I need inspiration. I’m hosting a Keto BBQ the beginning of June and we are doing the meat. My go-to is pulled pork shoulder, which I will probably do regardless, but I was hoping to do a second meat. Burgers and hotdogs feel boring to me right now.
Any favorite party meat favorites that wouldn’t be too expensive or labor intensive?
Chicken pieces, marinated in lemon juice, fresh thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Simple, inexpensive and tasty.
I am an avid BBQ cook and compete in KCBS BBQ Competitions and also do some catering on the side. Here is a recipe for pulled chicken that goes well with pulled pork.
I use boneless/skinless chicken thighs (just because it is eaiser, but I do have a recipe for a whole chicken) Put on my sugar free rub. Put it on the grill for about 30 minutes. Take them off the grill and put into a pan with about 1/2 stick of butter for every 3lbs, and wrap the top of the pan with foil and put it back on the grill for another 30-45minutes.
Take off grill and the chicken will be super tender and moist and easy to pull apart or chop. I then add it back into the melted butter, and then add a little bit more of the sugar free rub, and add in sugar free bbq rub. Serve.
Another way to do pulled chicken but takes more work is to use a whole chicken. If you want that recipe, I can help you out with that.
I would love to hear more about this Sugar free rub…as my mouth is now watering…
I make my own rub that used honey powder in moderation, but since I started Keto a little more than a week ago, I made a batch with stevia powder. It is good, but not as good as with the honey powder. I need to get some other sweetners and experiment with it to find out what I like best.
4.0 tbs Honey Powder (can use stevia powder)
1.5 tbs kosher salt
1.5 tbs course ground pepper
0.5 tbs garlic powder
0.5 tbs onion powder
1.0 tbs dry mustard powder
1.0 tbs Old Bay Seasoning
0.5 tbs corriander
2.0 tbs paprika
0.5 tbs oregano
1.5 tsp chipotle chili powder (can use dark chili powder)
1.0 tsp cumin
1.0 tsp ginger
0.5 tsp cayenne (optional)
This will make enough rub for 4+ 8-9lb pork butts/shoulders. I use it on pork and chicken that I bbq up.
I make my own teryaki chicken, using boneless chicken thighs. There are never left overs. Always the favorite over burgers and dogs, every year.
I make a marinade with vinegar, anchovy paste or fish sauce, then add your favorite spices (oregano, thyme, parsley, cumin, etc.), a few cloves of garlic and at least a teaspoon of salt, some olive oil. Blend in the blender a few minutes, then pour in a bowl over all the chicken thigh meat. Marinade overnight if possible. Next day, just grill with everything else. Yum
This looks great. Can’t wait to try it.
Question - ease or difficulty aside, have you found that cooking the thighs without the skin produces a better product? My assumption is that having some browned meat in the mix improves the flavor, compared to meat that’s protected by the skin. Curious to know what your experience has been.
I cook boneless skinless thighs for the pulled/chopped chicken because it is easier to deal when handling large amounts of food for catering. I prefer to cook with bone and skin, but trying to get through 40-80lbs of thighs for pulled for an event can become time consuming.
When I cook at home for just my family, I use bone in skin on thighs. I’ll end up pulling the skins off (and save some for me since my fiance and her son don’t like the skin) I feel you get a better product with skin on because you do not have as many dry bits as when you cook boneless/skinless thighs.
The boneless thighs I buy always come without the skin. Works just fine. Delicious.
Smoked meatballs,
smoked stuffed jalenos wrapped in thin bacon.
Smoked brats
High heat smoked wings
They never disappoint.
Salt them overnight. Dry them really wlel and toss on a 350 degrees smoker. Just charcoal, no need for wood.
When done, toss them in melted butter and hit them with some cajun seasoning.
For a SF dry rub, Sukrin Gold works great, texture & taste like brown sugar. For a wet marinade, Sukrin Fiber Syrup Gold.
@NelleG Most folks don’t know how ribs tastes like without rubs.
Salt, pepper and a touch of heat really works for ribs. Then you really get the real rib taste.
I serve myself smoked ribs with anchovy butter as " bbq sauce". Mucho tastey!!
@jamestorie much appreciated. Nothing special really.
Ribs from Costco, salt and pepper, hickory wood.