As the weather gets warmer and nights get longer, its time to start grilling!  We love installing outdoor kitchens, but we especially love using them! We wanted to share our top 5 grill recipes for this summer!  

Sweet Heat Cheerwine Baby Back Ribs

Smothered on grilled baby back ribs, this Cheerwine glaze is finger-lickin’ good. Better stock up on the napkins.

INGREDIENTS

YIELDS: 6 – 8 SERVINGS

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground ginger

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 (3-lb.) slabs baby back ribs

1 (12-oz.) bottle Cheerwine soft drink

1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce

1/3 c. light brown sugar

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce

DIRECTIONS

PREP TIME: 0:30

COOK TIME: 3:00

TOTAL TIME: 3:30

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir together paprika, chili powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, ginger, 4 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons spice mixture over ribs, dividing evenly. Place ribs on a rimmed baking sheet; wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove foil; rest 30 minutes. 
2. Combine Cheerwine, tomato sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, chili-garlic sauce, and 1 tablespoon spice mixture in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. 
3. Heat grill to medium. Grill ribs, basting with 1 cup of the Cheerwine sauce and turning frequently, until lightly charred and lacquered, 10 to 15 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a platter and serve with remaining Cheerwine sauce and spice mixture.

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Satisfy your wing craving with this buffalo chicken sandwich.

INGREDIENTS

YIELDS: 4

CAL/SERV: 645 

Sandwiches

1/2 c. Hot sauce

1/4 c. unsalted butter

3 tbsp. ketchup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

hamburger buns

1/2 c. ranch dressing

Blue Cheese-Apple Slaw

1 c. packed shredded savoy cabbage

1 small apple

2 celery ribs

1 1/2 oz. blue cheese

1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 shallot

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. sugar

salt

pepper

DIRECTIONS

PREP TIME: 0:25

TOTAL TIME: 0:40

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine hot sauce, butter, and ketchup in a bowl; reserve 1/4 cup mixture. Add chicken to remaining mixture and toss to coat. Marinate, 20 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
3. Grill chicken, covered, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Grill buns until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread dressing on buns.
4. Serve chicken topped with Blue Cheese-Apple Slaw (directions below) and drizzled with reserved sauce between buns.
5. To make the slaw: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Grilled White House Pizza

“Sweet potatoes add welcome texture to pizza—and they’re delicious with tomato sauce!” — Cristeta Comerford and Sam Kass, executive chef and assistant chef of the White House

INGREDIENTS

YIELDS: 8

CAL/SERV: 584 

White Hamon sweet potatoes

2 Small Eggplants

2 tsp. red peppers

1/2 c. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 lb. frozen pizza dough

1 1/2 c. tomato sauce (your own recipe or store-bought)

3 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella

fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

PREP TIME: 0:30

TOTAL TIME: 1:15

1. Heat a grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with ¼ cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Grill in batches until softened but still crunchy,about 10 minutes for sweet potatoes, 8 minutes for eggplants and peppers. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Roll out dough to two 9-by-18-inch pizzas, about 1/8-inch thick. Brush one side of each pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill with oiled side facedown on grates for 9 minutes. Brush other side of pizzas with remaining olive oil, then flip and grill until cooked through, about 9 minutes more. Spread tomato sauce over pizzas and top with grilled vegetables followed by mozzarella. Close grill cover, or tent with aluminum foil, until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with basil.

Mexican-Style Grilled Corn with Cotija Cheese and Lime Zest

This Mexican-style recipe for grilled corn will instantly liven up any picnic table or backyard barbecue. The mix of tangy and cool sour cream, fresh lime, spice, and salty cheese complements the naturally sweet corn.

INGREDIENTS

YIELDS: 12

12 ear corn

olive oil

1 1/2 c. sour cream

1 tbsp. grated lime zest

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 pinch cayenne pepper

3 oz. Cotija cheese or pecorino Romano

DIRECTIONS

1. Brush 12 husked ears with olive oil. Grill on medium-high until tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1 tablespoon grated lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Transfer corn to a platter and let cool slightly, about 3 minutes.
3. Spread about 2 tablespoons sour cream mixture onto each cob. Sprinkle 3 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese (about 3/4 cup), or pecorino Romano, over corn. Serve immediately.

Tips & Techniques

Tip: For a smoky, slightly charred flavor, remove silks and husks, then brush corn with oil before grilling. Prefer a moister kernel? Strip away silks only and grill the ears inside their husks after a 20-minute soak in cold water.

Guilt-Free Peach Cobbler

Grilled peach halves and a low-fat biscuit make this take on cobbler a healthy, delicious alternative.

INGREDIENTS

YIELDS: 4

CAL/SERV: 524 

1 c. orange juice

1. Honey

1 tsp. ground ginger

6 medium peaches

2 c. low-fat biscuit mix

1/4 c. yellow stone-ground cornmeal

1/4 c. crystallized ginger

2 tbsp. Turbinado sugar

1 tsp. Turbinado sugar

1. 2% milk

all-purpose flour

oil

DIRECTIONS

TOTAL TIME: 0:50

1. In a shallow dish, combine orange juice, honey, and ginger. Add peaches and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, cornmeal, crystallized ginger, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using your fingers, toss mixture to break up any clumps of chopped ginger. Stir in milk until just combined.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead twice, and pat into 7-inch square. Cut into 4 equal pieces and pat sides to round edges. Transfer biscuits to a parchment-lined baking pan, lightly brush with milk, and sprinkle tops with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until golden, 11 to 12 minutes. Cool biscuits on a wire rack.
4. Heat grill to medium-low and brush grates liberally with oil. Remove peaches from marinade (reserve liquid) and grill, cut-side down, for 12 minutes. Then flip and continue to grill until peaches are easily pierced with a skewer, 12 to 15 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring marinade to a boil until reduced by about one-third, about 10 minutes. Place each biscuit into a bowl, add 3 peach halves, and top with warm sauce.

We hope you enjoy grilling out and trying these recipes!  Call to schedule your free consultation to begin designing your new outdoor kitchen today!  At COVIS, our talented designers and hardscape professionals are committed to bringing your vision in stone to life.

Photo Credit:  Brian Woodcock