How to Cook Barbeque Ribs
January 27, 2012 | 
Author Nothing says barbeque quite like a rack of ribs covered in finger licking good barbeque sauce. If prepared correctly there is nothing better than bbq ribs. But for many people barbequing ribs can be difficult because they need to be slow cooked to bring out the flavor and taste. Slow cooking ribs on a grill is an art form that can be hard to duplicate if you don’t have the patience or know how to do it right. But never fear there are ways to take the guess work out of how to cook barbeque ribs.
First off let’s look at the different types of ribs you can barbeque.
o Pork Baby Back Ribs – Probably the most well known and easiest to cook. They are tender and can be cooked quickly on the grill.
o Pork Spare Ribs – These are bigger than baby back ribs and take quite a bit longer to cook.
o Beef Ribs – The largest of all ribs they take a considerable amount of time to cook, particularly if you want them to be tender as they are tougher than pork ribs. It is best to braise them before grilling
o Beef Short Ribs – Also need to be slow cooked to bring out the tenderness. Much like beef ribs.
The problem most people have when it comes to barbequing ribs is either overcooking them, which leads to dry and tough ribs, or not cooking them long enough which can be a potential health hazard. One would guess that that is why most of the time they get overcooked.
There are ways around this problem. You can pre-cook your ribs either by boiling, steaming or slow cooking them in the oven before you put them on the grill. Make sure you pre-season your ribs before using these methods as this will help bring out the flavor in your ribs. Many people boil or steam their ribs with beer which not only adds flavor but also tenderizes the meat making it fall off the bone. You can pre-cook your ribs from anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on which method you are using.
Once they have been pre-cooked just throw them on the grill for 5-10 minutes a side and brush on your favorite barbeque sauce. Before you know it you will have perfectly grilled ribs that are ready to eat.
5 Great Ideas For Patio Roof Designs
Patios are used for sharing meals together, having good conversations and even listening to drinks and music. They can be designed any way you like, but a great patio roof design can set the atmosphere for your patio. Here are some great ideas for patio roof designs:
1. Patio Umbrellas. These are made of wood, and the umbrellas come in many colors. If you have a pool, patio umbrellas are good patio roof designs because they are relatively inexpensive and give a natural, relaxed, resort feel to your patio. You can use patio umbrellas for smaller sized patios, seating areas of 4-6 by the poolside, or two of the same size in opposite areas of the pool. The great thing about patio umbrellas is that you can easily close them to enjoy the summer sun, and just as easily open them if you’d like more shade.
2. Canopies or Gazebos. Made out of wrought iron or wood, these are versatile as the covers can be removed to enjoy the summer sun, or draped over with canopies during the rainy season. Fabrics for draping come in many colors and designs, and can be water proof, depending on your budget and the feel you are looking for. For the sides of the gazebo, adding a trellis so that vines can climb up add a more natural feel.
3. Metal Patio Roof. For those who enjoy sitting in their patios during the rainy season, corrugated metal patio roof designs are sturdier and will last through the elements. These are more permanent fixtures, and can be attached to your home. They provide maximum shade and protection from the rain as well.
4. Clear Glass. Clear or tinted glass patio roof designs are a more daring way to express your creativity in your patio. They let the sunshine in, and at the same time protect you from the elements. Glass roofs are also very sturdy, and allow you to bask in some sunshine.
5. Aluminum Pan Roof. Aluminum is a popular choice because of its durability, and its low maintenance cost feature. Aluminum is also cool, and let some natural sunlight in while protecting from the rain and other elements. It also keeps you cool during hot summer months.
Remember to be unique when choosing patio roof designs, choose something that will compliment your house as patios are an extension of your living room.
Pergola Plans For DIY Wood Pergola Projects
Pergolas can easily be built with the help of simple pergola plans even without previous carpentry experience, as I did for my patio pergola. Wood is a warm, cozy, yet pliable material that makes the perfect choice for an outdoor pergola. Whether you choose to build your pergola in the garden or over the patio, this beautiful structure can be built by following a plan that can help you save money over ready made kits.
It is important to choose the location first, as the final product will have a dramatic effect on the whole landscape. Once done that, it is just a matter of purchasing the materials and tools, or borrowing some of them if too expensive. Nails, a hammer, nuts and bolts, sandpaper and a hand saw are always at hand in a household, but you may need to borrow electric tools such as an electric saw, an angle grinder and a drill.
Woodworking can be one of the most satisfactory activities even if a novice, providing a good plan of action is met. In order to build a DIY pergola I followed some simple yet accurate instruction in a design of my choice from a range of pergola plans. The project was laid out step by step, from post foundations, to post rigging and alignment, height, width, size and shape for all joists, rails and posts. It did require some work, sawing, cutting and sand blasting before all the pieces could be assembled together.
Over all, it took me one long weekend and the help of a friend to build my DIY pergola. The project went smoothly except for few minor mistakes that were easily corrected thanks to the wood pliability. In my specific case the pergola was attached to a pre existing first floor front deck, so as to extend the shady area over the ground floor front patio. The results have been impressive to me. I was even more impressed with the money saved in the process, as a ready made pergola kit can cost up to $5000.
What I would not save money on though, is wood. I chose a very tough and beautiful tropical hard wood, but it could easily have been cedar or any other quality construction wood. These woods are naturally weather resistant, though they may gray and darken with time.
To avoid that, I stained my pergola with a UVA and rain resistant resin paint that additionally brought out all the natural wood texture and beauty, giving it a glossy and gorgeous look. I was actually surprised how good it looked in the end, considering that I was at first hesitant to implement the project. The design of my choice has a tight rail span to provide extra hold for climbing plants or hanging flowers. No much sun is coming through at all, providing a cool relaxation area to share with family and friends.
Other styles may come in different sizes and shapes, like circular or triangular, or be designed as free standing structures in the garden or attached to the house, say over a patio. Over all, pergola plans help you enhance your garden landscape, save money over ready made kits, provide a focal point where to socialize, improve household livability and increase property value as an added bonus.
How Much Will it Cost to Start a Restaurant?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions in starting a restaurant, and one that people often get wrong by seriously underestimating the actual answer.
That may not be a problem, if there is plenty of cash in reserve and sales pick up quickly, or it may be a devastating problem if there was very little reserve, the estimate was way off, or sales are much slower than expected in taking off.
Because many restaurant entrepreneurs have no real experience in these matters, it may seem like a difficult job to accurately estimate the cost to start a restaurant. It doesn’t have to be. Using good financial projection software, designed specifically for a restaurant can give you the exact cost answers you are looking for when presenting your plan to a bank or investors.
Here are the main cost considerations for startup costs when starting a new restaurant:
Lease
This includes not only the monthly payments, from the time of taking the keys, but also a deposit that may be required, which could run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several months worth of payments.
Leasehold Improvement
Once you have the space, you may need to make changes to the interior, including adding or removing walls, rewiring, replumbing, adding finishes, lighting, shelving, fixtures, etc. to make the space into your actual business.
Beginning Inventory
This is includes all the food, beverages and liquor you will have on hand to be ready on your opening day. Depending on the terms you can get with yourvendors, you may be able to finance some or all of this cost. Being a new restaurant, however, getting good terms right from the start will be more difficult and depend on your good credit and business experience and to some extent your industry knowledge and contacts.
Printing
Virtually every restaurant requires some printing. This may be as little as business cards and menus, or it may be much more.
Restaurant Equipment
You will need to buy or lease the necessary equipment to operate it. Don’t forget the small things, like fax machines, phone systems, computers, desk chairs, filing cabinets, etc. which every restaurant needs, and although no one thing costs a lot, the collection will add up.
Utilities and Deposits
You will need to turn on the electricity, phone and any other services you need to operate. Some of these will require a deposit or hook up fee, or both, that will make the first payments double or more of the typical payment you can expect.
Permits/Licenses/Taxes
While not usually an excessive amount, you will need to budget some money to cover your business license, health permit and any other permits or taxes you will be required to pay. Some states require a deposit for your sales taxes. If you incorporate or form an LLC, there will likely be fees and taxes associated with the registration.
Professional Services
If you use a lawyer, accountant or other professional services in starting up, there will be expenses associated with these services. Most restaurants can avoid these, unless there is a complicated investor relationship or partnership agreement needed.
Your Staff
You may start your business alone or with only partners, but if you need more help then you will have the cost of employees. You will also have the added expense of payroll taxes, social security, etc. which adds an additional $.20 or more cents to every dollar of payroll cost.
Marketing/Advertising
You will be spending money on whatever kind of advertising you do for your new restaurant. You might buy yellow pages ads, do a mailing, put up a website, buy a sign for the front of your building, or even do radio spots, trade journal ads or any of a variety of other options. Most of these expenses will come up before the advertising actually takes place, which means they can’t be funded from the revenue they produce.
Insurance
There are several types you will need, depending on the size of your business. Generally you can pay in installments, which helps lower the cost.
Other Costs
All restaurants have extra costs that come up. By planning your restaurant carefully you will be able to accurately estimate how much they will cost when you get started.
The only mistake you can make is not planning at all, because then you will certainly get it wrong and that almost always means coming up short on cash and having to close the doors on what might have otherwise been a very successful restaurant.
Restaurant SOP and Training Guide
There are few greater challenges than managing a food and beverage establishment. There are plenty of potential entrepreneurs that seek out business success in this area, only to succumb to the pitfalls that are inherent for the unprepared. Don’t allow your establishment to be such a victim. The key to business success is having a good game plan and the personnel to carry it out. We can help you in both areas.
The first step to success is having a restaurant SOP. Any business has to have a plan of operation in order to deliver its quality service in a consistent and effective manner. This is especially true for a food and beverage organization. Guests want to visit an establishment in which they realize that they will receive excellent service and food with every visit. This is only possible for any establishment that has the procedures in place to accomplish this.
Our restaurant SOP is a comprehensive ebook of procedures and guidelines that can assist a restaurant manager. These procedures can be used intact or adapted to the circumstances of your establishment. In either case, you will have a basis in which to set up a detailed restaurant SOP on how your business will function. These procedures will detail how each facet of your business is to operate and be carried out. This is especially important in regards to guest service. There should be specific guidelines established outlining how personnel will deal with guests.
A well-documented and prepared restaurant SOP will go along way to effectively and efficiently provide for the second facet that is needed in food and beverage management: training. It is imperative that your personnel have the correct training in order to properly be able to carry out the duties of providing your guests with quality services. For a food and beverage establishment, your personnel are the representatives of your services. How well they perform their duties will be a direct reflection on your establishment and a key for return business.
Training, therefore is important to establish a level (and spirit) of competency, proficiency, and teamwork. Communication is also an important factor and knowing how to do so is a vital aspect of training procedures as well. A detailed restaurant training guide will lay out how this is to be done, as well as what types of training (i.e. skills) needs to be imparted to personnel.
We can provide a comprehensive training guide that covers the basic details of what should be imparted to food and beverage personnel. These training points will ensure that the highest degree of professional conduct is provided to personnel. Our training guide can be used in its original format, or adapted for your own customized restaurant training guide.
What should be understood is that these tools are necessary for any food and beverage establishment that wants to be successful. A restaurant SOP and training guidelines are imperative. Knowing what to do and how to do it is what ensures that consumers receive a quality experience with each visit to your establishment. With our ebooks, you will have the tools in hand that will allow food and beverage management to be successful.
How Hot Surface Igniters Work
Hot Surface Igniters were invented in 1969 and are made of advanced ceramic materials. This invention relates generally to electronic oven control circuits and, more particularly, to an electronic oven control circuit for a gas oven having a hot surface igniter. Gas oven control systems which utilize hot surface igniters, resistive elements which are heated by the application of electrical current, are widely used because of their durability and reliability.
While they cannot be bent or reshaped they are known to be fairly fragile and can be damaged during transit or even installation if the proper precautions are not taken.
Hot surface igniters do weaken and will eventually generate less heat than they normally could and should be replaced when this occurs. Hot Surface Igniters can be purchased from your local appliance service center or HVAC service center however should be installed by professional service personnel.
If you have an appliance that is failing it is most likely not due to faults in the igniter itself, it may be exposed to excessive voltage, the appliance may be operating at too high a temperature, or the igniter may have been damaged prior to installation. If the hot surface igniter is glowing red hot but the appliance does not fire you should call for professional service.
The two most common problems with hot surface igniters are breakage and premature burnout. They can also quit part way through cooking, in other words the oven may cycle a couple of times and then it just sits there with the red glow from the igniter.
The hot surface igniter is generally positioned in the path of flow of a fuel gas or gas/air mixture, this flow being controlled with an electrically actable valve. As the gas passes the hot surface igniter, the gas is ignited and heat is produced. The electrically operated valve is energized to a level which causes it to open only when current passed through the hot surface igniter has heated it to a sufficient gas ignition temperature.
Tips on How to Use a Smoker
Once you know how to use a smoker, cookouts will never be the same again. If you have ever been tempted to toss your grill and try smoking your meat but didn’t know how to use a smoker, fear not! Using a smoker is easier than lighting a barbeque and it produces tastier meat.
A smoker is a piece of equipment that cooks food over heat created by burning wood, rather than burning coals. Once you have the know-how to use a smoker you will be able to make terrific food with unbelievable flavor. The secret to knowing how to use a smoker is all in the wood. Each type of wood used in a smoker creates a different flavor to the food. Mesquite wood gives your steak or your salmon a robust flavor, while oak or hickory adds a completely diverse flavor.
The first thing to do is find a location where there will be as little traffic as possible. Usually cooking with a smoker will take some time and occasionally the smoker will be left unattended so it should be in an area where children and pets are not likely to go. Wind conditions should also be taken into consideration so that smoke is not entering the house or interfering with outdoor activities.
A typical smoker has two barrels at the bottom. Build a fire at the base of the barrels with whatever type of wood you choose to cook with. Heat the wood for at least an hour. Those who know how to use a smoker will tell you that the key to making the best meals is to know just how long to heat the wood, and how much wood should be added to the steamer once you start. You want the wood to burn at a nice even temperature. This takes some practice so don’t despair if you don’t get it right the first time.
Once the wood has been thoroughly heated, you can add your food. You will need to monitor the temperature on a regular basis while the food is being smoked. Cooks who know how to use a smoker will tell you to that it takes practice to know when to adjust your flues and your dampers but that keeping the right temperature is the key to turning out delicious smoked food.
You have tons of options when cooking with a smoker. Not only can you pick between lots of different types of wood to give your food flavor, you can also experiment on smoking lots of different types of foods. Cooks who know how to use a smoker to their advantage not only smoke more than one kind of meat at a time (try smoking a turkey and steak at the same time) they also try different foods. Wait till you try chili in your smoker!
Seriously, once you know how to use a smoker, there is a whole new world of cooking experiences waiting for you!
Cooking With Outdoor Griddles
Outdoor cooking these days can be enjoyable and convenient, thanks to all the outdoor cookware and cooking appliances now available in the market. We all know that cooking outdoors makes food taste better. One popular cookware is the outdoor griddle that comes in different shapes and sizes.
Outdoor griddles are usually made of cast iron but stainless steel and aluminum griddles can also be found. They are great for outdoor cooking events such as picnics, barbecues, tailgating, backyards, the beach, and other outdoor gatherings.
Outdoor griddle cooking is convenient. You can cook a whole meal on just one cooking surface. Whether you’re cooking breakfast, lunch or dinner, an outdoor griddle can help you get the cooking done in minutes. Cleanup is also easy to do because there are no pans to wash or scrub.
You can even cook pancakes and eggs for breakfast in your backyard. Portable griddles made from cast iron, stainless steel or cast aluminum provide cooking space at the barbeque grill, an outdoor range top, or a campfire. Most griddles now have a nonstick finish so it’s easy to flip pancakes or cook eggs over easy. Lunch or dinner is no problem either. Outdoor griddles let you cook anything from vegetables to meat, fish and chicken. You can also use the griddle to keep sauces and soups warm.
Outdoor cooking on a griddle is surprisingly easy. You can cook sausages, hotdogs, burgers or steaks. When cooking bacon, use the spatula to scrape the drippings to the drip pan. Have an oven mitt handy while you cook in case you need to move the griddle around. For safe outdoor cooking, avoid using cooking sprays near an open flame. They can be very flammable so you have to be extremely careful.
There are dozens of high quality outdoor griddles that will fit your budget. The Outdoor Griddle by Little Griddle is a very popular choice for camping, tailgating, and grilling outdoors. It is made of solid stainless steel and is very durable. You can cook grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, burgers and more on this griddle.
The Weber cast iron griddle is an affordable option for outdoor cooking. This reversible griddle lets you cook pancakes and eggs on the smooth side. You can use the textured side for grilling vegetables, chicken or fish.
Versatile enough to use indoor and outdoors, the George 2Go Propane Grill and Griddle is perfect for tailgating. It has a nonstick solid surface grill plate that can be used as a grill or griddle. Take it with you on camping trips or in your own backyard.
Ideas For Your Outside-the-Box Outdoor Wedding
When considering an outdoor wedding, images of majestic mountains or pristine sandy beaches, often come to mind. Regardless of the location of your outdoor wedding, the outdoors also opens up many unique and creative wedding ideas. You’ll have both the natural exhilaration of an outdoor setting, combined with the beauty of a wedding, to create vivid memories for you and your guests.
There are many wedding ideas that can come true at an outdoor wedding venue, especially if you have the whole day! Your wedding can be simple, or it can be elaborate. You and your guests can more leisurely enjoy the time between ceremony and reception in an outside setting. Your wedding can still be informal, or it can be elegant, especially if you have a festive reception tent. As with any wedding, the most important thing is that it is fun, and something special to you.
It is very exciting to plan an outdoor wedding and reception. For outdoor weddings, there can be fewer rules, and more room to think outside-the-box. A bluegrass wedding barbeque, or a pond-side garden wedding with a string quartet, can not be held in a banquet hall. Your outdoor wedding can often be planned to make full use of the grounds of your venue. Also, with more time, you have greater options to take full advantage of the outdoors. Consider playing outdoor games like volleyball or having your guests take a walk through gardens from your ceremony site to your reception.
You may consider a full formal wedding with a sit down dinner under a reception tent, after your garden ceremony under an arbor or gazebo. Alternatively, think of a simple wedding, with a buffet of finger foods or a barbeque, where your guests are seated picnic style. A simple outdoor wedding requires less coordination and is easier on your budget, yet still gives that special day you are looking for.
In either case, your outdoor venue will offer a variety of decoration options to theme your wedding if you wish. For example, you can have tiki torches and potted palms for the beach effect or Greek columns and arches to create a classic setting.
If you have many guests coming from out of town, a wedding weekend may be for you. A day with such anticipation, such as your wedding day, shouldn’t be over so quickly. Your best man or maid of honor can help set up events for the days before and after the wedding itself. Maybe a snorkeling outing, if this is a beach wedding or a horseback ride to breakfast the day after your mountain wedding. This will bring your two families and your friends together for more than just a few fleeting hours.
Keep in mind that your outdoor wedding provides more opportunity for incredible photography against breathtaking backdrops. It can also provide some challenges due to natural lighting at various times of the day. And, providing music, with the natural backdrop and acoustics of the outdoors, lends opportunities quite different from in an indoor hall.
You know that weddings vary as much as people do. And sometimes it gets difficult to try and satisfy everyone. Your outdoor wedding already sets the mood for your guests to expect the unexpected, though give them a heads-up if this is a theme wedding that requires themed attire.
Enjoy exploring some of the ideas we put together, and think about how you can include your unique tastes and interests to create your fun, outside-the-box, outdoor wedding!
Book Review of "Competition BBQ Secrets"
Some people who want to cook barbecue usually hit the cookbook for the perfect barbecue recipe while others go online to look for the perfect recipe only to find out the barbecue turned out bad because they’ve used too much fire or too much smoke, wrong type of wood, wrong cut of meat, etc.
You ask yourself what went wrong when you followed the ingredients properly. The ingredients were okay… no doubt about that. The problem is how you cook barbecue. This means that whatever great your sauce, brine or marinade is, the barbecue will turn out bad if you do not know the basic principle of cooking barbecue. Basically, cooking barbecue, just like baking, has sets of rules and procedures that you need to follow in order to have a good turn-out.
With Competition BBQ Secrets, the authors will teach the science and secrets of cooking perfect champion barbecues. This isn’t not like other barbecue cookbooks that only shares ingredients that are, in fairness, great but do not explain to the readers what is the principle behind creating perfect barbecue dishes. With Competition BBQ Secrets, it contains detailed instruction on how to start a fire, what coals to use and what cooker to use. Basically, this book is more of a manual than a recipe book. The fact is, you can’t go wrong as there are tried and true procedures that you can follow. Competition BBQ Secrets comes in an e-book and paperback form. Why e-book? Here are some reasons why we prefer an e-book instead of a paperback book.
o Once you order, the shipment is free and all you need to do is to download it from our secure website. The transaction is fast.
o Throughout the book you will find many references to external web pages that contain a wealth of information that you can read. With the eBook, just click on the blue “hyperlink” and you will instantly go to that web page.
o The entire table of contents is “bookmarked” for your convenience. Just click on a chapter title and you immediately jump to that chapter. At the end of the chapter, you can jump back to the table of contents.
o There are many pictures in the eBook that are color.
o The book is only 73 pages making it easy to print after downloading.
Of course, if you are the traditional type, you can also buy the paperback book anytime. Competition BBQ Secrets is a great book to learn about the fundamentals of barbecue. Once you have the book, you are on your way to creating the perfect barbecue meal for the entire family.
A must have for any BBQ aficionado!