Invite Mother Nature’s Essentials ACV to the Barbeque!

It’s a fact that apple cider vinegar (ACV) makes for a great addition to a marinade and vinaigrette. What if this simply delicious and healthy vinegar could be infused into every single dish on the picnic table at your next barbecue?

Summer isn’t official without a sunny afternoon, a run through the sprinklers, a game of lawn darts and a backyard barbecue. A barbecue brings together a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, from the local farmers market. Fresh peaches and strawberries transform into luscious pies. Crunchy radishes, cucumbers, carrots and zesty bell peppers liven up a crudite. Garden to table salads and easy to prepare side dishes, plus healthy, refreshing beverages, bursting with summer flavors round out the perfect barbecue. The barbecue isn’t complete, however, without a platter of fresh-off-the-grill delights.

The concept and origins of barbecuing are anyone’s guess. Barbecue comes from the Caribbean word barbacoa, which was actually a type of wooden structure, built by Taino Indians. It served as more of a smokehouse than a grill. Barbecue would become popular in the United States around the time of the Colonial Period. The popularity of barbecued foods stretched from the Carolinas, across to Texas and up into Kansas City. Each region found a unique way to marinate, sauce and grill.

Barbecue would become as simple as the time-honored Americana-style hamburgers and hotdogs, with basic condiments and grilled buns. Effortless, affordable and always a crowd pleaser. More and more, the ever-popular plant based proteins are making appearances at barbecues. Tofu and tempeh, and wildly flavorful burgers made from grains and beans. Even the portobello mushroom is finding a way into exquisitely crafted marinades, and grilled among the staples of ribs and corn-on-the-cob!

Grab a checkered tablecloth, dust of the cooler, uncover the barbecue and get those coals heated up. Then gather around the table with your family and enjoy these inspired recipes, some good conversation and delicious foods and drinks fueled by Mother Nature’s Essentials ACV! 

The Crowd Pleaser – Crudité

When guests arrive at the barbecue they aren’t typically invited to enjoy the “raw things,” or the “rough food.” Instead, they are directed to partake in the beautiful crudité, a platter of fresh crispy and crunchy garden vegetables. The French word crudité comes from crudo, meaning raw. Small appetizer platters, sometimes referred to as the amuse bouche, a small amount of food, is served to stimulate the appetite.

At the start of a meal at a French restaurant a small plate of fresh crispy vegetables might be offered, and served with a dipping sauce or vinaigrette as a first course. What makes a crudité special is the dipping sauce. Here’s one for the books: an ACV vinaigrette that will add levels of delicious flavor to any raw vegetable.

Ingredients:

  • Fresh carrots, celery, jicama, tri-colored bell peppers, zucchini, cut into matchsticks. Raw cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, fennel, poached asparagus spears, sugar snap peas, and any other fresh crunchy vegetable.
  • For the Dip:
    • 1/4 cup white miso paste (go for a mellow flavor)
    • 1/4 cup ACV
    • 1/4 cup water
    • Good olive oil
    • Water

Slowly whisk the miso, ACV and water together. When well incorporated, whisk in 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil until the dip is to the consistency you like. If the dip gets too thick, add a little more water to thin it out. Start out with these measurements. You can always prepare a lot more of this dip after you perfect it. It’s super tasty. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.                                              

                                                                                                                                            

The Must-Have – Potato Salad

Every barbecue, in our opinion, must have a potato salad. Whether you enjoy a mayo-dressed version, or a lighter alternative, tossed in vinaigrette, potato salad is the must have at a barbecue. Potato salad was exported from both Spain and Europe, and landed on American shores with 2 very distinct preparations. The Spanish preferred boiled potatoes tossed in vinegar and herbs, while the Germans introduced us to the cool and creamy mayonnaise-kissed version. Americans would go on to adopt and adore Kartoffelsalat, the rich and creamy German recipe.

Recipes of this classic salad can include boiled egg, pickle relish, stone ground, Dijon or grainy mustard. Flavors of fresh chopped celery, green onion or dill add interesting layers of texture and bite. How the potato salad is dressed is entirely up to you. We think this tasty and healthy “Spaniard-style” ACV potato salad will have your family begging for more!

Servings: 5  /  Prep Time: 5 Minutes  /  Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2″ pieces (we like baby reds)
  • 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup ACV
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup, OR good balsamic vinegar (the sweet tangy bite is so awesome)
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 heaping teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • OR – a bouquet of fresh chopped herbs from the garden
  • Salt to taste, plus more for salting water
  • Pepper to taste

For instructions visit The ProtoPantry®

The Sidekick – Baked Beans

No matter the origin, or cultural twist, this centuries-old classic begins the same way: soaking the beans overnight, boiling the beans to tender perfection, then seasoning and saucing the beans with layers of delicious flavor. From Cuban black beans to Mexican Borracho beans; Boston baked beans to good old fashioned BBQ beans, every cookout has a pot of this popular dish front and center next to the platter of grilled proteins and vegetables.

The difference in the preparation of traditional BBQ baked beans from other recipes, is the addition of a rendered fat as the base flavor. Bacon, back fat or lard are usually the go to fats. If you’re vegan, a pure vegetable oil, like Avocado, Safflower or Olive, blended with smoked paprika and a smoked pepper makes a super tasty “lard” or “fat rendered” substitute.

Servings: 5  /  Prep TIme: 5 Minutes  /  Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into small strips or cubes
    • OR1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika & your choice of 1 smoked Poblano, 2 Smoked Serrano OR 1 smoked Chipotle pepper, blended.
  • 1 tart apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2¼ cups dried beans – Navy or Great Northern
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
    • OR 3-4 oz of tomato paste (the sugar free2) version!)
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
    • Adjust the sweetness to your liking
    • OR substitute 1/4 cup maple syrup (adds an ultimate extra layer of flavor)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1-2 tablespoons ACV
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Make sure to rinse the beans thoroughly and soak overnight. Cover the top of the beans with a least three inches of water so they soak evenly.

When rendering bacon:

  • Cook it in a cast iron skillet over medium heat for about 8 minutes. The fat will melt and the bacon will be almost crispy.

Vegan rendered version:

  • Heat the blended mixture on medium-low.

Stir in the apple and onion to the skillet. When the apples are still a bit crisp, add the beans and give it a good stir. Next in the pot go the rest of the ingredients. After the beans reach a simmer, transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!