servings (let’s say 8). 6 of those servings will go to the judges. They take a small bite of each and then throw the rest in their container they brought with them to take home. The other servings go to the volunteers and table captains to munch on after the contest.

3) Sometimes they have what they call a people’s choice contest. The contestants submit their entries and the entries are divided up into small portions. When it’s your turn, you will be presented with a tray of six numbered samples. You taste them all and rate them on how well they tasted.

To get a schedule of events in your area, I recommend you visit your local BBQ Association web site and check out their calendar of events. Some useful web sites are...

The National Barbecue News (not updated as of Jan 2007) - www.barbecuenews.com
Florida Barbecue Association - www.flbbq.org
California Barbecue Association - www.cbbqa.com
Kansas City Barbecue Society - www.kcbs.us
Memphis Barbecue Association - click HERE
New England Barbecue Society - www.nebs.org
Lone Star Barbecue Society - www.lonestarbarbecue.com
Central Texas barbecue Association - www.ctbahome.com
Texas Gulf Coast Barbecue Cookers Association - www.tgcbca.org
South Carolina Barbecue Association - www.scbarbeque.com
North Carolina Barbecue Society - www.ncbbqsociety.com
Arizona Barbecue Association - www.azbbqa.com
Greater Omaha barbecue Society - www.gobs.org
Iowa Barbecue Society - www.iabbq.org
Mid Atlantic Barbecue Association - www.mabbqa.com
Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association - www.pnwba.com
Utah Barbecue Association - www.utahbbq.org
Canadian Barbecue Association - www.canadianbarbecueassociation.com
International Barbecue Cookers Association - www.ibcabbq.org
National Barbecue Association - www.nbbqa.org

About the Author - For more information on slow smoking competition quality ribs, pork, chicken, and brisket, please visit Bill Anderson's web site at bbq-book.com

BBQ Myths Getting You Down?

If you're cooking your food properly on your barbeque, you're getting delightful results every time. However, all too frequently, people are falling victims to very common barbeque myths. It's not because we're gullible or stupid in any way. Many barbeque myths are so well known and so wide spread that they are more frequently passed on as truth than they are as the myths that they truly are.

For example, many people love to try to get perfect grill lines on their barbequed foods. Either straight lines, or the more fancy criss-crossed ones are often accepted as a sure sign of the expert barbeque chef. What this involves is flipping your meat, so that the lines are on the both sides. However, many people don't ever get to achieve this art form because they have fallen victim to one of the main barbeque myths. They believe that flipping or poking your grilled food makes it tough – this is a myth. In fact, flipping your meat not only creates great grill lines, but it also makes certain that you cook more evenly.

While you read up on the swath of information available for providing tips and tricks for the best results on your barbeque, make sure that your source is reliable. While some of this information is very helpful, much of it can be exaggerated or based on what the author “thinks” rather than what is actually known.

The belief that poking or flipping your food will let all of the juices out and make it tough would only work if your food was shaped exactly like a balloon – which it isn't. Meat is made up of hundreds of small cells, each filled with its own moisture and juices. Should you poke your meat with a fork while it's on the grill, you may pop one or two cells, but it won't let all of the juices out…only that of the cells you've punctured. Certainly, if you repeatedly stab and puncture your meat, many of the cells will be broken, and you'll lose a great deal of your juices, but other than in a horror movie, there really isn't any reason to treat your meat that way.

Similarly, flipping your meat doesn't let a great deal of the juices out either. After all, flipping doesn't puncture any of the cells, so as long as you don't flip it and smack it hard, then you won't lose much by the way of juices at all. Be gentle…it's already dead!

The problem with flipping your meat on the grill lies when cooks use their spatulas and other tools to squish the meat after it has been flipped, often trying to squeeze out the grease. By flattening the cells in the meat, much of the moisture and juices are pushed out, leaving the meat dry.

So flip those burgers and poke that steak! Get those grill lines just the way you want them. Your food will always be good and juicy, just like the pros do it.

About the Author:

Richard Cussons is a prolific and diverse writer. You can find out more about the origins of barbeques at www.barbecue-grill-online.com

BBQ Ideas For The Best Hot Wings You Ever Had

No matter who you are or where you're from, there is nothing better than a backyard BBQ. Or a beach BBQ. Or a State Park BBQ. Or a BBQ in someone else's backyard. Hey, they're just plain fun. Here are some great BBQ ideas for your next get-together.

Hot Wings:

These spicy little suckers are one of the best BBQ ideas ever. Nothing says, "Eatin' in the yard," like hot wings. Here's how to make up a bunch of these yummy appetizers that your crowd will really love.

What You'll Need:

• About 20 chicken wings
• Olive Oil
• ½ cup of Ketchup
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• ¼ a cup of balsamic vinegar
• 4 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons of Tabasco Sauce
• 2 teaspoons of mustard – you can use plain or Dijon
• 4 teaspoons of Worcestershire
• 2 teaspoons each of Paprika and Chili powder

What You Do:

You want to combine all of the ingredients except for the Olive Oil and the chicken. Place them all into a large mixing bowl and stir until they are thoroughly blended.

Rinse and dry the wings, and place them into a large Ziploc bag or a container with a lid. Place the mixture into the bag and shake until all of the wings are coated.

Put this in the fridge for around 4 to 6 hours. One of the greatest BBQ ideas is to start 'get together' foods like this the night before. Then they can sit in the fridge and soak up the goodness.

You want to get the grill nice and hot, and then take the wings out and throw the marinade away. Brush or spray the wings with the Olive Oil, and sear those babies on medium high heat for, oh, around 4 to 6 minutes.

After that, move them to an area of the grill where they can cook on indirect medium heat for around 8 minutes. You want to check and make sure that there is no pink remaining. This recipe makes around 6 servings. Enjoy!

You can get more recipes like this at bbqideas.net

About the Author - Want more great ideas for your next BBQ? Visit BBQ Ideas for videos, recipes and ideas to make your next BBQ unforgettable.

Classic Kansas City Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Classic Kansas City Barbecue Sauce Recipe

1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Mace
1/4 Teaspoons Black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Curry powder, oriental pref
1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder
1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
1/4 Cup White vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Hot pepper sauce
1 Cup Ketchup
1/3 Cup Dark molasses

Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add vinegar and stir. Add remaining ingredients and stir until mixture is thoroughly blended. This sauce may be served room temperature or heated.

Yield - 2 cups

BBQ Season Kick-Off

Summer has began so clean off that magnificent cooking and entertaining machine that most people refer to as a grill and let's get ready for some barbecuing.

Gas or charcoal, fish, steak, chicken or burgers, summer is here so time to get things started. So before you start the first flame of the season, you'll want to think about these things before grilling.

Grill Size
If you do a lot of entertaining you want to make sure that you have enough grilling surface to cook many things at the same time. This will make your guests feel a little more comfortable if everyone eats at roughly the same time rather than in shifts.

Utensils
Do not fork your food while grilling. Piecing the food with a fork make those succulent juices escape from your steaks and will dry out your fish. Always use thongs or a spatula while grilling.

Lighter Fluid and Coals
It is okay to use a limited amount of lighter fluid to get the fire started. Some people say that lighter fluid will ruin the flavor but this is not true if you just use a limited amount to get the fire started. Briquettes made from charred wood is the best heat source. Because of their uniformed size and shape they will burn more evenly and slower.

Heat
Direct heat grilling you want your grill nice and hot. This will make cooking burgers and steaks a breeze. For indirect heat grilling low and slow is the way to go. This will take much longer to cook but the results are outstanding.

Steaks
Just about any steak tastes great off of the grill. You can try inexpensive cuts such as a juicy rib-eye or skirt steak. These have a great deal of flavor by themselves but if you smother them with BBQ sauce it will make for an outstanding BBQ experience.

BBQ Sauce is critical to your next BBQ impress your neighbors with some of these BBQ Sauce recipes.

Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper, to taste, in medium bowl

Spicy BBQ Sauce

3 cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
juice of 3 lemons
3 large cloves garlic
1-2 tsp black pepper (or more to taste)
1 tbs salt (or less to taste)
1 tbs cayenne pepper
1 tbs hot red chile
1 tbs paprika
2-3 tsp Tabasco (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Combine everything in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is the thickness you want. Be sure not to let the mixture come to a boil, though, it ruins the flavor. To get it to a state where it sticks to the ribs without help usually takes me about 45-70 min over a gentle boil.

About the Author - At InsaneChicken's Hot Sauce Store Chris McCarthy will help you explore the world of gourmet hot sauce and bbq sauce