Labor Day Grilling Recipes

Barbacoa Marinade Ingredients: 8 ancho chiles 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup Tequila Don Julio Reposado 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ cup pineapple juice 4 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled Preparation: Cook the chiles in a dry sauté pan over high heat, turning them constantly until slightly toasted. Halve and seed the chiles. Tear them into small pieces and transfer the pieces to a blender. Add the orange juice, Tequila Don Julio Reposado, garlic, pineapple juice, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the blender. Puree until combined. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the chile mixture and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely. Add the crumbled cotija cheese. Marinade can be prepared 1 day ahead.

Oaxacan BBQ chicken Ingredients: 1/2 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup Tequila Don Julio Añejo 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tablespoon sea salt 2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup plum tomato, chopped 2 teaspoons mole negro 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup shredded piloncillo, Mexican brown sugar (Substitute: 1/2 cup dark brown sugar and 1 teaspoon molasses) 1/3 teaspoon Mexican hot sauce (Tamazula, Valentina or Búfalo) 2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces (may be substituted shrimp, mushrooms, onions and anything else) Preparation: In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and Tequila Don Julio Añejo. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Mix in the black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato, mole, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, piloncillo, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Run sauce through a strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce. Brush sauce all over chicken. Cook on a hot grill, brushing occasionally with sauce. Serves 6

Ensalada de Nopales Ingredients: 4 nopales, or cactus paddles 1 large tomato 2 ears corn Extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 4 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Juice from one lime 1/2 cup pinto beans (cooked) 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro 4 tablespoons minced red onion Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced 4 oz queso fresco Preparation: Clean and prepare the nopales. Cut each paddle into 1/3-inch strips, leaving the stem end intact. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour mixture onto nopales. Remove the husks of the corn but leave the core attached at the end so you have something to hold onto. Grill the nopales, tomato and corn on a hot grill soft until slightly charred. Cooking times will vary depending on grilling method; nopales should take about 5 minutes on each side, turn corn and tomato so they can cook evenly all over. Remove from grill. Allow the vegetables to cool, then cut nopales and grilled tomato into 1-inch slices, and cut corn kernels off the cob. In a large bowl, combine nopales, corn and tomato with lime juice, pinto beans, cilantro, red onion and a light drizzle of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, garnish with sliced avocado and queso fresco. Serve as a salad or side dish. Serves 6

Grilled Oysters Ingredients: 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons minced ginger 2 teaspoons serrano chili, minced 10 teaspoons ponzu sauce 24 shucked oysters, half of each shell reserved and washed Beef jerky cut into small strips Tequila Don Julio Blanco Preparation: In a small bowl combine all ingredients, except the oysters, and mix thoroughly to combine. Transfer butter mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and roll up to form a tight log. Freeze until firm. Preheat a grill to high. Place the washed oyster shells on a baking sheet and top each shell with 1 oyster. Remove the butter from the freezer and unwrap. Slice the butter into 24 rounds and place 1 round on top of each oyster. Place the oysters on the preheated grill and cook until the oysters are just cooked through, curled around the edges and the butter is melted and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef jerky strips to the top. Sprinkle with Tequila Don Julio Blanco. Serve immediately.