The BBQ Report

Lobster is a truly decadent meal that is deceptively simple to prepare on a grill. Impress your friends with a gourmet meal that takes less than half an hour from lighting the grill to dinnertime.

Start with at least one high-quality lobster tail per guest. The only other ingredients you need are a stick of butter, a clove of garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Place the tails in a waterproof bag and soak in a bowl of warm water to thaw if you purchased them frozen. If you have a charcoal grill, light the coals to get an even heat going while prepping the tails.

Use a microwave or stovetop to melt the butter. Mince or finely chop the clove of garlic and add to the butter. Finally, juice the lemon and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to the melted butter. You can substitute bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but fresh squeezed juice gives a better flavor.

Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the tails down the center to the tail fan. You can choose to either place the tails on the grill alone, or skewer them. Skewering helps keep the tails flat during the cooking process, which looks nicer for presentation. If you use wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water first.

Completely cover the tails with the basting mixture before placing them on the grill. Oiling the grate prior to placing the tails helps keep the meat from sticking to the hot metal. Place the tails cut-side down on the grill, being careful to avoid flare-ups from dripping butter. Allow the tails to cook for four to five minutes, or until you begin to see grill marks on the meat. Flip them over and baste frequently for the next three to six minutes. When the lobster meat becomes firm and opaque it’s ready for the table. Consider serving lobster tails with steamed vegetables and fresh bread for a simple but impressive meal.

Lobster tails can also be great food gifts. They are an easy-to-make special treat for the college student, new parents or good friend in your life. Pair them with a high-quality steak and prepare to wow with a Surf and Turf combination that can’t be beat.

Featured on Good Morning America in Fall of 2011 and personally endorsed by Iron Chef, Michael Symon, Pig of the Month is an online retailer specializing in world famous barbecue and sides – all one click away from your dinner table. With a smoking technique that was perfected over decades, the company ships homemade, all natural BBQ products ranging from a variety of meats, sides, and sauces straight to your door – all ready to be served within 30-minutes of arrival.

Established in 2010 by Lea Richards after leaving her high stress job in finance, Ohio based Pig of the Month BBQ is the product of a beloved family tradition and the result of one family’s insanely wild goose chase throughout the U.S. for the best barbecue. Until the realization hit that they didn’t have to go anywhere for the best barbecue… The Pig of the Month team has all the experience, tips, and recipes from around the country to make the best barbecue in the country right in their house, and now offer customers the chance to eat it in theirs.

Perfect for the Super Bowl, holidays, special occasions or just the craving of amazing barbecue, Pig of the Month brings barbecue straight to your door without a trip to the store, hours of cooking or a mess to clean up in the kitchen.

Bring on the bacon flavored products. This time it’s croutons. Perfect!

I recently got a chance to try these out and they are good. Not overwhelming bacon taste, but it’s there, just the right amount. The croutons are nice and big, crunchy. Not some little runt croutons.

I bet they’d make good breadcrumbs for baking chicken in….

If you’re doing some grilling at your next tailgate party and want to go first class, pick up some of Solo’s new football themed cups and plates.

More than just a pretty face, the cups are squared off for easy gripping, and even have nice “laces” like a football. The plates are strong enough to hold up to the biggest burger or steak you can make.

While you are at it checkout the Solo BBQ Sauce Cookbook for some great recipes.

Now that tailgating season is upon us, you might want to checkout this really interesting new portable grill, the “Blacktop 360 Party Hub”. It’s a lightweight portable grill designed to cook a variety of items simultaneously on its unique cooking surface.

The Party Hub Grill Fryer has four distinct, porcelain enamel cooking areas including the grill, griddle, warming plate and fryer, making it possible to make burgers and fries, chicken wings and poppers, and just about anything else all at the same time. It also features an accessories rail that comes with attachable plates with integrated cup holders, tool holder and cutting board. Serious BBQ-ers will love the 30,000 BTU’s of cooking power, infrared burner capable of 450-650+ degree temperatures, independent fry, grill and griddle controls, and generous 16oz. capacity deep fryer.

That’s right, a deep fryer. The middle of the grill is a little well that you can use to cook french fries, deep fry chicken wings, and so forth. Pretty compelling.

To learn more, or buy your own you can purchase a Party Hub Grill at SportsAuthority.com.

I recently ‘rediscovered’ how good Colman’s Mustard is on a juicy grill sausage. It’s not a mustard for the feint of heart, it’s got quite a kick. Who says English food is bland? A little grilled onions to top it off, delicious.

Established in 1814, Colman’s of Norwich has been recognized widely as the premiere English mustard in the U.K. Using a unique and zesty blend of brown mustard seeds (Brassica Juncea) and white mustard seeds (Sinapis Alba), Jeremiah Colman created a mustard with a flavorful heat sensation that has become an essential condiment and paramount ingredient in Britain’s favorite recipes, even to the highest royal order. In 1866 Queen Victoria bestowed the ultimate seal of approval – the Royal Warrant – galvanizing Colman’s as the crown jewel of mustards, securing its place in the most discerning kitchens around the world.