Cookout

Caprese salad is the world's best use of tomatoes and possibly the world's best salad. This classic summer dish from the Island of Capri off the west coast of Italy is the essence of August on a plate.

Chicagoans, renowned for our worship of the all beef frankfurter, understand that ketchup is popular with children because they like sweet stuff. But if you are over 18, never, ever allow ketchup anywhere near a proper hot dog in Chicago.

On July 18, 1936, the 13 foot hot dog started cruising the streets of Chicago and the Midwest. It is considered one of the most successful marketing gimmicks in history.

The first step to becoming a great outdoor cook is to master your instrument, and the best way to do this is to calibrate it with dry runs. No food needed.

It's the time of the year for Dad to go out and immolate his paycheck, turning succulent pieces of meat and crunchy fresh veggies into hockey pucks and piles of ash.

A Cambro is an indispensable tool to caterers. But you don't need to buy a restaurant grade Cambro, you probably have one in the garage.

Beans are a great source of nutrition, and they play an important part in American regional cooking and culture. Here are the basics a cook needs to know about beans.

The secret, and it is not much of a secret anymore, is to eat what is fresh and in season. Mussels are in season at Superbowl time and a super bowl of them is sure to be a hit at your party.

Maybe some are just discovering this Southern staple, but this down home traditional folkways cheese spread has always been big. Especially on Ritz Crackers at game time.

Read more recipes, techniques, tips, product reviews, and reports from Meathead's kitchen and grill deck at AmazingRibs.com A note to vegetarians ...

Here are some of the coolest tools I've tested over the past year. If there's an outdoor cook in your family, put any of these under the tree and you will eat better as a result.

On Sunday the McRib sandwich vanished until who knows when. A culinary sleight of hand mixed with marketing magic and millions of adoring fans, hotcakes wish they sold this well.

I recently had some great garlic mashed in a restaurant, without gravy, and they were so delicate, mellow, and sweet. I immediately went to work trying to duplicate them. But I failed. READ MORE Soused Apple Sauce Better than the Jar Sweet & Savory Sweet Potato Steak Fries The Ultimate Turkey: Smoked (or Not).

Fruits take to booze as eagerly as a frat boy on his 21st birthday. Depending on which type of booze you choose and how long you cook it, you can vary the flavor a lot. READ MORE No Marshmallows! Sweet & Savory Sweet Potato Steak Fries The Ultimate Turkey: Smoked (or Not)

This recipe produces crisp shards of deliciousness that are still sweet, but not so sweet they should be dessert. Even if you cook them indoors in an oven, they are darn tasty.

This is no ordinary turkey preparation, pilgrims. Follow these detailed steps and you will never have a dry, stringy, cardboardy, boring bird again.

If you like grilled chicken with golden crispy skin, say "thank you, to Bob Baker."

I call this my "Controlled Burn Hot Sauce" because it has a serious kick, but it also has strong pepper flavor, is very complex, and it works well as an ingredient in barbecue sauces or other dishes.

If you love the crunchy, thick walled, salty, sour, spicy, herbaceous treats like I do, wait til you see how easy they are to make. This technique is almost foolproof.

The Wisconsin brat tub combines two local faves: Brats & beer. In the typical brat tub the meat is simmered in beer, then grilled. But so much flavor is left behind in the beer. READ MORE How to Make Cootie-Free Jerky The Most Wonderful & Unusual Pie: Purple Passion Concord Grape Pie

The thought of storebought jerky and all its preservatives is almost as unappetizing as eating the well-worn gown from the Gaga collection. So here's how to make your own simple and delicious jerky.

Concords are vitis labrusca, the grape variety that was found growing wild in North America by the Native Americans. It has a powerful, distinctive flavor that we all know and love.