MICHAEL KRAUS
Techniques

Everything You Need For the Perfect Summer Barbecue

By SAVEUR Editors


Published on July 1, 2011

With a luxurious three-day weekend stretching before us and (from where we sit) not a cloud in the sky, Memorial Day weekend calls out for grilling, picnicking, and relaxing out of doors. Whether you dive in deep with plans to make a home-smoked Texas-style brisket, you need a foolproof potato salad recipe to bring to a pot-luck, or you're looking to get as much mileage as possible out of a homemade dessert without turning on the oven, we've got you covered with our outdoor entertaining guides:

Main Courses

corn
A Dozen Meat-Free Grilling Ideas

Place shucked corn on the grill for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally to evenly grill on all sides.

A guide to classic cuts of meat for barbecue
A Guide to Classic Cuts of Meat for Barbecue

Taken from the belly of the hog, these are called “spare” because they’re cut close to the rib to leave the belly intact to make bacon. These meaty ribs are fattier at one end of the rack and leaner at the other, intensely flavorful, and they take longer to cook than baby back ribs.

Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad
Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad »

In this summer salad, watermelon is a sweet counterpoint to the briny pungency of feta and olives. Get the recipe for Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad »

Koji-Cured Grilled Salmon
Koji-Cured Grilled Salmon

There are two types used for cooking: Ama-koji and Shio-koji. Ama-koji, called for here, has no salt, so you can control the seasoning yourself. In this simple recipe, it’s added to salmon fillets before they hit the grill, which lightly cures them and adds an umami kick. Get the recipe for Koji-Cured Grilled Salmon »

Side Dishes

Sautéed Onion and Yogurt Dip

Matt Taylor-Gross

German Potato Salad
German Potato Salad

Some recipes for this salad call for sauteing the onions in the bacon fat, but we prefer them left raw. This version comes from James Beard’s American Cookery (Little, Brown & Co., 1972). Get the recipe for German Potato Salad »

Houston, Chris Shepherd, Grilling, Cabbage Slaw
Charred Cabbage Slaw

In this offbeat slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »

Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions
Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions

For a creamy texture—without the cream—Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri purées fresh, starchy corn into a thick sauce that he then tosses with smoky scallions for a succulent summer pasta. Get the recipe for Fettucine with Corn Crema and Charred Green Onions »

Condiments

DIY Pantry
The DIY Pantry

Bring the DIY pantry into your kitchen

king crab gratin
The Ultimate Crab Dip

William Hereford

dry rub
10 Great Commercial Dry Rubs

Barbecue rubs add more flavor to ribs, brisket, chicken wings and seafood. Rubs are generally a blend of salt, black pepper, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and other spices. These dry marinades definitely enhance the meat you grill.

Desserts

Techniques

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