I’ve never been to South Carolina, but now I want to go. And I want to go in Windviel’s cool blue Mustang GT, so he can point out all the amazing places he’s visited on the backroads of his truly beautiful state, as described in words and pictures for more than a year on Mustang Rolling. “This is an album which will chronicle a rolling joy which has come my way in the right form, at the right time of my life,” Windviel says. “Earlier on it would have wrecked me and I it. Who I am and what I think are far less important than sharing the sights to which this joyful teaming is taking me.” Chief among the Mustang’s discoveries: Mom and Pop barbecue joints, off the beaten track and described in loving detail – the architecture, the ambience, and the food. Oh, the food. I’m already salivating for the traditional SC barbecue and butter beans at McCabe’s. Take me, please.

Nothing goes better with grilled foods than a nice, cold brewski, right? Well, it ain’t necessarily so. The most recent round of Wine Blogging Wednesday asked that timeless question: What wines work well with barbecue? In part, that depends on what you’re grilling up. Big steaks need big reds, seafood plays well with fruitier whites, and a lovely rose may bridge the gap. But hey, don’t discount (so to speak) the occasional box wine.

Whatever your predilections, some 24 food-focused bloggers have stepped up to share their favorite grill-friendly grapes. Cheers!

Helpful shopcasting is informed at least as much by failures as successes. Pro BBQista Robert at WhiteTrashBBQ gave these Duraflame Quick Coals a test run, against his (maybe justified) prejudice against quick coals. The verdict? Waxy smell, lots of ash and coals that barely last long enough to grill some shrimp. Just goes to show, sometimes it pays to stick to the tried and true.

Loyal readers may have noticed that we’re crazy for grilling this summer. But that’s only partially a function of our own love for smoky, juicy, char-broiled foods. Ruth at Once Upon a Feast is always on the hunt for great grilling recipes, and shares some successes from a new cookbook, Grill! At last, a book that insists that every article of food be streaked with black stripes.

We at ThisNext are big believers in the great outdoors, at least as much of it as can be contained within our picket fence. Even though the heat is on, we still want the comfort of homemade pizza, so we’re way into this grilltop pizza stone. Fresh, summer ingredients and a crisp crust, all without sweating over a hot oven. (via Outblush)

For the true minimalist, a monolithic bbq spanning half the deck with all the bells and whistles (see NYT’s Pimp My Grill) is just about the ultimate modish nightmare.

At ThisNext we shopcast for all aesthetics - so minimalists, this is for you. Eat your hearts out:

Piet Hein Eek Barbeque [via RE.]

 

Grilliput BBQ [via Charles & Marie] 

 

…For a hilarious and well, amazing list of barbeques for EVERY aesthetic, check out Neat-o-rama’s Top 10 BBQ list. 

Something to pair with your yummy lycopene-loaded watermelon salad this Independence Day: a marinade that may actually lower cholesterol compounds in your barbecued food. Nine Dejanvier at The Cardio Blog shares some recent study findings that soaking meat in a water/sugar/soy sauce marinade may prevent the formation of damaging “cholesterol oxidation products” (or COPs). Here’s why:

“These marinade ingredients act as antioxidants that prevent body cell damage by neutralizing COPs. Soy sauce also contains isoflavones, a COP blocking nutrient. Though the sugar may add a few extra calories, the researchers note, only a small amount of salt is added— and overall the marinades benefits are both healthful and tasty.”

We’re smack in the middle of the grillingest week of the whole year. Every July 4 weekend, millions of coal jockies put the spurs to burgers, steaks, chicken, you name it. But for those looking for something a little different than A-1 or teriyaki sauce in a bottle, San Francisco chef Scott Youkilis shares a recipe for grilled green onion and tomatillo relish, recently published as part of a roundup of grill-friendly condiments in the San Francisco Chronicle. As Youkilis says, you can’t reinvent a ribeye, but you sure can reinvent steak sauce. Why settle for standard, when you can make a better steak?

Great grilling starts with the grill itself, and how you prepare your meat of course makes a huge difference. But as always, the devil’s in the details. Amy spotted these snazzy Seasoned Skewers which infuse flavors like Honey Bourbon, Thai Coconut Lime, Citrus Rosemary, and Garlic Herb into your grillables from the inside out. That’s so us — going the extra step to turn good into great!

As a recovering vegetarian, what I don’t know about the various cuts of beef could fill a room. Every time I go to the market, I am dazzled by the array of shiny, red slabs of meat just screaming to be seared, grilled, braised and barbecued. But which cut is good for what?

Do what I do: askRuth. Ruth easily and efficiently outlines what the best uses are for each cut of beef — with photos to boot. Thanks to Ruth, you can be sure you’ll end up with brilliant brisket and super sirloin.

Anyone can buy a hunk of beef, but making that beef better is what beefy bloggers — and ThisNext — are all about.

Gotta keep going with the barbecue theme. Nothing says summer like beer and meat. Sure, you could run out and get yourself a brand-spanking-new smoker and a keg for your next backyard grillfest, but that might set you back a couple large. On the other hand, you could make your very own of each out of readily available items out of the hardware store. MAKE Magazine’s blog offers up tips on making a smoker from a trashcan, grill grate, iron skillet and a hot plate. And if you’ve got an empty three-liter bottle, a cooler, some tubing and a tap handy, you’re well on your way to kegdom. Cost of components of your new wares: $50. Gas to get to and from hardware store: $3.50. Boasting rights over your hand-made contraptions: Priceless.

We love that you don’t necessarily have to drop bank to get what you want, and MAKE’s dedication to the cause brings new meaning to the word “value.” Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some pork chops just begging to be smoked.