Sizzling Spirits

Booze-Infused Recipes

Nothing completes a day standing at the grill like having an ice-cold beverage in hand. A refreshing cocktail pairs perfectly with the sweltering heat coming off the grill (or out of the oven) and just makes all seem right in the world.

But sometimes, you want to shake things up and get a little sassy with your routine. So, we encourage you to step out of the box and into the bottle with these booze-infused recipes that’ll have you licking your lips to get your kicks!

Beer Brisket
Two of our favorite things!

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 lbs beef brisket (use a brisket flat or cut whole brisket in half)
• 2 T salt
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 medium onion sliced
• ¼ cup Meyer’s Original BBQ Sauce
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1 12 oz. beer
• 2 T all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Season meat with salt and pepper, place in 9x13x2 baking dish or roaster, and cover brisket with sliced onions.
3. In bowl, combine BBQ sauce, brown sugar, garlic and beer. Stir well and pour over meat.
4. Cover with lid or foil and place in oven for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
5. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with juices.
6. Remove meat to platter and skim fat from pan drippings.
7. Mix remaining pan drippings with water to make 1 cup of liquid.
8. In a small bowl add ½ cup cool water and flour, stir until mixed well and combine with drippings in a sauce pan.
9. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.

• To serve, cut meat across grain, pour on any remaining pan drippings, add gravy as wanted. Makes 8-10 servings.

Whisky BBQ Shrimp

Hit the high seas and the sauce!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. shrimp (with tail)
• ¼ cup of Whisky
• ¼ cup Meyer’s Honey Mesquite BBQ Sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ t black pepper
• 1/8 t garlic pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the shrimp, in a bowl.
2. Add shrimp and allow to marinade in the refrigerator for an hour.
3. Add shrimp and mixture into a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Tequila & Lime Pork Ribs

Cactus and swine tastes mighty fine!

Ingredients

• 1 rack of Meyer’s St. Louis-Style Pork Ribs (about 3 pounds)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup tequila
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 T minced garlic
• 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 T finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Season the ribs with salt and pepper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the oil, lime juice, tequila, onions, garlic, jalapeños and cilantro. Whisk well and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the ribs, meat side down, in a glass baking dish and pour the marinade over the ribs, coating each side completely.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours), turning every couple of hours.
5. Remove from the refrigerator and bring the ribs to room temperature.
6. Preheat the grill on low.
7. Place the ribs, meat side down, and slow grill the ribs, turning and basting every 15 minutes.
8. Cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the ribs are tender.
9. Remove from the grill and slice into individual ribs.

Smoked Sausage Sandwiches with Beer-Braised Onions

Suds and sandos, what could be better?

Ingredients

• 2 T unsalted butter, plus 4 T (1/2 stick), at room temperature
• 8 cups thinly sliced onion
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1 12-oz. bottle American-style lager
• 1 lb. Meyer’s Original Texas Sausage
• 2 t vegetable oil
• 8 slices Muenster cheese
• 1 loaf French bread, cut into four 5 1/2-inch sections, split horizontally
• Mayonnaise
• Whole-grain mustard
• Spicy dill pickle slices

Directions

1. Melt the 2 T butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Mound the onion in the skillet and add the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring as needed, for 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and lightly caramelized around the edges.
2. Add the beer and cook for 25 minutes longer, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the onion is very soft and flavorful. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the onion to cool slightly.
3. Cut the smoked sausage lengths to fit the bread; then halve the sausage pieces lengthwise.
4. Oil a grill pan with the vegetable oil and heat it over high heat. Add the sausages and grill until the casings are blistered and crisp and the sausages are heated through.
5. Transfer the sausages to a plate and immediately lay the cheese slices on top, so that the cheese softens.
6. Butter the insides of the bread, using 1 T of the softened butter for each sandwich.
7. In batches, add the bread to the grill pan, buttered side down, and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a plate and spread mayonnaise on one side and mustard on the other. Add the sausages and cheese, mound with the onion, and garnish with pickles. Serve immediately.