For all my broke college peeps, you too can throw a jammin’ barbeque.
I followed these few tips during my Labor Day weekend BBQ, and my squad of seven chowed down on a home-cooked family meal.
1. Search for the Deals
Let’s be real. You can’t have a real BBQ without the meat. Unfortunately, large cuts of meats tend to run a high price. If you search around on websites for stores like Kroger, Walmart and Aldi, you can compare prices before you shop. If you go in the middle of the week, meat prices tend to be cheaper. Personally, I like to check out the German discount store, Aldi, for all my grocery needs. I came away with a rack of ribs for under $10.
2. Assess What You Have at Home
Macaroni, cheese, butter and sauce all came from our pantry. Make sure to assess what you have before you go shopping. Ballin’ on a budget does not mean buying three things of ketchup. We had over half of our ingredients on hand before we even started. If you download the Kroger App, you can access the prices for the rest of your list so you know the approximate cost before shopping.
3. Reveal Your Secret Recipe to All of the Internet
Okay, here I go. The key to great ribs is patience.You’re going to be cooking these bad boys for a minimum of three hours. Pick a rack of pork ribs that has a good amount of fat. (I’m sorry to all my fit girls out there, sometimes you have to take one for the flavor). If you want ribs by lunchtime, you are going to have to wake up early. Slow and low makes for fall off the bone ribs, so plan accordingly. Set your oven to 250 degrees, and while the oven is preheating, season your meat. For the first two hours, a dry seasoning will work best. We used a mixture of salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning. Once your ribs have a nice coating of seasoning, throw them (covered) in the oven and let them cook for about two hours. After two hours, turn up the heat and get to basting. I like to use a sweet and smoky barbeque sauce on my ribs. Baste the ribs completely and return to a 350-degree oven for ten minutes. Repeat four to five times until your ribs have developed a nice crust. Enjoy!
4. Enlist the Help of Your Squad
Cooking in the kitchen is 10X as fun when you have friends. Turn up the tunes, and roll up your sleeves. What would have taken you four to five hours, can be quickly done with the help of many hands. Just make sure to wash them!
4. Put Down the Technology and Enjoy a Meal with Friends
It’s always important to take in the good times. If we are all stuck to our phones, then we will miss the opportunity to create inside jokes and new funny memories. So that’s what we did! Enjoy this free food imagery!