July 4th Is National Barbecue Day
In addition to celebrating Independence Day on July 4th, the day also has the honor of being National Barbecue Day.
Like so many other food holidays, the origin of National Barbecue Day is a tough one to nail down. My assumption is that the day was an attempt by food companies to drum up extra business for the Fourth of July holiday, an incredibly popular day for barbecuing.
The history of barbecue itself, however, is much easier to trace. Most likely, barbecue began in the Caribbean, where natives were known to slowly cook their meat over wooden boards. The Spanish settlers in the area referred to the process as “barbacoa.”
Once this “new” cooking method hit the Americas, it quickly became a favorite; by the 1800s barbecue had a firm grip on the southern regions.
Barbecue has come a long way since first being introduced to the United States, and has successfully become a culinary artform in its own right.
In honor of National Barbecue Day, I thought it would be fun to find a couple new barbecue recipes that sound especially delicious.
Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup(s) fresh or frozen (thawed; see Tips) dark sweet cherries
1/2 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup(s) cherry preserves
1/3 cup(s) ketchup
2 tablespoon(s) cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 1/4 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground allspice
2 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Directions
– Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive dish large enough to hold chicken.
– Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
– Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
– Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch onion powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 ears corn, husked and cleaned
Directions
– Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
– In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, oregano, onion powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend in the softened butter. Apply this mixture to each ear of corn, and place each ear onto a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the corn. Wrap like a burrito, and twist the ends to close.
– Place wrapped corn on the preheated grill, and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until tender when poked with a fork. Turn corn occasionally during cooking.
Happy National Barbecue Day!
Have Fun And Grill Responsibly!!
