Fourth of July cookout ideas needed

[Howdy]

I have the family and friends over after the Parade for a cookout every year.  For a heat source I have been using my Weber 200 gas grill but my youngest daughter browed it a couple of years ago and somehow it has never returned.  While I'm sure noone else has had this problem I do have another issue to explore.

Perhaps y'all could suggest to me a cut of beef to flame grill and then finish in the oven at about 200-250 F or so.  We did this at church with Tri-tip roasts and it worked great.  I have always just done burgers, chicken and dogs but this year want to elevate it a little. 

I am a cook in training and do not know much about cooking meat so what kind of beef cut to get and how to cook it in a fool (that's me) proof manner would be helpful.  Thanks.

[sandhills]

Howdy have you considered cooking a brisket overnight before the fourth in the oven?  Slow cooked and juicy as can be, I can get you a great recipe if you're interested, my wife and I did one a couple Easters ago for about a dozen people or so and they all loved it, it was her late brother inlaws recipe and he loved his brisket.

[SLawyer Dave]

While I generally cook the Tri Tip Roast solely on the BBQ, you certainly can combine both the BBQ and oven.  I generally marinate the roast for 24 hours in a ziplock bag in the fridge.  You can use a commercial marinade, or if you want to make your own, here is one of my favs:
1/4 cup of soy sauce,
1 tblsp lime juice (or juice of one lime)
1 tbsp lemon juice, (or juice of one lemon)
2 tbsp crushed garlic

Combine all ingredients in ziplock with roast.  Push out all air, seal and then put in fridge, turning a couple of times during the day,

About an hour before you start cooking, pull the roast out and allow it to warm to room temperature.  Then start your bbq, on medium high.  Pull roast directly out of zip lock and place fatty side down on grill.  Then sprinkle your favorite seasonings over the top, (garlic salt and pepper are my favs).  When the fat starts to burn on the bottom, turn over, seasoned side down.  You have to watch the roast pretty carefully at this point, as you want the high heat to sear the outside of the meat, thereby trapping the moisture inside, but you don't want to char the outside).

When the seasoned side has a good sear on it, (should appear fairly dry and just a bit "crusty". 

At this point, you cam transfer the meat, (use tongs rather than forks), into an oven safe pan in a pre heated oven to allow to bake until done to your taste, (use a meat thermometer in the thickest part to check).  When done, pull out of oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.  Then cut the roast in thin strips against the grain and serve. 

If you want to do the whole roast on the bbq, then instead of transferring to oven,  pull meat off to the side of the grill where it is NOT over direct heat.  Drop the flame on the bbq and close the lid to allow the roast to bake, using this indirect heat.  You want to keep the temperature below 280 degrees, ( this will help relax the meat and make it more tender).  Then follow as directed above, again using the thermometer to check for doneness, (don't cut into the meat to check whether it is done, as this will release the moisture you are trying to keep in the roast.

Another easy way to accommodate a lot of different people and their unique tastes, is to bbq "kabobs".  This way, you prepare the different ingredients, and then each person can "build" their own kabobs from the available selections.  This allows you to have several different types of meat, seasonings, vegetables and even fruit, (bbq pineapple is the bomb).  After assembling their kabobs, then each person brings them to the "cook", who then bbq's them.  This can be a real crowd pleaser.  I did this for my daughter's college graduation party, when she wanted something a little more fancy than "burgers and dogs". 

You can buy cheap wooden kabob sticks at almost any grocery store.  The secret to good kabobs is how you cut the portions.  Meats cook the slowest, so you want to keep them thin (1/4 to 1/2 inch), and no larger then 1" wide.  This way, over medium heat, you wont have to burn the vegetables to get the meat done.  Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, pretty much any lean and tender cut of meat will work.  I generally cut up the meats the day before, so that I can marinate them as described above.  You can also then have different marinades for the different meats, thereby again creating more flavor profiles for your guests. 

Then the day of, cut up your vegies.  You can either cut the vegies into 1" cubes, or I also like to use that size pearl onions, baby red/gold potatoes, button mushrooms, etc.  Trust me, have some pineapple cut and put a little bbq sauce on it.  When it caramelizes on the pineapple, it gets a salty/sweet taste that is really great.

Cooking a bunch of kabobs can be a little daunting, but the main thing to keep in mind is that you want to keep turning them so that one side does not get burned.  Move them across your grill as you turn them so that you always have the raw ones coming on one side of the grill, while you take the cooked ones off the other side.  This is a situation where a larger grill can really come in handy to handle a larger crowd.

Hope one of these suggestions helps.

[WildDog]

I like to cook in a camp oven/dutch oven, with wood coals. I can't always guarantee 100% success :(

[quote I can get you a great recipe if you're interested,][/quote]

Sandhills, I love Brisket , Any chance of getting the recipe?

Slawyer Dave you've got me hungry, picked up some limes and lemons from the inlaws on Sunday might give your recipe a go

[scgargoyle]

If you're going to do a roast, you want to sear it AFTER the slow cook, not before. I do prime rib on my smoker, and I slow smoke it at 225 until it is about 10 degrees less than the desired finish temperature. Then I wrap it in foil for 1/2 hour while I crank up the heat. Then it goes back on for 10 minutes of searing. The results are perfect pink meat all the way through. Google 'reverse sear prime rib' to see what I am talking about.

[sandhills]

I'm workin on the "recipe" for the brisket, have to get a hold of my sister in law, I do remember we injected it with apple   cider and made our own rub, wife says wrap at least six times in tin foil tight tight tight and we cooked ours at 185 for about 8 hours, it was good.  Howdy, how many people are you feeding?

[Howdy]

Geeze, I am getting excited about trying something different than the standard burgers and stuff.  Thanks for the ideas so far. 

Looks like we will have about 25 folks and we want to keep costs under control but still have something tasty.  Kabobs sound like fun and something to try one of these nights.  As the farmers markets come into season there will be plenty of good stuff to experiment with and neighbors to share a good meal or two. 

Brisket is a great idea, I will check them out when I go for the fixings.  Having the recipe would be great. 

Reverse sear may just be easier, I'll check it out, thanks.

[Howdy]

Okie dokie, Brisket has been purchased and I have requested to borrow my grill back from my daughter.  Looks like we's gonna have some cookin' to do.

Thank you all for the help.  Now I will start thinking about side dishes and stuff.

[Texas Ranger]

Forest Forum beans

[thecfarm]

Bread and cheese would do me mighty fine.

[sandhills]

OK better late than never I guess, talked to my sis inlaw and she told me how she cooked the last brisket, so here it is, but I still swear we injected ours with apple cider.

Use desired bbq rub (we season ours to taste) and work into meat well, main thing is to pour liquid smoke over the meat, she uses ether hickory or mesquite, made a 7.5 # one and used 2 bottles and felt like it could have used more, if you have time let it marinate overnight, pour in 1/2 cup of water then WRAP WRAP WRAP with tinfoil 4-6 times.  She cooked the 7.5# for approximately 12 hours at 250*.

This is however being done in an oven and not on a grill, hope you have a great meal Howdy, pictures expected  ;)

[Jeff]

We had a great cookout this afternoon with our friends and Neighbors the Daggers and Hilemans.  The Hilemans were up for the Win for Brynn 5k Retts Syndrome research funding race that I'll be running in Saturday.  I'll probably not eat again before that after today!

I sue made some Pretty Tasty burgers today and the dessert, well, ya'll are going to be jealous. Fresh Strawberries and Blueberry shortcake!



  

  

 

[sandhills]

That all looks great but I do believe I'd start with desert  ;D

[thecfarm]

That does look some good. Man,do I like to eat.  ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Is that a Paula Dean desert?  ;D

[Howdy]

The brisket was cooked for around 15 hours wrapped in foil and then pulled apart.  Tasty, tender, and plenty for all to enjoy.

Friends, family and lots of left overs for everyone, the cookout was a success. 

Thanks for the help, this was so easy and it beat burgers by a long shot, we will do it again soon.