Is BBQ Gluten-Free? FAQs, Recipes and More

What Is A Gluten-Free Diet?

A Gluten-free diet is a diet that doesn’t include any gluten. This diet is recommended for people who are gluten-intolerant. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with consuming gluten.

Typically, gluten is easy to digest. Gluten is very common in food, and it makes up 75–85% of the total proteins in wheat bread. There are two components of gluten – Glutenin and Gliadin. Gliadin is the protein responsible for the adverse health effects on people who are sensitive or allergic to gluten.

Is a BBQ Gluten-Free?

Most barbecue dishes are gluten-free as long as they’re not dipped in flour batter, coated with malt sauces, or served along with beer or food made from wheat, rye, or barley. Meats and vegetables don’t have any gluten in their natural state. 

Can You Lose Weight While Following BBQ Gluten-Free Diet?

The primary purpose of gluten-free foods was to combat the symptoms that people with gluten intolerance endure. However, recently many people have begun following a gluten-free diet because of reasons other than gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. One of the biggest reasons is weight loss. Some doctors even claim that gluten in wheat urges you to eat more and also increases the secretion of insulin in your body.

You can lose weight by following a gluten-free BBQ diet, but remember that you can’t lose weight if you overeat. You have to maintain a calorie deficit or have to control the portion size for losing weight. In fact, the BBQ gluten-free diet is very similar to a keto diet. Learn more about having a Keto BBQ here.

Navigating Gluten-Free Barbecue Food

Are BBQ Steaks Gluten-Free?

Yes, BBQ steaks are absolutely gluten-free. Meat is naturally gluten-free, and you can eat it without being worried about gluten intake. However, if the meat is coated in batter, bread crumbs, or any sauces, it may not be gluten-free. Bread crumbs and batter can have gluten, so if your meat is coated with them, it is probably not gluten-free.

Is BBQ Chicken Breast Gluten-Free?

Yes, BBQ chicken breast is entirely gluten-free because there is no gluten in chicken. Gluten is only found in grains, not in chicken or meats. A plain BBQ chicken breast doesn’t have any gluten in it, but if your chicken breast is marinated in flour, or coated with malt, it isn’t gluten-free. If you want to enjoy gluten-free BBQ, then simply grill them without marinating and coating.

Are BBQ Ribs Gluten-Free?

BBQ ribs of any meat are gluten-free as long as you don’t use a dry rub with gluten on them or marinate these ribs with gluten loaded sauces and marinades. You can have BBQ ribs while following a gluten-free diet since ribs themselves don’t contain any gluten. However, ensure that the ribs aren’t glazed with malt since malt is a source of gluten.

Are BBQ Potato Chips Gluten-Free?

Yes, BBQ potato chips are gluten-free. Unlike grains, potatoes are starch-based vegetables. This makes potatoes ideal for gluten-intolerant individuals. However, if you coat your chips with cornflour or something else with gluten, they won’t be gluten-free anymore. 

Is BBQ Corn Gluten-Free?

Corn gluten is a controversial topic. There are two schools of thought; one school believes that fresh corn from cob is gluten-free, and even celiac disease patients can have corn. The second school of thought believes that corn gluten must be avoided, although corn gluten is different from wheat gluten. You can get away with a limited amount of BBQ corn kernels if you are on a gluten-free diet for weight loss. However, if you have gluten-sensitivity, then you must avoid it for the sake of safety.

Are BBQ Nuts Gluten-Free?

Plain and unprocessed nuts are gluten-free, and people with gluten sensitivity can eat them as long as they aren’t allergic to nuts. Typically, BBQ nuts are also gluten-free. However, some brands of BBQ nuts are not safe because they use products that contain gluten. If you want to enjoy the gluten-free BBQ nuts, look for BBQ nuts that are labeled ‘gluten-free’ or follow our tasty BBQ nuts recipe to make your own.

Are BBQ Peanuts Gluten-Free?

The simple answer is yes; peanuts are gluten-free. Make sure that you are eating gluten-free BBQ peanuts by reading the labels carefully, or by simply making them at home. Dry roasted BBQ peanuts are typically coated with wheat flour. So, examine the labels and ingredients carefully. If you find the words ‘wheat flour’ in the ingredient list, then it definitely isn’t gluten-free.

Are BBQ Sauces Gluten-Free?

No, typical BBQ sauces aren’t gluten-free. Many BBQ sauces contain Worcestershire sauce – an ingredient that often contains gluten. Some barbecue sauces contain flavors and sweeteners loaded with gluten. But this doesn’t mean that you have to bid BBQ sauce goodbye. Various brands have gluten-free sauces. Read the labels and ingredients vigilantly to ensure that you are buying a gluten-free BBQ sauce.

If you want to make your own Gluten-Free BBQ sauce, try this recipe.

Do BBQ Dry Spice Rubs Contain Gluten?

Yes, BBQ Spice Rubs usually contain gluten, but there are gluten-free variants too. You have to check the ingredients carefully. Beware of spice rubs or marinades that contain malt powder, malt flavoring, cornflour, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, caramel colors, emulsifiers, and other coating flours. Some spice rubs contain ingredients derived from wheat, malt, or barley. These contain gluten. So do your due diligence before purchasing readymade BBQ dry rub because meats infused in these spice rubs aren’t safe for those who are gluten-intolerant.

Tips For Buying a Gluten-Free Products

• The quickest way is to look for a trusted gluten-free brand and search for the particular gluten-free product you’re looking for. 
• If you can’t find a brand that you trust, look through the labeling of the products. If you find the details ambiguous or insufficient, it’s best to avoid that brand.
• If you can’t find any products labeled ‘gluten-free,’ don’t lose hope. Some products may still be gluten-free. You will just have to check the ingredients.
• In many brands, you might find ingredients such as barley-based beer, bourbon, barley, malt, flour, and grain-based vinegar. These are common ingredients in BBQ sauces and are not gluten-free. Some BBQ sauces contain Soy sauce (dark and light), and teriyaki sauces also cause problems for gluten-sensitive people because of their gluten content.  

Gluten-Free BBQ Recipes

Gluten-Free Nuts Recipe

These are quick and easy to make at home with few gluten-free ingredients. These are so yummy that you can’t stop munching these BBQ peanuts. By following this recipe, you can make BBQ and a gluten-free variant of any nuts such as almond, pistachio, walnuts, etc.

Ingredients

• One egg white (you can use whole egg too)
• Two cups peanuts
• Two tbsp. sugar
• Two tsp. paprika powder
• Two tsp. ground cumin
• Two tsp. garlic powder
• Two tsp. black pepper
• One tsp salt
• One tsp. gluten-free liquid smoke (optional)
• Two tsp. homemade BBQ sauce

Method

• Preheat your oven at 356°F (180°C).
• Whisk the egg white in a large bowl until fluffy and add the peanuts in two batches to coat with egg white. 
• You can whisk in liquid smoke with the egg or simply omit this ingredient.
• Mix all your dry ingredients well and sprinkle it generously on the egg coated peanuts.
• Layer these peanuts in a greased baking tray and drizzle BBQ sauce on them.
• Bake them for one hour at 356°F (180°C). Flip the side of peanuts after thirty minutes to bake them properly.
• Spread them on kitchen paper to cool them properly.
• Later store them in an airtight jar for up to a month.

Gluten-Free BBQ Sauce Recipe

Making your own gluten-free BBQ sauce is an excellent way of enjoying your grilled meats and fries because you can be sure that all ingredients are gluten-free.

Ingredients

• Two tbsp. Olive oil
• Two tsp. Chipotle powder
• Half cup tomato paste
• One tsp. Minced garlic
• One tsp. Minced ginger
• One tsp. Parsley chopped
• Salt as per taste
• One tbsp. Red chili flakes
• Four tbsp. brown sugar
• Half tbsp. Cumin powder
• Two tbsp. fruit vinegar
• One tsp. gluten-free liquid smoke (optional)
• Two tbsp. gluten-free Worcestershire (optional)

Method

• The easiest way to make this gluten-free BBQ sauce is to put all ingredients simultaneously in the blender and blend them. This ensures a homogenous mixture.
• Store this gluten-free BBQ sauce in the airtight container and put it in the fridge.

Gluten-Free BBQ Beef Steak

Ingredients 

• Two beef steaks
• Two tbsp. lemon juice
• Two tbsp sesame seed oil
• Half tsp dried basil
• Half tsp onion powder
• Half tsp white pepper salt
• Low sodium gluten-free soy sauce (optional)
• Two tbsp. homemade gluten-free BBQ sauce

Method

• Put all the condiments and sauces into a bowl and whisk them rigorously. Your gluten-free BBQ steak Marinade is ready! This is a great marinade to marinate beef, bacon, pork, chicken, and even seafood.
• Marinate both sides of steak generously and let your steaks soak up all the marinade’s goodness for two hours.  You could also poke the steak with a fork to better infuse it with marinade.
• Preheat your grill for ten minutes before you start cooking it. You can also pan fry these steaks.
• Grill your steaks from both sides. Grilling time depends on the steak’s size and the doneness that you prefer. 

Enjoy these steaks with fries and grilled vegetables.

Gluten-Free BBQ Pork Ribs

These pork ribs are absolutely gluten-free since pork doesn’t have any gluten, and all the ingredients that I have selected are gluten-free.

Ingredients

• One kg pork spare ribs
• One tbsp. thyme
• One tbsp. black pepper
• One tsp dried basil
• Five tbsp gluten-free BBQ sauce
• One tbsp olive oil

Method

• Take a bowl and mix BBQ sauce and dried spices together.
• Marinate your spareribs with the BBQ marinade and put them in the fridge for up to two hours. 
• Now, you have two options: either you can bake these ribs or grill them. I prefer to grill my spare ribs. Please be careful while grilling the ribs. It’s easy to overdo your ribs and charr them. 

ENJOY!

Tips for Enjoying Gluten-Free BBQ

• When you shop for BBQ sauces, spices, and dry rubs, carefully read the labels and ingredients. Even if a product claims to be gluten-free, pay attention to labels. Sometimes gluten-free products contain some ingredients which can cause problems to people with gluten allergies.
• You can replace the cornflour or wheat flour with potato flour. Since potatoes don’t have any gluten, potato flour can be used as a thickening agent in broth, stews, and soups.
• If you are hosting a party, then you have more control over the food, but if you’re a guest at a party, then eating gluten-free may be a  problem. If the host is a close friend or relative, you could work with them to arrange food that works for you. If your host is an acquaintance, you can adopt an “eat-before-you-go” strategy to avoid unnecessary gluten-related problems.
• If you are in a restaurant, order simple and plain BBQ meats without any coating or marinade if you are unaware of their ingredients.

Final Thoughts

With little effort and knowledge of gluten-free ingredients, you can save yourself many health problems and enjoy your BBQ. 

I hope this post helped you understand how to choose gluten-free BBQ products and inspired you to try a few gluten-free BBQ recipes.  

Please feel free to share your experience and suggestions in the comment section. For more BBQ insight and recipes, you can visit BBQanswers.com