Good Housekeeping’s “Grilling” has so many sauces, salsas and sides that it’s essential for those looking to expand their range of potluck dishes, and includes a “Secret Recipe” sauce that gets a Hawaiian flavor thanks to the sweet addition of pineapple. The fruit acts as a flavor bridge to the other ingredients in much the same way pineapple does on a pizza.
But when it comes time to put the finishing touches on their barbecue, some of these hard-core grillers reach for a bottle of cheap barbecue sauce that’s loaded with preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colorings.
With the long Fourth of July weekend ahead, many Oregonians will bust out their grills for a barbecue bonanza. And with the wide-ranging sauce recipes we’ve culled from this year’s new crop of barbecue cookbooks, those backyard cookouts can celebrate our national melting pot, with flavors culled from the many cultures that have contributed to America’s culinary psyche.
If you need some suggestions on exactly how to use the sauce or some nice food pictures for inspiration, Michael’s website (www.ralphsbbqsauce.com) has that too. Listening to Michael just talking about cooking with his sauce can make one want to try it. His descriptive litany goes something like this:
“Weber’s Time to Grill: Get In. Get Out. Get
Grilling” by Jamie Purviance (Sunset, $24.95). More than
200 recipes, full-color photos of recipes and step-by-step
instructions. Each chapter focuses on one food, offering an easy
way to prepare it plus a more adventurous way. For example, you can
make Lemon-Marinated Chicken and Olive Skewers or take it a step
beyond and make Chicken Thighs and Olive-Fennel Salad. Best tip:
Full-color photos on how to check for doneness with steaks, poultry
and fish.
On the outside, Catawba College Public Safety Officer Ralph Michael seems a tall, quiet, unassuming man with a ready smile, intent on doing his job. On the inside and when he’s off-duty, Ralph Michael is a man serious about his barbecue and dipping sauce — so serious that he’s started producing his own version for retail sale.