take it easy
Avoid putting a thick, sweet sauce on raw wings before barbecuing. The sugars in the sauce will burn before the meat inside has a chance to cook through. The result will be a wing with an incinerated exterior and a raw interior.
Classic Brats
Classic Wisconsin bratwursts are traditionally boiled in beer before barbecuing. Simmer the sausages in a pan on the BBQ with water or beer, adding onions or a tablespoon or two of butter if you like. Once cooked through, sear the sausages directly over the coals.
simmer dogs
If you prefer, you can simmer your hot dogs in water in a saucepan or foil pan on the hot side of the grill. Then move to the pan cool side, remove the hot dogs, and sear them directly over the coals.
shrimp shells
The advantage to using shell-on shrimp is their natural fireproof jacket prevents burning, and the meat steams up nicely inside. If you choose to go shell-on, use a liquid marinade to season so that more flavor gets past the shell.
sub turkey
Turkey is also excellent meat for kebabs. You can easily substitute turkey for your favorite chicken kebab recipe—just make sure the turkey is cooked to the minimum 165ºF.
veggie cook rate
Be sure to select vegetables that cook in a similar amount of time. Potatoes require a longer cook than bell peppers. It’s hard to cook them both well on the same skewer.
kebab batches
Don’t feel obligated to cook all the skewers at once — it takes longer than you might think to rotate and keep an eye on the skewers. So it’s best to work in smaller batches that are easier to manage.
Lamb Lolipops
Try lamb lollipops. Carefully french the bones all the way down to the eye of the loin, removing most of the meat and fat between bones. You will be left with a small, cylindrical piece of meat with long bones attached. Slice the loin eye between the bones for this lollipop-looking entrée.
Gamey Lamb
Smoke flavor complements the slightly gamey flavor of the lamb. Often just the charcoal itself lends enough smoke flavor. But if you want to add additional smoke flavor in the form of wood chips, do so sparingly so as not to overpower the flavor of the lamb.
