5th Annual Blues, Brews & BBQ at HarborWalk: Chefs unveil recipe ahead of weekend event
Local restaurants will be firing up their grills for a good time and a great cause at the 5th annual Blues, Brews & BBQ on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at HarborWalk Village in Destin.
Tasting wristbands will be sold at the door for $25 for guests to sample the all the award winning savory BBQ and over 20 cold craft beers. Wristbands may be purchased in advance for $20 by calling 570-637-1506 or by emailing info@harborwalk-destin.com. Competitors that win first, second, and third People’s Choice Award will have the opportunity to select a non-profit organization for proceeds from the event to benefit. Brews and BBQ
Some of the restaurants participating in this year's culinary challenge include Harry T's Lighthouse, Great Southern Café, McGuire's Irish Pub, Poppy's Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill, Hard Rock Café, Grande Vista Bar & Grill at Emerald Grande, Sandcastles at Hilton Sandestin, AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar, Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ, Crab Island Cantina, Time Out Sports Bar, V Seagrove, Jester’s, Boathouse Oyster Bar, and Merlin’s Pizza.
Blues, Brews & BBQ is sponsored by Coca-Cola, Jim Beam, Dos Equis, and Pinnacle Vodka. Enjoy craft beers, hard cider, mojitos, bloody marys and single barrel bourbon tastings.
Last year's winners who took home the trophy and the bragging rights were Great Southern Café for Best Seafood BBQ; Poppy’s Crazy Lobster for most Unique/Creative/Originality; The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint for Best Traditional Taste/Flavor, and The Shed Barbeque and Blues Joint for Best Booth and Harry T’s for People's Choice. Blues
Entertainment for the afternoon will consist of local favorite and BeachComber Music Award Winners Cadillac Willy, as well as The DizzyJukes Band.
Music will be on the HarborWalk Village main stage throughout the entire event from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
IN RECIPE FORM
Special Recipe from our BBQ chefs: Barbecue Shrimp
Ingredients
3 pounds large Gulf shrimp, in their shells 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning Cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 tablespoons minced garlic 3 bay leaves 3 lemons, peeled and sectioned 2 cups water 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter Traditional southern Biscuits, recipe follows 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Directions
Peel the shrimp, leaving only their tails attached. Reserve the shells and set aside. Sprinkle the shrimp with 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning and fresh cracked black pepper. Use you hands to coat the shrimp with the seasonings. Refrigerate the shrimp while you make the sauce base.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved shrimp shells, the remaining Creole seasoning, the bay leaves, lemons, water, Worcestershire, wine, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Strain into a small saucepan. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook until thick, syrupy, and dark brown, for about 15 minutes. Makes about 4 to 5 tablespoons of barbecue sauce base. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned shrimp and saute them, occasionally shaking the skillet, for 2 minutes. Add the cream and all of the barbecue base. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a warm platter with tongs and whisk the butter into the sauce. Remove from the heat. Mound the shrimp in the center of a platter. Spoon the sauce over the shrimp and around the plate. Arrange the biscuits around the shrimp. Garnish with chopped chives.