We have all been there. At some point in our lives we have experienced a BBQ’ing disaster. Whether it was you being invited over to the in-laws for dinner, looking forward to a great time with family and a delicious meal, only to be served long neglected blackened burgers that resemble a hockey puck more than anything you would want to be willing to slap between two slices of bread. Maybe it was a moment away from your own grill to grab another cold frosty only to return to your beer can chicken engulfed in flames. It seems that no matter whom I meet, everyone seems to have his or her own personal horror story.

Throughout the month of May I will be featuring delicious and diverse BBQ recipes that you can try at home, as well as, teaching you a few tips to help you avoid your own BBQ disasters. We will also be running a fantastic promotion. With the help of Sleemans and The Edmonton Sun I will be giving away a fantastic package that includes a brand new BBQ, a beer fridge and a family style BBQ dinner for eight prepared by myself in your own home. All you have to do is share with me your worst BBQ horror story by heading to my website at www.chefpaulshufelt.com and submitting your horror story, along with your full name, mailing address and contact information. I will be announcing the winner on my website on Tuesday, June 4th and sharing the winner’s horror story in my weekly column on Wednesday, June 5th.

So with that in mind, let’s set about learning a few tricks and delicious recipes to help keep this summer’s grilling season full of only the right kind of memories.

The first tip I will share with you is to think outside of that box you are stuck in. Your BBQ can be used for so much more than feeding hamburgers and hotdogs to the masses. You can even do more than simply charbroil your favourite steak. Over the next few weeks I will share different recipes you can prepare with your outdoor grill that might not have thought of.

This week we will begin with the classic combination of pork and prawns. This certainly isn’t the most outlandish of BBQ’ing ideas, but it will allow you to learn some basic skills that every BBQ’er worth their salt needs to know. We will use the technique of brining the pork to help them retain moisture, and then prepare a rub to flavour them with while grilling. Then we will prepare a marinade to spice up the prawns and make them great for grilling. A brine, a rub, and a marinade are three great techniques that can used in many applications around the BBQ and will allow you to take your outdoor cooking to another level.

Sleemans Honey Brown Brined Pork Chops & Chipotle-Lime Prawns

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Brining Time: 12 hours

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Feeds: 4-6 people

1 whole pork rack OR 8 piece 1.5 inch thick pork chops

Brine

1 bottle Sleemans Honey Brown lager

2 cups water

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

¼ cup coarse salt

2 Tbsp. honey

¼ cup brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, sliced

Rub

¼ cup paprika

2 Tbsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. cayenne seasoning

1 Tbsp. Cajun spice

¼ cup coarse salt

¼ cupbrown sugar

If buying a whole rack of pork (which is typically cheaper!), slice the chops between the bones, leaving 8 chops about 1.5 inches thick

In a bowl combine the water, beer, cider vinegar, honey, brown sugar, garlic and ginger

Place the chops in a deep pan or plastic container, deep enough to submerge the chops in the brine

Pour the brine over the chops and ensure that it is evenly coated over all of the chops

Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, whenever you’re in the fridge give them a flip so they marinate evenly, do not leave the chops in the brine for too long, as the salt will actually begin to dry out the meat if left in too long

or the rub, combine all dry ingredients and mix until evenly distributed

Preheat the grill

Drain the brine from the chops and discard

Lightly rinse the chops to remove any excess brine and pat dry

Generously rub the chops with the rub and then place on the grill

Broil for 4-5 minutes either side, let rest for 3 minutes and then serve

For the Prawns

1 lb. 16-20(size) prawns, peeled and deveined

2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 lime, juice only

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

½ Tbsp. honey

Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine all of the marinade ingredients

Pour over the prawns

Let marinade for 1 hour

Drain off the marinade and discard

Lightly season the prawns and then grill

Cook on high heat, flipping as the prawns turn color and cook draw, about 2 minutes per side

Here’s a delicious and fresh summer cocktail to enjoy on the patio that will pair nicely with the pork and prawns!

Blackberry Gin Fizz

6-7 fresh (or frozen) blackberries

1 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin

2 oz. tonic water

1 lime wedge

2-3 fresh mint sprigs

In a rocks glass, muddle the blackberries

Fill the glass with ice cubes

Pour in the gin, tonic water and squeeze in the lime

Stir the cocktail and garnish with fresh mint

Enjoy responsibly!