It’s summertime, and in this household that means one thing: barbecue season. With Labor Day right around the corner, we still have a few weeks of quality barbecue weather. There is nothing better than Sunday BBQs at the park filled with good food, family, and plenty of sangria.
Coming up with a strictly gluten-free BBQ menu can be tricky, so we’ve compiled the four most important gluten-free BBQ tips…
1. Spice Up Your Chicken With This Award-Winning Marinade Recipe
¼ cup olive oil, 2 tsp gluten-free red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp gluten-free Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp ground black pepper and a few shakes of ground red pepper if you’d like it spicy. I’d recommend storing the chicken in the marinade in zip-lock bags (shake them up first) for at least 4-5 hours overnight in the fridge. You can put them in a glass dish in the fridge soaking in the marinade for 30 minutes if it’s last minute.
2. Get Gluten-Free Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns
Gone are the days of having to eat your hot dogs and hamburgers bun-free. These are crucial! Make sure to pay close attention to your bread if you are at a cookout with lots of people, and let those managing the grill know about cross-contamination issues when making up your sandwich. If it’s your cookout and all of the food is gluten-free, throw the buns on the grill for a bit for an extra crispy treat! Our favorites are Udi’s, which can be found in many grocery stores. Rudi’s also makes some great buns.
3. Bring Your Own Side Dishes
While the typical cookout side dishes don’t scream gluten, things like baked beans, coleslaw and french fries can have hidden gluten that even the most well-intentioned host can mistakenly add to the food. Best to bring a couple of side dishes that you prepare and can be sure are safe. The good news is, there are numerous great ideas for gluten-free BBQ side dishes, and they are super easy to whip up. Pasta salad, coleslaw, chopped salad, oven sweet potato fries, fruit skewers, corn on the cob and potato salad are just a few of the ideas you can serve at your gluten-free BBQ or bring along to friends. They will appreciate the help!
4. Avoid Cross-Contamination
When it comes to BBQs, this is a big one. Lots of food is prepared on the grill, food is usually served family style and the laid back atmosphere can lead to shared serving utensils, spontaneous bun toasting without permission and a slew of condiment ingredient lists that make your head spin. It’s important to talk to your host (or your guests) in advance to let them know of dietary restrictions. We always make the meat for the gluten-free eaters first, since things like worcestershire sauce and buns get used on the grill afterwards. I’d also recommend marking the condiments you know are safe with a sticker – that way you won’t get confused if there are 3 different bottles of ketchup laying about.
Take these tips, go forth and barbeque! What are some of your favorite gluten-free dishes to have at your BBQ?
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