Friday, August 18, 2023

A Rainy Day Barbecue

 Can you still have that barbecue on a damp August day? Yes!It's easy to bring the outdoors inside . You cna still have tasty favorites in the comfort of a dry home.

A barbecue starts off with a grill and you can easily buy an indoor one at Target or Walmart.They come either square or round and at a variety of prices too.Invest in one if you like the taste of barbecued meats and veggies all year round. Another easy option is the air fryer. You may not get that smoky  mesquite or hickory taste that cooking over an open flame brings but the food will still be crisp.Try pork ribs with a tangy barbecue sauce. You will have to cut them into smaller pieces to fit your air fryer's basket.It's them marinating them in your favorite sauce and wrapping the pieces in foil. Cook them for thirty minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit. After the half hour unwrap them and  then let them brown in the  air fryer basket for another ten minutes, again at 380 degrees Farenheit. Make sure that the basket is well sprayed with cooking spray. ( use the olive oil flavored spray for this); Hamburgers and hot dogs can also beneft from air fryer cooking. To be honest I think both come out crispier on the outside and juicier on the inside than ones cooked on the grill.

Veggies can also be cooked on an indoor grill or  in the air fryer. Marinated asparagus spears are always a good side. You can also grill tomatoes - perfect on Italian or French bread with a little olive oil and oregano. What about that classic barbecue staple corn? Yes, the ears can be cooked nicely in an air fryer. You may have to cut the ends off the ribs in order to makw them fit but that depends on the size of your basket. Layer them side by side for an  even grill and remember don't stack them on top of each other. Drizzle olive oil or melted butter on top. ( you can add more butter later for a really buttery taste) and air fry for eight minutes at 380 degrees Farenheit. Roll them over halfway through the cooking so they're perfectly roasted and golden all over. As with an outdoor barbecue make sure there are salads too. You can easily whip up a three bean or a tasty pasta salad to go with the main course. For dessert you can still make s'mores but this time use the air fryer (make sure the basket is thoroughly washed out though) . It;s slicing the marshmallows in half , and placing the sticky side on the graham cracker. Make four of these and then place in the air fryer. Cook at 390 degrees Farenheit for five minutes. Add a square of any kind of chocolate and then top with another graham cracker.

Let the summer rains come. YOu can still have a fun barbecue but an indoor one. It's a fun way to chase a rainy day away.