Best of the Best BBQ Recipes for Labor Day

I remember Labor Day weekend fondly as one last chance to enjoy grilled food with family or friends before a long haul until the next holiday with time off: Thanksgiving. Here, in the Philippines, they have their own "Labor Day" holiday in May but it isn't associated with BBQs at all. It's just a day off without work. However, Filipinos are master BBQers and you can find tasty BBQ everywhere. Even here on the street where I am staying, there are two families which sell BBQ almost every night (weather permitting). So it is natural that the first Labor Day BBQ recipe I offer comes from the Philippines.

FILIPINO STYLE MARINATED PORK (OR BEEF) SKEWERS

Pork or Beef
Soy Sauce
Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Fresh Garlic
Pepper

Wooden skewers

Quantity depends on how much meat you will be grilling.

1. Cut raw meat into skewer size pieces.
2. Chop fresh garlic.
3. In a bowl, mix 3 parts soy sauce to 1 part vinegar.
4. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste.
5. Add meat and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
6. Place marinated meat on skewers.
7. As you grill the meat, brush on extra marinade sauce.
8. When the meat is cooked, either eat "as is" or dip it in vinegar.

My second recipe comes from a long time family friend, Al, an avid fisherman and hunter with awesome cooking skills to boot. My friends in the Philippines find this yummy yet similar to their grilled fish except for the secret ingredient, beer.

AL'S BEER FISH

Fresh Trout or Tilapia (whole) or similar fish
Onions
Tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
Beer

Tin foil

Quantity depends on how much is needed to stuff your fish.

1. Clean and gut the fish. Leave an opening in the tummy. Do not fillet
2. Cut the tomatoes and onions into cubes.
3. Add salt and pepper to the mix.
4. Stuff the fish with the tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper mixture.
5. Place stuffed fished on a sheet of tin foil.
6. Make a tent of the tin foil but do not seal yet.
7. Pour a small amount of beer over the fish. It should simmer the fish and evaporate while cooking.
8. Seal the tin foil tent.
9. Cook over hot coils, check frequently.
10. When ready, the fish will be flavorful and moist. Be prepared to see it quickly disappear from your guests plates.

Note: I have also successfully done this recipe without tin foil as shown in the picture near the title page. It requires spooning the beer into the fish and on the fish as well as constant monitoring but the effect is the same. Yum yum!

I hope you enjoy these yummy BBQ recipes as much as I do. They are a great addition to any Labor Day BBQ party. As I wrote up these two delicious recipes, my mouth started watering and I began to wonder if the neighbors were offering any BBQ foods. Ah, it's almost 10pm so I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow evening to satisfy my BBQ craving.

*I have to credit my sister, Maggie, for the name Beer Fish and our family friend, Al, for introducing this way of making fresh caught fish extra yummy.