THE PERFECT SUMMER BBQ

The Perfect Summer BBQ 

The lazy days of summer are almost here. It’s time to clean off the grill and stock up on meat and chicken. I’m always on the lookout for new marinades and sauces that elevate my barbecues, and I hope these recipes will become your favorites as well.  They use the fruits and vegetables that are in season during the summer. There is nothing sweeter than fresh corn on-the-cob or ripe summer fruits. Have a wonderful summer!

Tomato Basil Chicken

This recipe uses sundried tomatoes, found in the produce aisle in most supermarkets. I like that there is no sugar that prevents the marinade from burning before the chicken is cooked. The mayonnaise in the marinade is the key to keeping the chicken from drying out.

Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets, thinned

½ cup lite mayonnaise

4-5 sundried tomatoes

3 basil cubes

2 garlic cubes

1/8 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Place the sundried tomatoes in a small glass dish, cover with boiling water, and let them soak for half an hour. Remove the tomatoes and place the remaining ingredients in the container. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add chicken to the marinade and let sit for at least half an hour. Grill the chicken on both sides. 

Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

During peak corn season, when it’s super sweet, I leave the corn raw and don’t bother grilling it. The fresh ingredients and herbs are a delicious accompaniment to meat or chicken. 

Ingredients:

3 ears fresh corn

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, finely diced 

1 avocado, cut into ½-inch cubes 

Dressing:

2 tbsp. olive oil 

juice of half a lime (or 1 tbsp. lime juice from a bottle) 

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Preparation:

Combine the cooked corn (see below), tomatoes, and onion in a large glass bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a second bowl, pour over salad, and gently toss to mix.  Chill salad for an hour or two to let flavors blend. Add avocados before serving. Adding a squirt of lime directly onto avocados will prevent them from browning. 

Corn:

Grill the corn over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.

Fresh Fruit Pops

Several years ago, my sister served these pops at a family BBQ, and they were a big hit with both children and adults. They remind me of “FrozFruit” bars from my youth. The chunks of fresh fruit are refreshing and with no added sugar, this recipe is a win-win. Whenever I have extra-ripe fruit, I freeze it in zip-top bags, and when I have several bags, I make these pops. 

Ingredients:

1 22-ounce bottle, white grape juice

  assorted fruits, cut into ¼ inch chunks

grapes

  pineapple

strawberries

cherries

mangoes

peaches

kiwi

Preparation:

Place assorted fruit into molds and fill to the top with grape juice. Freeze overnight. 

Grilled Oyster Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

The sauce on this meat is restaurant quality. It will elevate any grilled meat to the next level. I like to sous vide my meats, so that I can grill them for one to two minutes on each side and have perfect results every time.

Ingredients:

2 Oyster steaks

2 tsp. oil

½ tsp. salt

1 pinch pepper 

Dressing:

¼ cup red wine vinegar 

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Jalapeno pepper

2 tsp. honey

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 pinch black pepper

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup fresh parsley 

Preparation:

Combine vinegar, garlic, pepper, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and blend until emulsified. Add parsley and pulse twice, just to incorporate. Grill meat five to seven minutes per side, then let the meat rest for five minutes and slice. Pour the sauce over meat and serve.