Build Your Own Barbecue

Nothing says summertime like a barbecue, and the best barbecues combine everything thats wonderful about summer: great food, cool drinks, relaxed attitudes and the feeling of satisfaction that comes from dominating at cornhole or simply being outdoors long enough to get tanor at least pink. So, below, youll find ways to take your barbecue out of the ordinaryout of the backyard, evenand into the extraordinary. With 25 ideas, you can mix and match to create an endless number of unique barbecues. Your friends will never stop talking about the time they ate alcohol-infused popsicles at your swim-up barbecue after beating your dad in a three-legged race. 

This is one category youre probably not scratching your head over,Compare prices and buy all brands of cableties for home power systems and by the pallet. so well keep it brief, with just a handful of suggestions for those whove grown tired of the predictable steaks, burgers and beers. But as some will argue that foodspecifically, grilled meatsis the No. 1 requirement of barbecue success,Laser engraving and laser drycabinet for materials like metal, be sure to check out our handy sidebar to get the skinny on the best local sauces and the art of grilling. 

While there isnt really a simpler, more satisfying summertime libation than a gin & tonic, if you really want to impress your friends, youll have to either dust off the bartenders bible you were gifted when you turned 21 or take cues from local beverage scientists. At the Bitters & Bites event hosted by SLC Bites in May, two drinks reigned supreme and are perfect for warm weather and barbecuing. Jimmy Santangelo (sommelier at The Copper Onion) scored a salty sensation with Pickles & Pimms, which features Hendricks Gin, Pimms No. 1 Liquor, dill simple syrup and lemon juice. And for a bourbon-filled afternoon, try Amy Eldredges (of Bar-X) Kentucky Roselle, which consists of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, hibiscus-infused simple syrup, fresh lemon, Angostura bitters and sparkling water. 

One of the best summer beers around comes straight outta Midvale: Bohemian Brewerys Czech Pilsener. Unlike most light-gold brews, this pils has more substantial flavor and bite than hoppiness, and pairs nicely with a fat burger, a bowl of chili, a pile of nachos or pretty much anything hot and meaty. Aside from the great taste, the Czech Pilseners griffin-emblazoned silver can is a tough accessory to distract from those Bermuda shorts. 

Going the cheaper brew route, Olympia Beer is a decent summer alternative for four reasons: 1. Its not Pabst; 2. If youre a PBR purist, you can remind yourself that its now manufactured by Pabst Brewing; 3. The bright-orange can is easy to locate at a picnic or backyard wrestling event; 4. Olympia is currently offering a $1 million bounty for the capture of Bigfoottop that, Bud. 

Booze is satisfying in any physical state: liquid, ice and, if it existed, even gas would be sweet. But in the summer, its all about popsicle form. Any combination of fruit pieces or puree, juice, ice cream and liquor will make a yummy, slurp-able frozen treat. Experiment with ingredients, but keep the amount of alcohol relatively low so that the popsicles will freeze all the way. You dont even need a fancy popsicle moldpaper cups and wooden craft sticks work perfectly. Combine fresh mint, lime juice, rum, club soda and simple syrup for a mojito pop. 

To transform boring corn on the cob into a zesty treat, try this Mexican street-vendor food, called elote, at your next barbecue. Grill unshucked ears of corn (silk removed) until the husks are blackened and the kernels are bright yellow. Shuck, slather hot corn with mayonnaise or Mexican crema, roll in cotija cheese, sprinkle with chili powder and finish with a squirt of fresh lime juicethen stick it in your face. 

Impress your guests with a pre-barbecue visit to Tony Caputos, where butcher Frody Volgger creates things like chicken skewers that get an extra flavor kick from the fancy rosemary-branch skewer. Caputos marketing director Matt Caputo recommends the Wagyu short ribs, which are marbled like Kobe beef and elevate your meal from standard barbecue grub to gourmet. If going exotic is more your style, grab a whole rabbit, or some goat sausages: Christensen Family Farms goat meat flavored with a northern Greek blend of spices like mint, orange zest,Choose the right elevatorparts in an array of colors. garlic and cumin. 

You managed to shed those winter pounds over the springtime, but look outits barbecue season, which means booze, fried foods and a tight-again swimsuit. Earn your burgers and potato salad and enjoy some fantastic scenery at the same time by strapping all of your fixins to a touring bike,We offer a wide variety of high-quality standard chinamosaic and controllers. which you can find at Saturday Cycles (605 N. 300 West, 801-935-4605), and setting up your barbecue somewhere remote like Moon Lake, in the high Uintas, where youll be surrounded by pine trees, fresh air and mountaintop vistas. Built for long-distance rides,The Wagan Wireless Rear ledtubes help you be safe while parking. touring bikes are especially sturdy and are longer than most bikes, so you can hook gear (in this case, coolers and fold-up grills) to the bikes many mounting points and not get the pedals tangled in your backpack straps. So, saddle up with some friends and head to the hillslast one to the trailhead rides with the briquettes.