Grilling is easy, but truly barbecuing is an art involving technique, even if you're just cooking beef barbecue recipes like hamburgers! When you're barbecuing up your favorite recipe, you'll need to make choices on what sort of meat to buy, what thickness to use, whether to marinade or dry rub, what condiments to add, how long to cook and how to get that perfect texture.

Whether you cook with barbecues gas or barbecues charcoal, and prefer marinades or rubs, you can make a delicious and easy meal that's good for the whole family.

barbecue recipes beef
"I happen to think burgers, fries and shakes work in any economy," says grill master Bobby Flay, author of a new cookbook called "Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes" and owner of three Bobby's Burger Palaces in New York and New Jersey.

He adds that, when cooking up your favorite barbecue recipes beef, you'll probably want to use a fatty meat like ground chuck, at least 20% fat for a "juicy, flavorful burger." He advises keeping it simple in terms of seasoning, using just salt and pepper. When forming patties for your barbecue recipes beef, he recommends using six ounces of chuck to form 3/4-inch thick patties. "Make a depression in the center of each burger with your thumb," he advises, which will prevent "flying saucer-shaped burgers."

Never, ever press the burger flat with a spatula! "All those little things like making a well (indentation in the middle) add up to the good habits of a good burger," he said. "Good habits make good food. It's so much more gratifying to do it with good technique."

"If you're looking, you're not cooking," says Nelson Colwell, an award-winning pit master from Chesapeake, North Carolina. Despite the temptation to micromanage your burgers, grilling with the lid open increases your cooking time and leads to drier burgers, he says.

barbecues propane
Use an internal thermometer to read that the meat is up to 160, the safe temperature for eating. In your beef barbecue recipes, always go for 80% lean, which leads to juicier burgers than the ultra-lean. Unlike barbones Bobby Flay, Colwell appreciates a good seasoning, using two tablespoons of mustard, one tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce, 1/2 cup of finely diced onion, one egg, salt and freshly ground pepper.

For the best flavor, a barbecues charcoal can produce a distinctive "grilled" taste, although propane barbecues are more convenient during the week. Longer is not always better, especially when you're dealing with acid in vinegars, citrus juices, yogurt and buttermilk. "A marinade that's acid rich is going to start 'cooking' the meat, like what lime juice does to ceviche," Karmel warns.

If you're new to beef barbecue recipes, then a good place to start is www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, where you'll find a helpful grilling chart, with estimated cook times for all types of BBQ recipes beef. You can also get preparation tips and get an idea on what is suitable for dry rub and what is suitable for marinade.

You'll also get hints on what kind of beef to buy at the store; which cut, which size and which grade. While you're there, you can learn how to make Garlic-Thyme Steak, Sweet Hawaiian Mini-Burgers or Steak and Grilled Ratatouille Salad.

BBQ recipes beef
While beef has received much criticism from the health community, there are still many benefits to eating this type of meat. When choosing your barbecue recipes beef, think of more-meat-for-the-money: whole briskets or beef clods, for instance.

Rib barbecue recipes are perhaps the most furtive to get your hands on. Many champion barbecue pit masters are coy about relinquishing their secrets, whether about technique or ingredients, but they say both aspects are crucial in creating that perfect, award-winning rack.

According to Bill Starks, a Texas BBQ recipes ribs champion, smoking ribs for 17 hours over a wood fire is the only way to cook them. The ingredients of his BBQ recipes rib sauce are, of course, a secret. If you're up to the task, then here are some techniques and recipes to help you get started.

rib barbecue recipes
Several Kansas City authors and chefs share some tips to make your ribs barbecue recipes turn out. To prepare the ribs, "Peel the membrane from the back side of the ribs for better flavor and tenderness," says Karen Adler.

You'll know the meat is done when you can twist the meat right off the bone, she adds. Ardie A. Davis, who holds a Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy Degree, advises that you focus on basic cooking techniques more than seasoning and specific BBQ recipes ribs.

"Once you've tasted things in what I call a more primal way, you're going to be fussy about what you should add to that," he explains. Additionally, he advises using patience while cooking, as the most delicious meals can take up to 12 hours to make. When flare-ups occur, "don't battle them," Davis warns.

Instead, move food to a cool zone on the grill. Judith Fertig says not to worry incessantly whether something is done or not. "If you leave it on too long, there's nothing you can do to rescue it," she warns.

stone barbecues
Now that you know the techniques for BBQ recipes rib and pork, you can try one of the tested rib barbecue recipes from Big Bob Gibson, the preferred pit master of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. First, you'll need to slide a knife under the rib membrane to separate the two bones and get a more tender slab of ribs.

Next you'll need to mix together a rub comprised of 1 cup of dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup of garlic salt, 1/3 cup of onion salt, 1/2 cup of paprika, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper, 1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin and 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and shaking the rub onto the front and back of the slab, then gently patting the ingredients into the meat.

Heat your grill or pit to 225 degrees. You can use barbecues charcoal grills, gas grills and wood chips like hickory, oak or cherry apple. Place the ribs meat side up and cook for 3 hours. Then spray the ribs with a cup of apple juice for more flavor and cook another 2 hours until ribs easily separate.

Apply a generous coat of BBQ sauce to both sides, comprised of 2 cups of ketchup, 2/3 cups of dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup of distilled vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of honey, 4 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 4 teaspoons of liquid smoke, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of celery seed. Top with a bottle of Famous Dave's BBQ sauce and char quickly, directly on the grill.

BBQ recipes ribs
There are a number of sites offering rib barbecue recipes. At www.abcnews.com, you can search ribs BBQ recipes from trusted, celebrity chefs if you're looking for something that's been tested, tried and true.

After all, everyone's taste buds are different and some cooks are blander than others, so starting with a legendary recipe could give you the confidence to keep pursuing your quest for the perfect ribs. You can look up recipes from Big Bob Gibson, Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse, Rocco DiSpirito, Curtis Stone, Dave Lieberman and Steve Raichlen.

Increasing your intake of nutrients might also improve the flavor of your meals. Most people are afraid to add herbs and spices to their food, for fear they will ruin the flavor. In reality, spicing up the meals with Herbs and Spices takes plain fruits and vegetables to a higher level and creates a healthier you. And isn't that what we all want - a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle.

A perfect example is the simple dish of sliced tomatoes. Adding a bit of olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper make them a wonderful side dish that’s delicious, nutritious and simple. The garlic is excellent for the immune system as it helps the body fight off disease. Garlic has been used for centuries to fight off a cold and there is scientific evidence to back up the folk lore. Scientific data has proven that Garlic has antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Scientists also studied garlic in the fight against cancer. The garlic has phytonutrients that help block the formation of cancer cells.

Garlic has cholesterol-lowering properties and lowers the LDL, the bad cholesterol, while it raises the HDL, the good cholesterol. Studies prove that eating 2 cloves of garlic a day lowers your cholesterol by 9%. Garlic protects the aorta and helps control hypertension by thinning the blood. Garlic could be called the spice of life. A study on the effects of garlic on impotence found the compounds in garlic are important in the production of nitric oxide synthase, necessary for obtaining an erection.

Adding the Italian parsley helps reduce the effects of garlic on your breath but, more importantly it adds tremendous nutritional value. On top of the fiber content the parsley is loaded with vitamin A, K, C, folic acid, potassium. It fights free radicals that cause the aging problem as well as cancer by being loaded with antioxidants. Don't tell Popeye but he could of used parsley instead of spinach. Besides the iron parsley is loaded with magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and trace amounts of zinc, manganese and copper.

Does the addition of herbs and spices fulfill your dietary needs? Absolutely not. The addition of spices and herbs to flavor your food simply increases the nutritional intake and flavor without raising the amount of calorie intake. Just a little change can make a big difference in your health when you do it at every meal.

A breakfast idea that increases your health while spicing up the start of your day is the addition of cinnamon to the breakfast fare. Adding cinnamon to your coffee filter with the coffee is a great way to start the day. For those with a bit of a sweet tooth, add a little bit of sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon or Ginger on your cereal. It’s especially good on oatmeal.

Some of the benefits of cinnamon include iron, calcium and manganese. If your a diabetic like me, it helps regulate blood sugar. It attacks yeast infections, aids in various types of cancer, lowers cholesterol, preserves naturally, a great anti coagulant and helps to improve memory. Researchers at Copenhagen University gave patients a teaspoon of cinnamon with a tablespoon of honey every morning for a month. After the first week the patients had considerable relief from arthritis. Walking without pain was possible for most after one month. This combination makes a great topping for toast.

Giving up good tasting food in not a prerequisite for healthy eating. On the contrary, adding additional Herbs and Spices to your food makes them even healthier. Look for ways to increase the nutritional content while also making the food rival with the dishes found in gourmet restaurants. Your family will never know they are eating healthier they will just know it tastes great.