Whether you're arranging it at home or looking for it at a restaurant, Chicago barbecues are the perfect way to welcome spring and summer.
After a long, Chicago winter, there is nothing more appropriate than a massive, outdoor barbecue to herald the incoming of spring. However, if you are unfamiliar with this style of culinary celebration, deciding on the details (what to serve, how to serve it, etc.) can be quite a daunting task. For this reason, there is the "Chicago Guide to Barebcuing," as follows.
First of all, you should decide what you want to serve. You have much more versatility in this respect than you may realize. For example, while most people restrict their barbecues to pork or poultry, there are also successful beef and lamb recipes, such as "Honey Lamb Chops" or "Grilled Lamb Kebabs." Some people even add a little bit of unexpected flair to their barbecues by barbecuing the less common duck or game bird. You should choose the meat dish based on both the tastes of the people in attendance (lamb, for example, is less popular in crowds that chicken) and also based on the equipment you have. If your grill is small, lamb kebabs might be the most appropriate.
There are two main types of barbecues: charcoal and gas. Most people who prefer charcoal grills do so because they like the smell of the meat cooking over hot coals. There is also something strangely appealing about getting the fire started by yourself and having to maintain it/tend to it while the meat cooks. Those who prefer gas grills, however, might be attracted to them because of their precision and ease. With a gas grill, all you have to do is push a button to initiate the cooking, and there is relatively no mess to clean up afterward (unlike a charcoal grill). While a gas grill is recommended for beginners, there is nothing more authentically barbecue-style than a charcoal grill.
Now, consider the location for your barbecue. Because you've been cooped up inside your house all winter by Chicago snow storms, take advantage of the great outdoors as much as you can. If it's a sunny day, don't even set up the tables underneath a tarp or in your garage; set the entire display out in the middle of the blissful, summer-style Chicago sun. If you do this, however, keep in mind that you'll have to look after the food and refreshments with an attentive eye. If you want to serve the drinks outside, it would be best to do so in a cooler. Additionally, if you have sauces set out in the sun, you'll need to change them often to lower the risk of food poisoning. Investing in a few citronella candles would not be a bad idea, either, given the distinct allure of a sweet barbecue sauce for bugs.
If you cannot have the barbecue at home in your backyard (there's something attractive about this just in that it appeals to the grand 'philosophy' of a family-oriented, intimate barbecue), consider a local park. Often, they will let you use their charcoal grills for free or for a small fee, and with the expanse of a public park, you can invite even people you don't particularly like-- there will be room.
Once you have the equipment, the main meat, and the location figured out, try to determine the sauce. The sauce that you choose to serve at your barbecue will establish the entire mood, and thus should not be decided upon casually. You can have classic tomato-based sauces, sweet & sour sauces, or the more exotic (and less common) mayonnaise-based curry sauces. If this is your first Chicago barbecue, you might try to stick to the standard sweet & sour sauce with perhaps a little honey-mustard on the side for any guests who want to try something slightly different.
The rest of the food served should be simple and straightforward. Take advantage of the grill for appetisers with grilled artichokes or other vegetables, and a case of iced beer or soda cans will take care of the drink element for most guests. If there are vegetarians on your guest list and they won't even eat seafood, cater to their interests with smoked tomato sandwiches (just smoke the tomatoes and then slap them in between two pieces of bread with some lettuce and goat cheese) or increase the selection and quantity of the vegetable appetizers. Finally, no barbecue would be complete without coleslaw. If you're running out of time, no one will hold it against you if you use the store-bought coleslaw.
If all of this planning and preparation strikes you as too much of a hassle, Chicago offers much in the way of barbecue restaurants. Though the city is famous for its deep-dish pizza, most of these same pizza places also serve barbecue, such as Chicago's Best Pizza & Pasta. Additionally, there is the small, local chain of Leon's BarBQ Restaurant, which includes soups and salads on its expansive, barbecue-based menu. Most of these restaurants have plenty of room for private parties, so you can even bring the whole family.
Homemade or restaurant-bought, there is nothing like Chicago barbecue.
