Sarah,
I love your use of grilling with fruit, one of my favorite preparations. These recipes are perfect for a summer evening. You can come cook at my house anytime!
Now that you know how to grill, we bet you’re looking for all kinds of things to throw on the BBQ. So, we asked a couple of grilling masters to send us their picks for delicious summer menus you can make almost entirely outdoors.
First up, Sarah Burchard of S&S Brand Sauces and Spice Rubs creates a mouth-watering menu perfect for summer: Huli Huli Chicken, corn with cilantro-lime butter, tomato and peach panzanella, and grilled watermelon. Oh, and a charred pineapple mojito to sip while you’re at the grill. Um, can it please be the weekend now?
Prepare Your Grill
For this menu, use a charcoal grill if you have one (though a gas grill works fine, too). Start a fire with a small pile of charcoal. Once the fire flares up, add mesquite woodchips and let them catch on fire. Let your fire burn until you have white glowing embers. Don’t put anything on the grill until your flames have died down.
Charred Pineapple Mojito
4 Servings
Ice
6 oz. light rum
12 mint sprigs, leaves only, stems discarded
3 limes, 2 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
5 slices fresh pineapple (cut into wheels)
4 tablespoons agave nectar
1 can club soda
4 mason jars (or heavy glasses)
Muddler
Directions
- Grill pineapple slices over a hot grill just until they are lightly charred on each side. Let cool. Leave four slices whole, and dice the fifth one into small pieces.
- Place a handful of ice, some mint leaves, and the diced charred pineapple into each mason jar. Muddle until the ice and pineapple are crushed and the mint is bruised.
- In a cocktail shaker, place ice, rum, the juice of 2 limes, and agave nectar. Shake well and strain into each mason jar.
- Top off each jar with a splash of club soda.
- Garnish each jar with a charred pineapple wheel and a wedge of lime.
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad
4-6 Servings
1/2 loaf focaccia bread
3 yellow peaches, split in half
4 heirloom tomatoes, cut into large wedges
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 bunch basil, leaves torn
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Place the focaccia bread on the grill and toast lightly on both sides until the outside is crunchy. Take off the grill and tear into bite size pieces.
- Toss peaches with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper and grill lightly on each side. Take off the grill and slice into wedges.
- In a large bowl, combine bread, peaches, tomatoes, onion, and basil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and then pour over the salad. Mix thoroughly and let sit 10 minutes before serving to let the bread soak up the dressing.
Huli Huli Chicken
4 Servings
2 whole chickens
2 cups S&S brand Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cut each chicken in half lengthwise and season with salt and pepper.
- Rub each 1/2 chicken with 1/4 cup S&S brand Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce inside and out and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
- You will be cooking the chicken over moderately low heat. (Do not add the chicken to the grill until the flames have died down.)
- Place your chicken on the grill or between two grates over the fire. Cook for about 45 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees, turning constantly. Baste the chicken with the remaining BBQ sauce several times during the cooking process.
Sweet Corn with Cilantro-Lime Butter
4 Servings
4 ears white corn, cleaned
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 lime, juiced
Directions
- Whisk together butter, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and lime juice and set aside.
- Peel back the corn husks (do not remove) and remove the silks of the corn. Recover the corn with the husk and soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
- Remove the corn from the water and drip dry. Place on grill with the lid closed for about 20 minutes or until corn is tender.
- Unwrap corn husks and brush corn all over with the cilantro-lime butter.
Grilled Watermelon, Honeyed Ricotta, Balsamic, and Mint
4 Servings
4 large watermelon slices, seedless
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons honey
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup sugar
8 mint leaves, thinly sliced
Directions
- In a small pot, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and sugar and let simmer until syrup coats the back of a spoon. Let cool.
- Lightly grill the watermelon slices on both sides.
- Drizzle each slice with the balsamic syrup.
- Whisk together the ricotta and honey and put a large dollop on each watermelon slice.
- Garnish each slice with a sprinkling of mint.
