This recipe comes from Mike Southerland, a competitor in the World Food Championships Thrilla at the Grilla contest.
Mike is the co-owner of Brothers’ BBQ and Brewing Co. in Danville, Kentucky. He has been cooking for over 15 years, and competing in local/national cook-offs for the last 10. He says he loves to cook and always appreciates the opportunity to compete against others.
Hacks to Make Any Summer Rum Cocktail a Hit
If you’re feeling inspired and want to take your summer barbecue to the next level, try pairing Mike Southerland’s red, white and blue summer breeze drink with some tasty grub. Rum is a prized ingredient for several classic cocktails, and the key is enjoying a delicious rum cocktail with the right food.
As one of the oldest spirits, rum pairs well with a variety of foods and flavors — salty, tangy, spicy, sweet. For dark sipping rums, chocolate is an excellent choice, whereas sweeter summer breeze cocktails like this go well with roasted pork or jerk chicken. Remember, you can never go wrong with spicy foods because the sugar content in rum lends the perfect balance to hot cuisine. For some summer rum cocktail inspiration, try:
- Pairing Mexican snacks with pina coladas: Serve a sweet rum-based pina colada with a Mexican snack like chips and salsa, tacos or seafood like crab or lobster.
- Mixing fruits and rum: Fruits like bananas and pineapples, and sweets like pineapple-flavored tarts, pair well with any rum, including our summer breeze drink.
- Combining golden rums with fried favorites: Sweet golden rums pair well with fried chicken and deep-fried fish. You can also serve this drink with the smoky glaze of blackened fish and barbecued ribs.
Up Your Backyard Barbecue Game With a Grilla Grill
This summer breeze drink is what every backyard party needs. No joke — it tastes like something you’d find in the Caribbean. So how is this going to up your barbecue game? The answer is a rock-solid Grilla Grill pellet smoker. These grills are built like tanks and take care of the cooking for you so you can enjoy time with family and guests hassle-free. To become an even bigger star in your backyard, you’ll have to follow up your rum cocktail with some yummy eats.
Get a Taste of Summer With the Red, White and Blue Summer Breeze Drink
Wilderness Trail Harvest Rum is created from sorghum molasses and aged for four months at the Wilderness Trace Distillery. This Harvest rum is surprisingly “whiskey-like” and ideal for all the bourbon lovers out there. As always, we’re on the lookout for new pellet smoker recipes from barbecue masters like you. Submit today and let us feature you!