Catering Menu and Event Services UPDATED 01/2021

CONTACT  MIKE'S FOR YOUR HOLIDAY CATERING NEEDS

***Recommended average serving size: Salads - 4 oz. per lb. and Meats - 4 oz. per lb.***

Bring the flavor home with you.  Mike’s Santa Fe Seasoning is perfect on ribs, burgers, chicken, seafood and anything else you can throw on the grill. Made with quality spices and no MSG or sodium added.

All major credit cards accepted.

All prices subject to change without notice.
All local taxes will be added to total bill.

---

Prices shown reflect pick-up service only, delivery, set-up, and serving are additional.

---

WE DO NOT ADD GRATUITY TO YOUR BILL. WE LEAVE IT UP TO YOU.

Ask about our Military, Police and Fire Departments Discounts

Smoked meats are perfect for any occasion Slow Cooked using seasoned wood and chemical free lump charcoal for a great smoked flavor.

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE 

BEEF

Beef Brisket                                                    $16.00/lb.
Top quality beef brisket seasoned with Mike's Santa Fe Seasoning Rub slowed smoked overnight.
1 Pound  Serves 3-4 People

Beef Kabob                                                     $11.00

Mike’s Smoked Meatloaf                             $12.00/lb.
1 Pound Serves 3-4 People

Smoked Prime Rib                                          Call for Pricing

Steak Fry                                                          Call for Pricing

PORK

Pulled Pork                                                      $12.00 /lb.
Fresh pork shoulder seasoned with Mike's Santa Fe Seasoning Rub slowed smoked overnight.

Smoked Sliced Pork Loin                                $12.00/lb.
Seasoned with Mike's Santa Fe Seasoning Rub slowed smoked moist, sliced thin ready to serve.
1 Pound Serves 3-4 People

Wild Pig Wings   (1/4 Lb. each)                     $4.00 each   (Bone-In Pork Shanks) 

Pulled Pork BBQ Nachos                                $9.00 
Crisp tortilla chips topped with our pulled pork , diced tomatoes, diced onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa,  and peppers.

Baby Back Ribs (Full Rack)                              $20.00

This is our most tender cut of pork rib.  Seasoned and smoked to perfection. 
Serves 2-4 People

Smoked Bone-in Hams                                    Call for Pricing
1 Pound Serves 3-4 People

Honey Smoked Boneless Hams                      Call for Pricing 
1 Pound Serves 3-4 People

Fresh Hams                                                       Call for Pricing
1 Pound Serves 3-4 People

Hog Roast                                                          Call for Pricing
1 Pound Per Serving

Pork Kabob                                                   $9.00

POULTRY

Fresh Chicken 3 ½ lb.                                      $12.00
Fresh Chicken rubbed with olive oil and Mike's
Santa Fe Seasoning, then slow-roasted until tender and juicy.

Gourmet Chicken 3 1/2 lbs.                        $14.00
Cilantro, lemon and apple stuffed in cavity.
Fresh Chicken rubbed with olive oil and Mike's
Santa Fe Seasoning, then slow-roasted until tender and juicy.

Smoked Sliced Turkey  Breast                       $12.00 per lb.

Smoked Chicken Wings                                  Call for Pricing Dozen

Chicken Legs and Thighs                            Call for Pricing
1 Pound Serves 1-2 People

Chicken Kabob                                                   $8.00

Smoked or Grilled Turkey                                Call for Pricing

Smoked Turkey Legs                                         Call for Pricing

FISH And WILD GAME

Fresh Smoked Fish                                          Market Price

Wild Game upon request

SIDES

Mike’s Smoked Cheesy Mac and Cheese   $7.49
8 Pound 1/2 Pan Serves 20-28 People     
16 Pound Full Pan Serves 40-50 People      

Mike’s Smoked Baked Beans                      $5.99/lb.
7 Pounds 1/2 Pan Serves 20-28 People
14 Pounds Full Pan Serves 40-50 People

Mike’s Smoked Meatballs                            $12.00/lb.

Homemade Cheesy Mashed Potatoes                            $6.25/lb.

Homemade Green Beans w/Bacon and Garlic               $7.49/lb.

Homemade Creamy Cole Slaw                                          $5.99/lb.

Mustard Potato Salad                                  $5.49/lb.

Tortellini Pasta Salad                                    $7.49/lb.

Homemade Italian Pasta Salad                  $7.49/lb.

Homemade Three Bean Salad                    $5.99/lb.

German Potato Salad                                    $5.99/lb.

Fruit Salad                                                       Call for Pricing 

Fresh Fruit Trays                                             Medium  $75.00, Large  $100.00

Veggie Trays 
Includes:  Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Cauliflower, Grape Tomatoes and dip

Medium/includes 1 Dip (Feeds 10-15) $55.99
Large/includes 2 Dips (Feeds 20-25) $65.99                                   

                    

Corn on the cob (seasonal)                          $1.00

BUNS AND BREADS

Hamburger Buns (16 Count)                       $3.50

Hot Dog Buns (16 Count)                             $3.60

Dinner Rolls   (Per Doz.)                               $6.00

Gluten Free                                                   Call for Pricing

Slider Rolls                                                     Call for Pricing

DESSERTS

Homemade Cupcakes                              $1.50 Per Person

Cookies, Pies and Cakes                           $1.50  Per Person

Contact Mike For Specialty Cakes and Desserts

Catered Event Services

Formal or Casual

Plates, utensils, and napkins @ $1.00 per person

Food warmers, chafing pans, serving pans, spoons, tongs, condiments, included in set-up quote.

Also available: Buffet tables, 2- 10’x10’ tents, and serving trailer.. We serve all of our food on a buffet line. This allows your guests to see the food available and select what they would like to eat. Some of our meats  are sliced to serve for your guests at a carving station.

We treat each catered event as its own event. Since no two events are alike, no two menus would be alike.  We customize a menu to our clients requests, based on the meats, sides, and services desired. This allows us to customize the price for each client.  This also allows us to offer the most competitive prices as we can and pass on savings where possible

Leftover Food When we are on location to serve food, we usually carry more than we expect to serve. As a professional catering company, we never
want to run out of food.  Due to this fact, in most cases we have leftovers. We are more than happy to leave
you with the leftovers if you have a refrigerator that they can be placed into.  Our health department regulations do not allow us to simply leave the food in a non temperature controlled environment.

The meat looks pink and under cooked, what is that from?A: What you see is the pink "smoke ring"  This occurs when meat is cooked with 100% wood, and is a good thing!  All of our meats are cooked to proper temperatures before serving

Mike's Lunch Menu 2021

SANDWICHES

SMOKED BEEF BRISKET                      $8.50

   SMOKED PULLED PORK                       $6.50 

SMOKED SLICED TURKEY BREAST  $6.50

BEEF FRANK                                            $4.50

     SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS 

1/4 RACK (3 MEATY BONES)                 $5.50

   1/2 RACK (6 MEATY BONES)                 $10.50

    FULL RACK                                               $20.00

LOADED BBQ NACHOS

             

 NACHO CHEESE, SALSA, SOUR CREAM, LETTUCE BBQ SAUCE AND JALAPENOS PEPPERS

   BEEF BRISKET         $11.00

                 PULLED PORK        $ 9.00            

TURKEY BREAST$    $9.00

BBQ SUNDAE  $10.00

LAYERED WITH EITHER BAKED BEANS OR MAC AND CHEESE. PULLED PORK, COLE SLAW, DILL PICKLE SPEAR AND DRIZZLED WITH BBQ SAUCE

SIDES $1.00

CHIPS

SIDES $2.00

SMOKED PULLED PORK  BAKED BEANS

 COLE SLAW

$3.00 SIDE

SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE

DRINKS $1.00

SOFT DRINKS AND WATER

PLUS LOCAL SALES TAX
**ITEMS MAY CHANGE DAILY** 

Seasonal Food Trailer

Mike's is available to serve your Catering requirements either setting up a buffet line or bringing my Food Trailer inside your facility. 

Welcome to: MIKE'S KNOT JUST RIBS AND MOBILE CATERING

WOOD FIRED SMOKED MEATS ARE PERFECT FOR ANY OCCASION YEAR ROUND

MIKE'S KNOT JUST RIBS AND MOBILE CATERING
 AVAILABLE FOR:

• CORPORATE EVENTS, LUNCHES AND DINNERS
• TAILGATE PARTIES
• FAMILY REUNIONS
• BIRTHDAY PARTIES
• NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES
• WEDDING RECEPTIONS
• GRADUATION PARTIES
• GOLF OUTINGS
• CHURCH FUNCTIONS
• BUSINESS GRAND OPENINGS
• HOLIDAY PARTIES
• AND MUCH MORE

CALL MIKE TODAY TO BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT
Cell 309.360.1298
email: mikesknotjustribs@gmail.com

BECOME A FRIEND OF MIKE'S ON FACEBOOK

MIKE'S KNOT JUST RIBS FAN CLUB

MIKE'S KNOT JUST RIBS INC. AND MOBILE CATERING

C/O MIKE THERRY

1105 Diane Lane

Pekin, Il  61554 

MIKE'S RECENT AND UPCOMING CATERING EVENTS

• HGS
• 
  
• Morton Buildings
• Power Solutions Motorcycles
• Perti Auctions
• Palmer Auctions
• Pekin Riding Club
• Steger's Furniture
• Pekin Insurance
• Morton Farmers Market
• Pekin PaintBall Park
• Central Illinois Jazz Society
• Band Camp Pekin High School 7/30-8/1
• Pekin Insurance Food Truck Event 7/25
• Sommer Place Block Party 7/13
• Pekin's Farmers Market 6/20 & 6/27
• Northwoods Mall Food Truck Event 6/9
• WW2 Weekend Sommer Park 6/2-6/3

• Pekin Farmers Market Kick off 6/1
• Pekin Farmers Market 5/30
• Pekin Insurance Food Truck Lunch   5/16
• East Peoria Woman's Craft Fair
• Third Sunday of the month, Central Illinois Jazz Society, Trailside Event Center, Peoria Hts.
• Family Reunion, Trailside Event Center ll, Peoria Hts. July 9th.
•  Forts Toyota Hog Roast
• Alzheimer's Association, Vendor Fair at Felipe  Building, East Peoria, June 24th. 
• Graduation Party on Grandview Drive
• Pacific Ethanol Pekin (Wednesday's feeding all three shifts)
• St. Joseph 8th. Grade Graduation Party at Lake Whitehurst 
• WW2 Weekend at Sommer Park
• Birthday Celebration Trail Side Banquet Hall
• Caterpillar Division Christmas Lunch 
• Excalibur Seasoning Business After Hours
• Morton JFL Hog Roast
• North Pekin Nazarene Church Fall Luncheon
• Pekin Park District Luncheon
• Prairie Home Alliance Open House Weekend
• Sommer Place Block Party, Edwards, Il
• Pekin Main Street Car Show
• Edwards Hog Roast Private Party
• Prairie Home Alliance Sales Meeting 
• First Friday Pekin Speakeasy 
• Morton July 3rd backyard party

Stella Celebration of Life Luncheon

• Speakeasy Art Center Bridal Show 
• Williams Retirement and Birthday Party
• Sutton Floor covering Xmas Party
• Tazewell County Farm Bureau
• Midwest School District Luncheon 
• Limestone Vets Dinner, Bartonville
• SFMG Internal Medicine At Penn Ave Luncheon 
• First Friday Pekin Speak Easy
• Fort's Toyota Christmas Party
• Friday Night at Rhythm and Blues Downtown Pekin 9/18
• EAA Fly In Mt. Hawley Airport 9/12
• Pekin Friday Night Downtown, Will be Serving out of Speakeasy Center, 9/11
• Golf Outing, Lick Creek, Pekin, 9/10
• Wedding Reception, 9/19 Sommer Park, Peoria
•  Steak Fry, Canton 9/17
•  Family Picnic 8/29, Creve Coeur
•  Hog Roast Family Party, Peoria 8/28
•  Hog Roast Birthday Party, Morton 8/16
• Bazaar Old State Hospital Courtyard Bazaar Bartonville  Saturday 8/15
• Laser Electric Family Picnic 8/8 
• First Friday Pekin Speakeasy 8/7

1. Hog Roast Family Reunion Washington, IL
2. Hog Roast for Forts Toyota Pekin, 6/27
3. Hog Roast for One World Cafe Harvest to Table Luncheon 6/18
4.  Knacks 50th Wedding Anniversary Party
5. Risinger Transfer, Inc, Luncheon
6.  SC2 Employees Picnic
7. Pekin First Friday Downtown, 6/5/2015
8. Land Rover Off Site Event, 5/17/2015
9. North Pekin Marquette Hts. School District Employees Lunch, 6/2/2015
10. Price Water House Dinner Party, 5/6/2015
11. Wage Wedding Reception 5/16/2015
12. Pekin Hospital, Hospital Week Luncheon 5/14/2015
13. Midwest Central Primary School, Manito, Teachers Appreciation Luncheon
14. MIKE MILLER AUTO PARK HOG ROAST EVENT
15. RENEWAL BY ANDERSON, PEORIA, OPEN HOUSE
16. CATERED LUNCH FOR ILLINOIS AMERICAN WATER, PEKIN
17. PRAIRIE HOME ALLIANCE
18. CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR FOA  ALLERGY AND PULMONARY CLINIC CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR THE STAFF OF OFS INTERNAL MEDICINE AT PENN. AVE., PEORIA
19. TAPS FUND RAISER, PEKIN
20.  SPOON RIVER DRIVE IN FARMINGTON
21. JENKINS WEDDING RECEPTION, PEKIN
22. KNAPP JOHNSON COMPANY DINNER, MORTON
23.  SUTTON REHEARSAL HOG ROAST DINNER, DUNLAP
24. REHEARSAL DINNER AT STATE FARM PARK IN  BLOOMINGTON
25. 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY HOG ROAST FOR 100 PEOPLE, PEORIA
26. PEKIN HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES PICNIC
27. UNLAND COMPANY ANNUAL GOLF OUTING DINNER
28. LIL ADE'S BBQ DINNER FOR PEORIA BICYCLE CLUB
29. SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS (SC2) EMPLOYEE PICNIC
30. RIVER VIEW INDUSTRIAL PARK, UNITED WAY FUND RAISER, PEKIN
31. RISINGER TRUCKING LUNCHEON, MORTON
32. MICHELLE AND JAKE'S WEDDING RECEPTION, ANTIOCH. IL.
33. Fine Arts and Friends Marketplace, Three Sisters Park.
34. American Water Company, Safety Luncheon,  Pekin
35. LEXUS OF PEORIA
36. R/A HOERR, EMPLOYEES BBQ LUNCHEON
37. CATERED A NEW YEARS EVE PARTY FOR 50 PEOPLE
38. CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR THE STAFF OF OFS INTERNAL MEDICINE AT PENN. AVE., PEORIA
39. VOLUNTEERED AT CROSSROADS CHURCH AND SALVATION ARMY IN WASHINGTON, IL
40. VOLUNTEERED WITH OPERATION BBQ RELIEF IN WASHINGTON, IL
41. EMPIRE MASONIC LODGE, TURKEY DINNER, PEKIN
42. MICHEL'S U.S. SAFETY LUNCHES   
43. MILITARY UNIFORM SUPPLY, PEKIN
44. WEDDING RECEPTION 230 GUEST, MANITO
45. PROVIDENCE CHURCH, 2013 REFORMATION DAY, MORTON
46. SC2 FAMILY DAY, PEORIA
47. PRAIRIE HOME ALLIANCE , OPEN HOUSE, EAST PEORIA
48. WEDDING RECEPTION LAKE WILDWOOD, VARNA
49. PEKIN MAIN STREET FAMILY FEST
50. LICK CREEK  INVITATIONAL GOLF OUTING, PEKIN
51. LAND ROVER OF PEORIA, OFF ROAD EVENT
52. BLUE CHIP BATH REMODELING INC, GRAND OPENING, WASHINGTON
53. MEADOWS TAP, EAST PEORIA, CYSTIC FIBROSIS FUND RAISER
54. LIL ADE'S BICYCLE SHOP PEKIN, PROCTOR CYCLING CLUB
55. LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH, PEKIN. FATHERS DAY DINNER
56. TAZEWELL COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS LUNCHEON
57. LABORERS' LOCAL 231 GOLF OUTING DINNER, PEKIN
58. WW2 REENACTMENT IN PEORIA
59. SCHOOL DISTRICT 102 EMPLOYEES LUNCH
60. WEDDING SHOWER AT RESIDENCE, WEAVER RIDGE,  PEORIA
61. GREATER PEORIA HONOR FLIGHT FUND RAISER AT JUNCTION CITY
62. S.J. SMITH CO.OPEN HOUSE, PEKIN
63. SPRINGFIELD ELECTRIC  COMPANY, EAST PEORIA
64. RAY DENNISON CHEVROLET, PEKIN
65. EXCEL FOUNDRY, PEKIN
66. TAZEWELL COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS, TREMONT
67. SCHOOL DISTRICT 102 BOARD OF EDUCATION, MARQUETTE HTS.
68. PEKIN MAIN STREET, PEKIN
1. LAKE WILDWOOD WEDDING RECEPTION

REHEATING BABY BACK RIBS

Remove foil and plastic wrap, add about 1/3 to 1/4 cup of apple juice, sprite/7up or beer over the ribs and foil wrap the ribs.
Place in a preheated  oven  between 225-250 degrees, for 20-25 minutes.  When the ribs are hot to the touch on the bottom, they are ready.

Microwave Heating

Remove foil and plastic wrap. Heat on high for 2-3 minutes. (Time will vary with power of oven.)
When the bottom middle of slab is hot, it is ready.

When reheating, it is recommended that the internal temperature be brought to 165 degrees before serving. 

Mike's Tazewell County Health Department Score 100

Monday, August 22nd., Mike's Knot Just Ribs and Mobile Catering received a Score of 100 on our Health Department Inspection.

MIKE'S SANTE FE SEASONING

YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE MIKE'S SANTE FE  SEASONING, WHICH HAS NO SODIUM OR MSG ADDED, AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

NOW AT :

PEKIN:
MAURIE'S

PEORIA:
HYVEE GRAND PRAIRIE

PEORIA HEIGHTS:
ALWAN AND SONS

OR CONTACT MIKE'S
AT 309.360.1298

Thoughtify

Making You Think

• Home
• Family
• Food
• Interest
• Get In Touch

All The Cuts Of Beef Pork And Lamb With Recommended Cooking Methods

April 6, 2016 / admin / 0 Comments

Get yourself familiar with all the cuts of your favourite meats and learn the recommended methods to cook them with these useful graphics.
Source: Beefretail.org
Source: Americanlamb.com
Source: Mmfinefoods.co.uk

Latest

• Homeschooling State Laws
• When A Cosplay Rookie Takes Awesome Cosplay Photos
• What’s the Deal With Gluten?
• Do Fish See Line?
• Traditional Axe Making Method From Sweden
• [Geneology Trick] Matching Up Nicknames With Given Names
• [How-to] The Traditional Method To Preserve Pork
• The Most Beautiful Fish In The World

Thoughtify

Thank you for visiting Thoughtify - we hope you enjoy our site. Feel free to get in touch with us to provide feedback if you like (or don't like) our site).

Copyright © 2016 • Thoughtify • Finch Theme • Privacy Policy

Mike's received Tazewell County Health Department 2014 Food Excellence Award , April 9th, 2015

"Through your due diligence, attention to detail and food safety, your facility has met all the criteria necessary to receive the 2014 Tazewell County Health Department's food service excellence award.  This is no small feat in that this year less than 10% of the 746 licensed facilities in the county were able to achieve this goal.

Again, congratulations on a job well done.  Your hard work and dedication to food service is certainly appreciated not only by us, but also by all the public you serve each and every day."

Director of Environmental Health

MIKE IS NOW ACCEPTING CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS AND DEBIT CARDS
ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED SURGE CHARGE WILL BE APPLIED:

3% ON ALL PURCHASES

FOOD SAFETY

FOOD SAFETY THE TWO HOUR RULE:

• DO NOT LEAVE PERISHABLE FOOD AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS
• AFTER THAT, IT SHOULD BE DISCARDED. NOT SAVED FOR ANOTHER TIME!
• KEEP COLD FOODS AT 41 DEGREES OR COLDER.
• PLACE ONLY ENOUGH ON THE TABLE TO LAST 30 MINUTES.
• KEEP HOT FOODS AT 140 DEGREES OR WARMER.
• BAKE SMALL BATCHES, THAN REFRIGERATE THE REMAINDER.  

Gooey Grilled Cheese on the Grill: The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

By Meathead Goldwyn

Think you're the big cheese?

Develop your own signature grilled cheese and you can compete in the annual Grilled Cheese Invitational in LA where there are four categories:
The Missionary Position. Standard white bread (no sourdough), orange cheese (Cheddar or American), and standard butter (or margarine).
The Kama Sutra. Any kind of bread, any kind of butter, and any kind of cheese plus additional ingredients (the interior ingredients must be at least 60% cheese). Campanile Restaurant in LA is famous for their creative grilled cheese sandwiches in this category. Try their gorgonzola, spiced walnuts, and honey.
The Honey Pot. Any kind of bread, any kind of butter, and any kind of cheese (the interior ingredients must be at least 60% cheese), and with an overall flavor that is sweet and would best be served as dessert. Try brie and apricot jam.

For fun and profit

Here's an idea. In 2004 the 10-year-old mold free grilled cheese sandwich show above sold at auction on eBay for $28,000 because it had light and dark areas said to resemble the Virgin Mary, although one reader says it looks more like Dorothy Lamour.
So the next time you make a grilled cheese sandwich, make a foil cutout of a religious figure and place it on the grill grates, spray it with oil, and place the bread on top. Sell the sandwich on eBay and use the proceeds to go to Switzerland and perfect your grilled Swiss cheese sandwich technique.
Or try this stencil:

Dunno why they call it "grilled" cheese 'cause most of the time it is made in a frying pan or a broiler or a toaster oven or a panini press or a George Foreman gizmo or a griddle. Ever have one made on a grill? Well you're in for a treat. Do it outdoors and you'll taste the ne plus ultra grilled cheese with golden bread, dark grill marks, and gooey cheese.
I'm going to give you the concepts and a basic recipe, but there's plenty of room for you to riff on the theme. After all, the French classic croque-monsieur made with ham and brie is a variant, as is the Reuben, the tuna melt, and even the patty melt. Here are the secrets to success.
1) Use quality cheese that melts easily. You can use one cheese or a blend of several. The standard is American cheese, but aged cheddar, is also good. Skip the Velveeta. It is probably one boson from floor tiles. If you want to veer from the norm, fontina is a great melting cheese, or try aged gruyere, Swiss, jarlsberg, ementhaler, brie, camembert, gouda, muenster, jack, all work fine. For an accent, try a small amount of tangy hard cheese that you will have to grate such as provalone, Parmigiano-Regianno, Peccorino Romano, Peccorino Toscano, or gjetost. Use 3 ounces of cheese for a regular size sandwich. Slice it thin or use the large holes on a box grater to shred it. If you grate it, pile it in from the edges so it doesn't spill out when you flip it. I like a blend of 2 ounces of soft and stringy muenster and 1 ounce sharp asiago.
2) Accent the cheese with one or two add-ins, but don't go crazy and add too many. Ham, tomato, herbs are especially good. Try prosciutto, capicola, cooked bacon, pulled pork, tomato with fresh basil leaves, pesto, pickles, pickle relish, raw onion, caramelized onion, caviar, sunny side up egg, rosemary or thyme, roasted red pepper, chipotle in adobo sauce, jalapeño or other chiles, Dijon mustard, horseradish, celery salt, black pepper, or sliced apple and pear. I've heard tell of folks using Meathead's Memphis Dust on it. I'm especially fond of capicola and minced jalapeño.
3) Use a thick flavorful bread like Texas toast, sourdough, Italian, rye, pumpernickel, or even marble bread. I like to hand slice fresh Italian bread because it has a nice crust but it does not get too hard. Rye is also a fave.
4) Melt the butter. Butter the bread lightly on the outside only, and make sure the butter goes all the way to the edges. Don't use too much or it becomes greasy. Melting the butter in a microwave (45-60 seconds on high) is an easy method. Mayo and olive oil work well too. I prefer melted butter.
5) Keep the heat down. Use medium to low heat so you don't burn the bread.
6) Grill with the cover on. It needs to toast on the bottom, but heat is needed all around to properly melt the cheese. You can cook on the grill in a pan or griddle if you wish. If you use a pan or griddle indoors, put a cover over the sandwich while it cooks. Stand by the grill and peek at the underside every minute. It can burn easily, especially if you have hgot spots. I usually use my gasser since it's quick and easy and temp control is good.
7) Flip with a plate and a spatula. Put a Plate on top and the spatula underneath. Press the two together and flip. This trick goes a long way to keeping the innards from becoming outards.
8) Serve with potato chips, tortilla chips, fries, or tots and soup. Tomato soup is classic, but split pea, tortilla soup and cream soups like cream of broccoli work well. It's tater tots and tomato soup for me.

Great Gooey Grilled Cheese Sandwich on the Grill Recipe

Makes. 1 sandwich
Preparation time. 20 minutes
Cooking time. 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 slices of fresh bread
1 tablespoon melted butter
3 ounces of good quality sharp cheddar sliced thin or shredded
4 thin slices cooked ham (about 1/8 pound)
2 pinches of fresh ground black pepper

Method

1) Setup the grill for direct cooking, but keep the temp medium on a gas grill or spread the coals out in one layer so they are not touching on a charcoal grill. You can use a griddle if you wish. In this case, crank it to high.
2) Distribute the cheese evenly on one slice and lay the ham on top. Don't let things hang over the crust or they cheese will drip off and the ham will burn. Lay the other slice of bread on top and paint a thin layer of melted butter on it with a basting brush all the way to the edges. Make sure the edges are buttered so they don't burn.
4) Clean the hot grill grates on your grill well. Get all the carbon off the surface. Use a good stiff brush, pomace stone, or a scraper. If you haven't got any of these, wad up some aluminum foil and scrub the grates. Put the sandwich on the grill, buttered side down. Press it down lightly, butter the top side, and close the lid, but don't go far. In about two minutes peak at the bottom. Get the bread golden brown or as dark as you like it, but don't burn it. Flip and repeat. If the edges char a bit, scrape off the char with a light touch on a serrated steak knife. As an alternative, put the sandwich in a pie iron and put it over the hot part of the grill.
5) Slice in half so the gooey insides show, and serve.

TAPS Thank You Note

Brew for Cue, Wine for Swine, and Booze Too

"I only like two kinds of men, domestic and imported." Mae West

By Meathead Goldwyn

Champagne with barbecue?

It's surprisingly good! It can easily be your go to for all smoky meats and a real no brainer. And nothing elevates a meal more than bubbly.

The bubbles cleanse the palate of the sweet and heat, the acidity cuts the fat, and it just makes everything more festive.

Madame Bollinger (1884 - 1977), one of the grande dames of French Champagne, said it best: "I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes, I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it if I am; Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty."

---

Halpren's tricks for pairing cocktails with barbecue

Here's what Jonas Halpren of DrinkOfTheWeek.com says about pairing cocktails with barbecue and grilled foods:
Keep it simple. You don't want to serve a cocktail with 12 ingredients and you don't want to be mixing drinks when dinner is served.
Don't go sweet. This isn't the time to break out the Appletinis and Lava Flows. While I love these sweet drinks, there is a time and place for them. Really sweet cocktails with cordials will overwhelm the food, making a sweet sauce sweeter and clashing with vinegar-based and hot sauces.
Balance. You might want to impress your guests with strong, stiff drinks (you know those cocktails with 3, 4, 5 shots), but don't do it. The booze will drown out the food. You'll also have some very drunk guests. Limit your drinks to no more than 1 1/2 ounces of base spirit.
Keep it light. Barbecue can be heavy. You want to balance that with drinks that are light and refreshing. Long drinks made with lemonade, ginger beer, and seltzer water take down the proof and add effervesce.
Brown spirits. Most spirits work with barbecue, but I hold a special place in my heart for cocktails made with brown spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum). Given that barbecue has a special place in the canon of American foods, I like to give a shout-out to Bourbon, the most American of spirits. The tannins in Bourbon, which are picked up from its aging in wood barrels, bind with the protein in the meat, softening the tannins in the spirit and providing lushness to the cocktail.

---

My living will

Last night, my wife and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on a machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug." She got up, unplugged the computer, and poured my wine down the drain.

A meal of barbecue begs for libation to wash it down, and a meal without barbecue and a drink is called breakfast.

The key in selecting the right drink to accompany barbecue is to focus on your choice of sauce because barbecue sauces are so aggressive and tend to dominate the flavor profile.

Likewise, a strong drink can easily overwhelm the subtlety of well made food. I was once the wine critic of the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, so I have no problem matching wine with food, and, although I love a wide range of beer and spirits, I am by no means an expert. So I have called in rfeinforcements. I asked Jonas Halpren of DrinkOfTheWeek.com for tips on spirits and cocktails and Marty Nachel, author of Beer Across America, Beer for Dummies, and Homebrewing for Dummies for brew recommendations.

For more on the subject, click here for websites that have good buying guides for wine, beer, and spirits.

For hot sauces

Matching drinks with hot spicey capsaicin laden food is very difficult. The best thing for putting out a capsaicin fire is lipids. Fats. A drink with fats? Milk. The next best thing to put out the fire is sweetness. The traditional choices are sweet tea, lemonade, or soft drinks, like Coke or Dr. Pepper. In any case, go low alcohol. It only flames the fire.

Brew. If the sauce is hot, reach for a beer that has a noticeable sweetness and does not have a lot of hops and its attendant bitterness. That's often a standard boring old American lager. Nachel says to "Try a Munich helles, a Marzenbier/Oktoberfest, a Vienna style beer, or an English brown ale. If you appreciate dark beers, give bock, doppelbock, or Belgian dubbel a look."

Wine. You want a chilled wine with low alcohol, light body, and a hint of sweetness, say 2 to 4%, to help cool the fire. Try a rose, blush, a New York Riesling, or a German Kabinett. German red wines are hard to find but work great with these sauces because they are fresh and fruity and have that hint of sweetness. Champagne is a good choice.

Spirits. Halpren says "Keep the booze to a minimum and think dairy. The fat in dairy is absolutely the best way to neutralize the capsaicin from hot peppers. I love Kahlua Milkshakes, Pink Squirrels, Grasshoppers, and Brandy Alexanders. It isn't often that I get to recommend them with food. Yet, here they work. Acid also works, so break out those drinks with Champagne and citrus. Orange is especially good with hot sauces, so try a Fuzzy Navel or a Harvey Wallbanger."

For sweet sauces

Brew. Go dry and hopsy. Nachel says "Consider an English Extra Special Bitter (ESB), German Schwarzbier (black beer), or an Altbier."

Wine. There are two paths to follow: (1) Go for something dry with bubbles such as French Champagne, dry American sparkling wines, or Spanish Cava, or (2) go for a big red such as a zinfandel or syrah from California or a Shiraz from Australia (shiraz and syrah are two names for the same grape).

Spirits. Halpren says "Drink a cocktail that has acidity that cuts the sweetness (lime or lemon juice, ginger beer) or is refreshing (seltzer water, lemonade). I recommend cocktails like Mojitos, Mint Juleps, the Lynchburg Lemonade (substitute any whisky, it's delicious), a Collins drink (Tom, John and Ivan all work), or a Daisy. Also, my Mom's Summertime Slush is a must, and you can make it non-alcoholic."

For hot and sweet sauces

Brew. According to Nachel, "You need the malty sweetness to offset the heat, yet you want something drier to balance the sweetness. A good Czech Pilsner or a Dortmunder will do the job."

Wine. Try sweet sparkling wines like Asti Spumante. Now all you wine snobs out there: Yes, I said Asti. Try it and quit sending me hate mail. You're why I left the wine biz."

Spirits. Go for a good brown whiskey on the rocks with a splash of water.

For vinegary sauces

Brew. Try something with some sweetness like a Belgian ale.

Wine. Riesling, gewurztraminer are good choices to soften the tartness. As above, I like Asti or other moscato based wines with vinegarry sauces. Try a Kir Royale, which is a blend of sparkling wine with creme de cassis.

Spirits. Halpren says "Vinegar is an acid and doesn't play well with others. It likes more acid. Try ginger beer based cocktails like the Dark & Stormy and the Floradora Cocktail. The vinegar will accentuate the drink without overwhelming it. The Hemingway Daiquiri is another great pick. It's not the blended, sweet drink that you think it is.  This is a citrus explosion of lime and grapefruit with rum and maraschino liqueur (also not what you are thinking).  Champagne based cocktails work well with vinegar-based sauces as well."