• Move over boys, the girls are back in town! How did it become common practice for men to be deemed the masters of the BBQ grill? In my house, it’s an argument over who gets to BBQ. My husband thinks he’s the better griller and it should be only his domain but quite frankly I love nothing more than heating up the grill and cooking our entire dinner over the coals. I love the simplicity of a meal cooked on a BBQ and the beautiful flavours that come from grilling everything from fresh vegetables to succulent peaches and plums and of course the ever popular steak. But hands down my favourite recipe for a great summer time BBQ is Grilled Shrimp & Chorizo Skewers with Spicy Bourbon Mustard. These are so easy and quick to prepare, can be used as an appetizer or as a main meal and pair nicely with a cold beer or a glass of Pinot Gris.
  To help get you started this BBQ season I’ve given you a few general grilling tips as well as this fantastic recipe. So for this Father’s Day why don’t you pamper that special dad in your life and show him just how great us Girl Grillers are! Enjoy!
  
  General Grilling Tips
  · You can check the level in your propane tank by pouring a cup of boiling water along the side and feeling the metal; where there’s still propane, it will be cool to the touch.
  · Never light a gas bbq with the lid shut
  · If you are grilling with charcoal, avoid liquid fire starters and self-lighting briquettes, which can flavour food. Use an electric starter instead.
  · First brush grill with vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray to prevent foods from sticking then preheat the grill on high for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high to grill.
  · Cook with lid closed for best flavour, even cooking and energy efficiency. Every time you raise the lid you drop the temperature.
  · Leave space between food items on the grill so smoke can surround and penetrate.
  · Sugar or tomato based bbq sauces burn easily and should only be applied in the last minute of grilling.
  · Don’t keep turning meat on the grill. This actually makes meat drier by lowering its temperature and extending the cooking time. Instead get the grill to the right temperature, put the meat on to sear, and then only flip once to evenly cook it.
  
  
  Grilled Shrimp & Chorizo Skewers with Spicy Bourbon Mustard
  Serves 4
  Preparation 20 minutes
  Cooking 4 minutes
  Notes: If using bamboo skewers make sure to soak for 30 minutes first to avoid them burning on the grill. The Spicy Bourbon Mustard sauce will keep in an airtight container, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
  
  Ingredients:
  Skewers:
  16 extra large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  Salt and freshly ground pepper*
  8 oz (250g) smoked, spicy chorizo (or spicy sausage of your choice)
  1 half onion*, quartered, separated into individual pieces
  2 tbsp vegetable oil* (for brushing shrimp)
  
  Spicy Bourbon Mustard:
  ¼ cup whole-grain spicy mustard*
  ¼ cup honey*
  2 tbsp bourbon (Jack Daniels or other)
  1 tsp hot pepper sauce*
  
  1. For the Mustard sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Remove 2 tbsp of sauce for basting shrimp and set remaining sauce aside.
  2. Heat bbq to high.
  3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper
  4. Cut chorizo into ½ inch (1-cm) round pieces.
  5. On each skewer, place a piece of onion, then skewer shrimp through the fattest part. Tuck the chorizo inside the rounded edge of the shrimp, and skewer through the rind of the chorizo. Finish by skewering through the tail end of the shrimp so the shrimp circles around the chorizo.
  6. Place 4 onion/shrimp/chorizo combo on each skewer.
  7. Brush shrimp with oil and grill for 2 minutes each side or until the shrimp is pink and the sausage is cooked through.
  8. Baste the skewers with the 2 tbsp of reserved Spicy Bourbon Mustard during the last 30 seconds of cooking.
  9. Serve immediately with remaining Spicy Bourbon Mustard for dipping.
  
  *Denotes recommended pantry item.