Kinda Feels like Cookout Weather!

We’ve turned the corner on true BBQ weather in Texas. Take advantage of these breezy days and cool, clear nights with a good old fashioned family cookout! Be sure to notify your neighbors too (heck, they’ll smell it coming!) and get the grill going with new additions to my site for beer-brined pork chops, smoked ribs and grilled shrimp.

Soak these Baba-Brined Grilled Pork Chops [above] for up to 4 hours in a brine made with dark brown sugar, molasses and a can of Uinta Baba Black Lager (hence the name). Once they’ve been allowed to marinate properly, the juicy chops only need about 10 minutes per side to fully cook…

These Apple Jalapeño Smoked Ribs should be outlawed they’re so tasty! A tangy, smoked slab brushed with an exquisite homemade apple jalapeño BBQ sauce–but it starts with a “secret” rub:

Photo: Hey Grill, Hey

While we’re on the subject, you might also like my own recipe for Sweet & Spicy Big Red Baby Back Ribs. I’ve made these ribs using a jar rub, and I’ve also done them with my own concoction out of a spice drawer:

For my seafood lovers, this recipe for Piri Piri Grilled Shrimp can be found in Central Market’s 20th Anniversary Cookbook. Piri Piri is a spice blend with many interpretations found in Portugal, Brazil, and Africa. The more traditional the blend, the higher the heat!

Garnished with cilantro and lime wedges, these citrus skewers would make a clutch combo poolside when the time’s right… 😉

Lastly, here’s an easy app that’s totally Texan. Boneless Jalapeño Quail Poppers, bacon-wrapped, and drizzled with chile oil, Green Goddess dressing and chives. Nothing too gamey–just plain good!