The 5 Golden Rules of Barbecuing

Barbecuing is just grilling with more sauce, right? Well, not exactly. When we talk about barbecued foods, we mean really smokey and sweet flavors! There are a few tricks that professionals swear by to infuse their food with the unmissable taste that makes dishes so irresistable. In an effort to help you perfect your Fourth of July feasts, today we sat down with Everyday Food's Senior Associate Food Editor Samantha Seneviratne, who shared her sauciest advice.

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1. Scratch the Surface. Stop buying bottles! Barbecue sauce doesn't have to be complicated - it only takes about 20 minutes - and you probably have all of the ingredients you need right in your pantry.

2. Marinate Meat not Fish. Seafood gets tough when it sits in barbecue sauce. If you're making fish, use the sauce to finish your dish.

3. When in doubt, opt for orange juice concentrate and sriracha. These are the secret weapons that will change the flavors in your dish. Orange juice concentrate adds great sweetness, while sriracha infuses your food with an unmistakable spicy flavor.

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4. Watch your heat. The sugars in your sauce will cause it to burn quickly when it's simmering on the stove. Keep a close eye on it while you're prepping.

5. Divide and Conquer. Pour your sauce into two separate bowls immediately after you take it off the stove. You'll avoid cross-contamination (if you've brushed the sauce on raw chicken, you can't use it again) and will have enough leftover to serve alongside your meal.



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