With the summer solstice arriving this weekend, Todd joined Nate Blury from Drink GR on the Alto Gas patio for some barbecue recipes to pair with summer cocktails!
Grilled pineapples
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 lime, halved, or more to taste
- ¼ pineapple, cut into wedges
- 1 fluid ounce Eastern Kille Barrel Aged Rum
- ½ fluid ounce Straights Rum
- ½ fluid ounce Long Road Orange Liqueur
- ½ fluid ounce orgeat almond syrup
Directions:
- Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Dip lime halves in sugar to coat.
- Grill lime and pineapple wedges, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and let cool.
- Fill a cocktail shaker and an Old Fashioned glass with ice.
- Squeeze 1/2 fluid ounce lime juice and 1 fluid ounce pineapple juice into the shaker. Add gold rum, silver rum, triple sec, and orgeat syrup. Cover and shake until the outside of the shaker is frosted. Strain into the glass and garnish with a grilled pineapple wedge.
- Canola or vegetable oil, for the grill grates
Grilled grapefruit
Ingredients:
- 2 medium ruby red grapefruits, sliced in half
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 medium limes
- 1 cup (8 ounces) reposado tequila
- 1 1/2 tablespoons agave
- 1 teaspoon smoked salt, optional
- Ice, for serving
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups (8 to 12 ounces) club soda
Directions:
- Prepare the coals and preheat your charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F), ensuring the grates are clean. Once hot, moisten a clean, folded paper towel with oil and use tongs to grasp it. Lightly oil the grates with the paper towel.
- Once the grill is almost done preheating, sprinkle each cut side of the grapefruit with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
- Add the grapefruit to the grill, cut side down, and grill until the fruit is juicy and the sugar has caramelized, about 4 minutes. Remove from the grill to a plate and set in the fridge to cool.
- Slice the limes in half and squeeze them until you get 1/4 cup (2 ounces) of juice. Reserve the lime half with the most juice left.
- Add the squeezed lime juice to a small pitcher, followed by the tequila and agave. Stir until the agave dissolves.
- Add the smoked salt to a small plate or shallow bowl. Use the reserved squeezed lime half to moisten one edge of 4 high-ball or similar glasses.
- Juice 3 halves of grapefruit (reserving 1 half) until you get 1 cup of juice. Add to the pitcher and stir. Slice the remaining grilled grapefruit half into slices or wedges for garnish.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the glasses and top each with 1/4 cup (2 ounces) of club soda, or to taste. Garnish with a piece of grapefruit and serve immediately.
For more drink recipes or to take part in events happening around the Grand Rapids area, join the Facebook group DrinkGR.
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