Dairy Free

After a lot of years of making barbecue rubs, I've used up all the good names, so sometimes I just use numbers now. Numbers 67 and 68 are a little tip of the hat to the band named after my hometown, Chicago. This one is a great all-around rub for the new barbecue cook because it's good on just about everything.

A ham may be fully cooked and usually smoked as well, but another round in the smoker and a tasty glaze really take it to the next level. The apricot-soy combo here adds a sweet/salty taste to the outside of the ham. This recipe calls for a bone-in ham, but you can easily adapt it to any cooked ham. This is a great way to impress the family for the holidays and leave the oven available for other dishes.

Sausage-wrapped "Scotch" eggs are a tasty and interesting dish when breaded and fried in the traditional manner, but cooking them on the smoker makes a very special treat. The homemade sausage gets a nice crust on the outside and, if you get it cooked just right, the egg yolk will have a little bit of ooze on the inside. Just make sure to seal the sausage all the way around the egg before smoking. I like to serve these as an appetizer, but they are also fine as a nice smoked addition to a lunch salad.

In this unusual pairing, the string beans and baby arugula work wonders for each other. Wilting the arugula with the hot, garlicky grilled beans is a nice trick for bringing the two together. While you can use regular arugula if you must, baby arugula is far milder in flavor, so try to find it if you can.

If you like hot wings, I mean really, really like HOT wings, try this grilled version made with seitan! Boasting the same texture and knock you on your ass flavors as regular hot wings, especially when you pile on the cayenne, you won't miss a beat.

Nothing puts a smile on people's faces faster while at the same time setting their tongues ablaze, like these grilled jalapeño poppers. Sans cheese, and debuting with a snazzy new look, these Shiny Happy Poppers are every bit a modern twist on what still remains a classic firebrand when it comes to pregame appetizers. However, a word to the wise: Having an ice-cold beer nearby is highly recommended, should this blaze get out of control.

Can't find Arctic char? Salmon works just as well. Opt for green (aka French) lentils, which hold their shape better when tossed into a salad.

This authentic taqueria-style guac brings the classic dip back to the basics: avocado, lime, cilantro, salt, and—surprise—just a little bit of water to smooth things out.

The keys to this dish? Use as many types of squash as you can, and heat the oil in the skillet until it's almost smoking.

A quick Dijon-herb mixture serves as both a marinade for the grilled pork and a tart dressing for the bean salad.

Wear gloves when making this searingly hot sauce.

Fruit is a welcome addition to savory grain salads. Here, mangoes and oranges add color and sweetness to the deep-purple hue of black rice. It's delicious with grilled fish.

An assertive wet rub gives these steaks a nice crust on the grill. And the spice from the meat pairs with the pungency of the tapenade to play deliciously against the tomatoes and watercress. (Bonus: The tapenade is great on fish, chicken, and, well, anything savory.)

A few simple spices are all you need to transform ground pork into a fantastic taco filling.

Britton uses agave syrup to sweeten this nutty crust.

Make a batch of these easy, fast pickled red onions, and use them the whole week (or two) on everything you’re eating.

Michael Lindley, Public House, Chattanooga: "Cucumbers are great in picnic food, something you can take with you anywhere."

Our test kitchen had an Aha! moment with this dish. Crumbled bacon, mixed in with the breadcrumbs, makes a great topping for these tangy-sweet beans. We think the combo would do the same for mac and cheese.