Sweet Mango Pickle Relish (Hot Dog Condiment)

The last time I served hot dogs, I made sure to put out a spread of relish, mustard and ketchup. But I also made a beet goat cheese sauce that tasted out of this world. Last night, we grilled smoked apple chicken sausages and I felt like preparing another unique condiment.

I settled on giving a tropical twist to ordinary relish. I mixed diced mangoes, red onions, jalapeño pepper and capers with the pickles. The sweetness and explosion of flavors from the mango and capers were an instant hit.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

I'm a huge fan of fall-off the bone, super tender beef ribs. My trick is to marinate them overnight with (I used an Asian pear purée and ground papaya mixture) to tenderize the meat. The following day, I cooked them, wrapped in aluminum foil, for several hours in a slow cooker. Lastly, I smothered them in barbecue sauce and place them on a barbecue grill.

July 4th isn't the same without beef ribs. I don't make them that often because I find it quite time-consuming and the result is pretty meager for the amount of work. What I mean by that is that there is very little meat falling off the bone. What can I say, I'm very greedy when it comes to eating meat! Purists will probably think it's wrong to par-boil or steam the ribs in a slow cooker because flavors are lost. But the slow cooker method guarantees that they turn out very tender.

BBQ Menu for Independence Day

Grilling in not just for hot dogs and hamburgers anymore. I cook veggie dishes and even desserts on the bbq to satisfy the varying diets of my family. I've put together a list of some of my favorite dishes that go on the coals, and those that go great with them. So get your barbecue gear out and have fun!

Korean BBQ Beef Ribs

Even though the weather wasn't as sunny as I would have expected, we still used our barbeque grill this weekend. Specifically, we grilled 3 pounds of Korean-style beef ribs. We devoured and licked every piece until there were only bones left. I buy beef ribs at a local Korean store; you'll notice there are 3 types of ribs. I always choose the most tender one, which is the most expensive. In addition to the finest quality of meat, I always marinate the meat with a sweet tenderizer: Asian pear. I've used papaya paste in the past as well as buttermilk, but I find that the fruit purée adds a pleasant sweetness to the grilled meat dish.

I usually serve these with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice and pickled cabbage on the side. However, I would recommend eating them in moderation because of they're high in cholesterol.

Hot Dog Condiment Recipe

If you're planning on a barbecue this Memorial Day weekend, hot dogs might be part of your menu. Hot dogs, along with hamburgers, are the symbol and epitome of American food. The concept here is as simple as it is delicious: a sausage tucked in a long piece of bread.

Of course, I like to have fun with my food. I made my own version using garlic and spinach chicken sausages and a couple of unusual condiments. I used beet goat cheese sauce and a goat cheese spread made with French pickles (called cornichons), chives, curly parsley and mustard. It made for a refreshing change from regular ketchup and mustard. I could eat them by the dozen!