It isn’t a true barbecue without all of the traditional sides, everyone knows that. And this year I kicked it up a notch with my take on homemade coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad and last but not least, skillet baked beans. And you know the funny thing about all of these side salads (besides the beans of course)? They all use the same main ingredients: Veganiese/mayo, mustard and sugar. Easy breezy.
We kicked off our barbecue week on Monday with the best ever grilled veggie burgers and peppercorn crusted beef burgers (which are to-die-for, if I do say so myself…well okay, I’m taking the Mr.’s word for it on the beef burgers). And yesterday, we shared a few of our top must-haves for anyone hosting the barbecue this Memorial Day weekend. But today may be my favorite of all simply because I could live off of sides alone, and a barbecue always has THE BEST sides.
The thing about all of these side salads is it’s really all about how you like it, and you can adjust the recipes accordingly to make them creamier/spicier/soupier/etc. truly making each one your own. For example I like my coleslaw like KFC‘s…(#noshame) nice and dressing loaded and my potato salad more on the mustardy side.
And lastly, the only side that doesn’t include copious amounts of mayo…my skillet baked beans. They’re just as divine as they sound. There’s something about the sweet BBQ flavor alongside the tangy side salads that’s just second to none. This year, I chose the the cast-iron skillet over the Big Green Egg rather than the oven, and being a vegetarian, I actually smoked the bacon and put it on the side for guests to add if they prefer. I also changed up my recipe a bit this year by adding green peppers and onions, which I hadn’t done before. But after reading and taste testing a few different recipes, I decided it was a great addition to an already winning recipe.
Stay tuned as we round out our barbecue week here on the blog, just in time for all of your Memorial Day party dreams! Truly, MKR
- 2 pounds scrubbed, new red potatoes
- 2 bunches of chives finely chopped
- 1 green pepper finely diced
- 3-4 stalks of celery finely chopped
- 1 jalepeno finely diced (optional)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup dijon mustard
- 2 Tabelspoons sugar
- salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
- In a large bowl smash the potatoes, leaving skin on. Add all of the ingredients and mix. Chill or serve at room temperature...your call!
- I often cook my potatoes in the crock pot the day before and let cool overnight
- 1/2 head green cabbage finely diced
- 1/2 head of red cabbage finely diced
- 3-4 large carrots finely diced
- 1 cup Vegenaise (or mayo if you don't want to go vegan)
- 1/4 cup digon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- Salt, pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
- Add all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
- 3-4 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced green pepper
- 1/2 cup diced red pepper
- 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 cup mayonnaVegenaise (or mayo)
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- Salt, pepper, cayenne plus more to taste
- In a large bowl mix all of the above ingredients until well combined. If dry keep adding a bit more mayo, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper till it tastes right. Chill for an hour before serving.
- 1 medium onion, cut into small dice
- 1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
- 3 large cans baked beans
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices of bacon cooked and chopped into bits (optional)
- In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat heat oil, add onions and peppers sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer.
- Transfer skillet to the grill and grill until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.
