Calgary Co-op wants to help you be at your BBQ best this summer. We believe that starts with fresh, local ingredients for your grill with a dash of inspiration! Local is easy to find; look for the green Best From the West tags in-store and our BBQ with the Best display with all of the essentials in one place. Check back here often for BBQ tips tricks and recipes all summer long. We would love to see how you #BBQwiththebest this summer so don’t forget to share your tips, tricks and of course, inspiring photos!
Meet the people and products from around Western Canada that you find in our stores. With every visit to Calgary Co-op, you’re supporting Alberta agriculture, Western Canada products and the hardworking people behind it.
We are committed to supporting Alberta producers. Look in our meat section for Only Alberta Black Angus Beef, chicken, and lamb, produced by Albertans for Albertans.
Explore the world of BBQ through the four most common styles: Texas, Carolina, Memphis and Kansas City. With rich flavours, hickory notes, dry rubs and more you'll learn each style inside and out, plus tips and tricks to keep you at your #BBQBest this season!
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Fish Kabobs
Always make sure your grill is preheated before you start cooking—a hot grill will prevent food from sticking.
Keep a spray bottle filled with water close by to tame flare-ups, which can be caused by dripping fat.
When taking the temperature of your meat, make sure the thermometer doesn’t touch bone, which can conduct heat more efficiently and provide an inaccurate reading.
Toss frozen pizza or fresh dough directly on a hot grill. Then turn with tongs, top with sauce and toppings, reduce the heat to low and close the lid. This will create an oven-like environment to melt the cheese as it finishes cooking in about 10 minutes.
Let steaks develop a nice crust on the bottom before flipping them—let them sit, undisturbed, for a few minutes, without moving them around.
Soak the skewers first, and then wrap the exposed ends in foil to keep them from burning on the barbecue. You could also line them up along the front of the grill, so that the handles of the skewers are sticking out over the dials, rather than over the he
The key to cooking vegetables directly on the grill is keeping the heat on the low side. Use large chunks of oiled peppers, thickly sliced onion or winter squash, or thread large cubes onto flat metal skewers — they make grilling vegetables a breeze.
Cook burger patties in a large, heavy skillet set on the grill or on bricks over hot coals. After flipping them, top with cheese, and loosely cover with foil to help it melt as the burgers finish cooking through.
If cooking burgers on the grill makes you nervous, try grilling thick slices of cold (cooked) meatloaf - it’s a great way to reheat leftovers, and they taste just like burgers!
Toss fresh mussels and clams directly on the grill in their shells; it will take about 5 minutes. Discard any that don’t open. Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan on the back of the grill to drizzle overtop.
When you’re brushing chicken or other grilled meats with a sweet sauce, like bottled barbecue sauce, brush it on toward the end—the sugar it contains can cause it to burn quickly.
Toss lemon halves cut-side-down on the grill alongside; they will get smoky and charred, and soften so that they will squeeze more easily, and release more juice over your fish or seafood.
Salty, briny semi-firm halloumi cheese can be cut into slabs and cooked directly on the grill - or in a small cast iron skillet set over an open flame or nestled into hot coals.
Turn your fire pit into a charcoal grill this summer. Large rocks or bricks can create a platform for a skillet.
Easy overnight cooking: wrap squash or eggplant in foil and tuck into a dying firepit. Roasted veggies by morning!
Try making cedar planked brie cheese for an easy summer appetizer on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is warm and starting to ooze.
Want authentic Indian flavour? Warm naan bread on the grill, or cook fresh dough for taste just like the tandoor. For garlic naan, crush a clove of garlic into a ramekin of oil or butter to brush over both sides. Sprinkle with salt before serving.
Place a butterfly chicken, skin side down, on the cooler side of preheated grill, then place a cast-iron skillet on top. Close the lid for 10-15 mins (skin is browned & crisp) Turn chicken over, replace skillet & grill until leg joints move freely (165°F)
Easy tip for BBQ roasted veggies on the grill: use foil pie plates—they also corral small pieces!
