Friends. Music. Merriment. Cold drinks. Golden sunlight. What would summer be without a mid-afternoon outdoor barbeque? But, how on Earth is it possible to enjoy this summer staple while spending the mid-year months in D.C.? Well, my friends, where there's a will, there's always a way. Whether for tailgating, enjoying an outdoor concert or simply shooting the breeze in the backyard, these quick pointers will ensure you'll be grilling in the city in no time, pocketbook intact.
Invest in a cheap grill. Grilling out doesn't have to mean expensive supplies and huge propane tanks. Websites like grillgods.com advertise models like the Weber Smokey Joe portable grill for only $34.99. At 14-and-a-half-inches it's small enough to cart onto a bus or shove into someone's trunk. Another option is one-time use disposable barbeques. Grill-In-A-Box's version is $15.95 on amazon.com and boasts, "Ready in 15 minutes. Just need a match and meat."
Find a suitable BBQ-ing venue. The D.C. area is littered with gorgeous parks and grassy spaces, and although not all of them permit grilling, a simple phone call or visit to the National Park Service website (http://www.nps.gov/parks.html) can weed out the yeses from the nos. Furthermore, barbequeing - like any worthwhile pursuit - is all about who you know. Make friends with someone who has a backyard, and you're in business. Not to mention you'll have plenty of space for fun outdoor activities like Frisbee, horseshoe or croquet.
Find a dependable recipe. Master BBQ-ers rarely reveal their secrets, but easy and delicious recipes are a dime a dozen. Search the 'Net and you'll come up with a multitude of contenders
Easy on the lighter fluid. Once upon a time, a blissful backyard BBQ went horribly wrong when the host (who shall remain nameless) thought it would be a really good idea to douse already extremely flammable charcoal briquettes with three-quarters a bottle of lighter fluid. It took the raging inferno 40 minutes to settle down, during which time half the guests went home to take naps. And the burgers we cooked still tasted like turpentine two hours later. The lesson learned here? Pyrotechnics are for fireworks displays, not culinary exploits. Write that one down.
Tell your guests to bring the fixins. Go potluck and have each attendee bring a specific side dish. Consider offering some suggestions, unless you don't mind ending up with 20 bags of Tostitos and a few jars of salsa.
When in doubt, let someone else do the dirty work. If you're strapped for time and don't mind shelling out a bit of extra cash, opt for pre-cooked ribs from either Balducci's (right down the street at 3201 New Mexico Avenue, NW; (202) 363-5800) or Whole Foods Market (several D.C. locations, the most convenient being adjacent to the Tenleytown Metro station). The only prep necessary will be 15-20 minutes of reheating in a regular oven, plus the addition of any BBQ sauce you wish. This option also works nicely when it's rainy outside and you're still hankering for some BBQ goodness.
When all else fails, take advantage of your surroundings. Bum a grill off of a friend. Heck, bum the meat off of them, too. Or capitalize from a little known fact: Behind Public Safety lies a grill, owned by the university, that anyone is allowed to use, at any time. In other words, it's about time you made those tuition dollars work for you.
Cowboy BBQ Ribs
Prep: 15 min, Cook: 1:50. 3-1/4 lbs. pork spareribs 2/3 cup water 3-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. dry mustard 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. chili powder 2 tsp. sugar 2 tsp. paprika 3/4 tsp. onion powder 3/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. cayenne Preheat oven to 400øF. Place spareribs on broiler pan and cover with foil. Roast 1-1/2 hours. While spareribs are roasting, combine remaining ingredients and salt to taste in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Remove ribs from oven, remove foil and turn on broiler. Brush sauce on ribs. Broil 7-10 minutes on each side 5 inches from heat source. Serve ribs with additional sauce.
