Vegetarians at the BBQ

It would seem that nowadays there are a lot of options for vegetarians. Meatless alternatives seem to abound everywhere, from the neighborhood deli, to the sushi shop, to the hamburger joint. The hamburger joint? Yes, you heard correctly. With the introduction of several brands of meatless burgers,? vegetarians can brave the very den of carnivorous pleasure. Once viewed as an eccentric oddity, vegetarians have moved from the fringe to the mainstream. However, the truth is, all too often the meatless menu option isn't vegetarian at all?it's just a menu item, minus the meat. Unfortunately, a white hoagie bun topped with iceberg lettuce, pickles, onions, mayonnaise, and mustard is about as unappealing to the vegetarian as it is to the carnivore counterpart.

So what about the vegetarian at the barbecue?

With its increased popularity, it's highly likely you have friends or family members who've adopted this lifestyle. Don't let this cause you angst the next time you invite them over for barbecue sauce. With the tips below, you can be assured they'll be licking their fingers and singing your praise as enthusiastically as your steak-loving comrades.
The first rule of thumb when barbecuing for vegetarians is that veggies are not just a sideshow anymore. Don't doom your vegetarian guests to pick and choose among the sides to make their meals. Potato salad, relish plates, and devilled eggs? Consider. You offer steak, chicken, and fish to your meat-loving friends, but the vegetarian in attendance is offered only corn on the cob? Lame! If you want to really impress your vegetarian guests, you want to offer at least one meat-free main dish. While there are a few meat substitutions out there I advise you to think outside the box. A quick search on the internet will reveal literally hundreds of bbq recipes for preparing veggies on the grill. A short-list of the easiest to prepare, and most popular vegetables would include potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and zucchini. If you're willing to put in a little more effort, you can prepare a bowl of pasta to serve with the grilled veggies. Don't blame me if your meat-loving friends fill up on this entrée and you have to make more!

LONG-HANDLED GRILLING TOOLS

Anyone who has tried to flip burgers with a table fork knows the sting of first-degree burns and the smell of singed hair. To avoid this amateur mistake, find bbq tools with the longest handles you can. Make sure the grip is made of wood, plastic, ceramic, or some other heat-resistant material. Also make sure the grip material completely surrounds the handle, not just sandwiches the metal between two grip pieces. Heat from the grill quickly travels up the metal handles of the tools, and can burn your hand if you're not careful.
The basic barbecue tool set includes a spatula, tongs, and turning fork. Make sure the tongs are spring loaded so you can operate them with one hand. Another long-handled tools you'll want is a long-handled basting brush. This is often overlooked, but during grilling and barbecuing you often have to baste the meat at least once or more while it's cooking. If you try to baste it with the short little basting brush from your kitchen, you'll have a hot, nasty surprise waiting for you. Look for the silicon-bristled basting brushes, as natural hair and nylon bristles tend to melt or burn.