National BBQ Month: 4 Finger-Licking Recipes

May marks the unofficial start of summer for many of us, which naturally calls for a backyard BBQ. Your guests will love these finger-licking recipes that are perfect for celebrating National BQQ Month and all summer long!

Chipotle BBQ Pork Ribs from Executive Chef Caleb Lara of Harbor View Hotel, Martha’s Vineyard

What you’ll need:
10 lbs. pork ribs

Chipotle BBQ Sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup butter
4 cups Ketchup
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup lemon juice
6 chipotles in Adobo
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
Kosher salt to taste

BBQ Pork Rub
½ tablespoon ground ginger
½ tablespoon ground onion
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup kosher salt

What you’ll do:
1. Prepare the seasoning rub the night before by whisking all of the ingredients together and storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
2. The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and rub the racks with the seasoning rub. Roast the rib racks slowly for three hours.
3. While the racks are roasting, make the Chipotle BBQ Sauce. In a saute pan, sauté garlic in butter until soft. Add all of the other ingredients until thickened. Puree and season with salt and pepper.
4. Glaze the racks with the sauce during the last hour.

Tamarind BBQ Brisket Meatball Sliders from Executive Chef Daniel Kenney, Sea Crest Beach Hotel, Cape Cod
Recipe yields eight sliders

What you’ll need:
1 pound fresh ground beef brisket
2 shallots, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
8 brioche slider buns
3 teaspoons butter, unsalted
Vegetable oil

Tamarind BBQ Sauce
3 ounces fresh tamarind puree
2 cups molasses
1 cup fresh ground tomatoes
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds ground
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

What you’ll do:
1. Start by sauteing the shallots and garlic in vegetable oil until translucent and mix with the ground brisket.
2. Take two of the slider buns and dice into small cubes, add the heavy cream to the diced bread and add to mixture, then add the duck egg, thyme, salt and pepper and form into two ounce balls. Brown the balls in vegetable oil and reserve.
3. For the BBQ sauce: in a blender add all the ingredients and combine, then add the balls and cook in a 250 degree oven until fully cooked and tender, approx. 1 hour
4. Griddle the slider buns using butter and serve with your favorite lager beer

Alligator Ribs with Cole Slaw and Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Butter from Executive Chef Patrick Leibacher, 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, Clayton, New York

What you’ll need:
3 lbs Alligator ribs
16oz Sumac BBQ Sauce

Sumac BBQ Sauce
2 oz ground Sumac
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

What you’ll do:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. To make BBQ Sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, being careful not to burn them. Reduce heat to low. Add Sumac, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, chipotle peppers, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir. Allow to simmer for 20 min.
2. Brush alligator ribs with enough BBQ sauce to coat. Place ribs on a rack and set in a baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Bake for three hours.
3. Remove alligator ribs from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove the plastic wrap and cover loosely with the aluminum foil; allow the ribs to rest 20 to 30 minutes.
4. While ribs are baking, preheat a grill to medium-high. Place ribs on the grill and grill just until sauce begins to caramelize. Serve immediately.

Cole Slaw

What you’ll need:
½ lb. cole slaw mix (kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli and kale)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:
Mix all ingredients and add slaw mix

Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Butter

What you’ll need:
1 ear of corn, split in half
½ cup butter or margarine room temperature
2 teaspoons chipotle powder, or 2 medium dried chipotle chiles, stemmed, seeded and ground
1 ½ teaspoons finely minced cilantro
¼ teaspoon lime zest
½ teaspoon lime juice

What you’ll do:
1. Place soft butter in a small bowl with the chipotle powder, finely minced cilantro, lime zest and juice. Thoroughly mix and mash until the butter is smooth and fluffy.
2. Allow mixture to sit at room temperature for two hours, so the flavors can meld.
3. Once butter has been formed into a smooth roll, store it tightly wrapped with plastic film in the refrigerator or freezer for up to three weeks.

BBQ Burger on Pretzel Bun from Executive Chef Daniel Gerety, Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa

What you’ll need:
1 eight ounce prime beef burger
2 tablespoons sweet and tangy BBQ sauce
1 pretzel bun
2 ounces fried onions
2 slices aged cheddar
2 pieces apple wood bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:
1. Grill burger and bacon until cooked
2. Smother BBQ sauce on pretzel bun
3. Stack bacon, aged cheddar and fried onions on burger
4. Add salt and pepper to taste