Whether it's homemade or store-bought, barbecue sauce is likely a major player in your kitchen (or on your deck) this summer. We all know how to use it: baste it onto some chicken and grill it, or straight-up use it as a dipping sauce. But there are so many more ways to work this wonder-condiment into your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Here are ten of them, from deviled eggs to dessert (seriously!).
(pictured above)
Makes about 1 cup
Combine 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) room-temperature unsalted butter, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a food processor; blend until smooth. Scrape mixture into a small bowl and stir in 2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives. Use butter immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve on corn, fish, potatoes, grilled meat, or bread.
4 servings
Cook 8 slices bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain. Lay 8 slices 1/2"-thick country-style white bread on a work surface and brush each slice with 1/2 tsp. olive oil. Turn bread oiled side down. Spread each slice with 1 Tbsp. barbecue sauce; top each of 4 slices with 1 slice of cheddar, then 2 slices of bacon, then another slice of cheddar. Top with remaining bread slices, keeping oiled side facing up. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place two sandwiches in pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until golden, 3-4 minutes. Flip sandwiches to brown other side, 3-4 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
4 servings
Cut one peeled, pitted avocado into thin slices. Slice 4 large store-bought cooked biscuits in half horizontally. Whisk 6 large eggs, 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a large bowl. Heat 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until eggs are just beginning to set. Sprinkle eggs with 4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack (about 1 cup). Cover skillet and turn off heat; let stand until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Divide egg mixture and avocado slices among bottom halves of biscuits. Top with biscuit tops.
Makes 24
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a (24 count) mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Combine 1 lb. ground beef, 1/2 cup dried seasoned breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and 1 large, finely chopped garlic clove in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until ingredients are just combined. Fill each muffin tin with about 1 Tbsp. meat mixture. Brush each mini meatloaf with a little extra barbecue sauce, 2-3 Tbsp. total. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow poppers to cool slightly before running a sharp thin knife around the edges to remove.
4 servings
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick vegetable oil. Place 6 cups cornflake cereal in a food processor and pulse to the consistency of breadcrumbs, 60-90 seconds. Transfer crumbs to a shallow bowl; season with 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Whisk 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. honey in a large bowl. Set aside half of the sauce in a small bowl for serving. Add 1 1/2 lb. chicken tenders to the barbecue sauce in the large bowl and toss to coat. Dip each piece of chicken in cornflake crumbs, pressing chicken into the crumbs to ensure the coating sticks well. Arrange chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce for dipping.
24 servings
Peel and halve 12 hard-boiled large eggs. Place yolks in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Add 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 3 Tbsp. barbecue sauce, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) hot pepper sauce, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir mixture until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon or pipe mixture into egg white halves. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. finely chopped parsley.
Makes 18
Preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Slice 1 large baguette diagonally into eighteen 3/4"-thick slices. Place bread on baking sheet and broil on 1 side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn bread and broil for 30 seconds before evenly sprinkling slices with a total of 1 cup shredded cheddar. Continue to broil until cheddar is melted, about 1 minute. Remove bread from oven and set aside. Rinse and drain one 15-oz. can pinto beans; combine with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir beans and heat until just warmed through. Top each piece of cheesy baguette with warm beans. Garnish bruschetta with 1 thinly sliced scallion. Serve warm.
4 servings
Peel, core, and cut 1 large pineapple into 8-10 wedges. Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, heat a gas grill to medium-high, or heat a grill pan to medium. Brush pineapple wedges on both sides with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Cook pineapple, turning once, until lightly charred, 8-10 minutes per side. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup chilled heavy cream. When beginning to thicken, add 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar. With machine running, slowly drizzle in 1-2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Dollop pineapple wedges with freshly whipped cream.
4 servings
Preheat oven to 450°. Place four 6" whole wheat pitas on an ungreased baking sheet. Toss 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken and 2/3 cup barbecue sauce in a medium bowl to coat. Divide chicken mixture over pitas, spreading to edges. Scatter 1 thinly sliced scallion and 1/2 thinly sliced small red onion over. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella over, dividing equally. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro over each pizza.
4 servings
Combine 3/4 cup barbecue sauce, juice of 1 orange, juice of 1 lime, 1 Tbsp. (packed) light brown sugar, and 1 tsp. grated peeled ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low simmer. Cook until glaze thickens and reduces slightly, about 10 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, heat a gas grill to medium-high, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season four 5-6-oz. skin-on salmon fillets with 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Oil the grill grate with vegetable oil. Place salmon, skin side up, on grate and grill until just opaque in center, 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to a platter. Drizzle fish with barbecue glaze and sprinkle with 1 large finely chopped scallion.
--Recipes by Christina Stanley