Grillin’, Honey!

Chef Michell Sanchez teams up with the National Honey Board

to sweetly kick-up outdoor cooking

Grills will soon be sizzling all over the country with the one-of-a-kind smoky, spicy and sweet flavors of summer. Whether it’s ribs, chicken, hot dogs or even veggie burgers, any outdoor recipe can be enhanced with the versatility of pure honey. The National Honey Board (NHB) welcomes back award-winning grilling expert, restauranteur and bilingual TV personality, Chef Michell Sanchez, to share more of his unique Latin twists to familiar outdoor classics with grilling enthusiasts, all recipes complemented with nature’s golden go-to ingredient to “Honey Up Your Summer!”

Born in Havana, Cuba, Chef Michell Sanchez has grown up in the kitchen, learning about the deep connection between family and food. Sanchez’s rich family history in both the restaurant and honey industry made a huge impact on his life, beckoning him to launch his own culinary venture as the owner and Executive Chef of Latin House Grill in Miami. Priding himself in presenting authentic food filled with lots of passion and zest, Sanchez has garnered local and world praise. He has been a featured guest on numerous morning shows and on the Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.” His team has also attained countless awards including the South Beach Food and Wine Festival’s “Burger Bash,” hosted by celebrity chef Rachael Ray.

For this sophomore campaign with NHB, Sanchez recommends always packing a bottle of pure honey this summer along with other food and using it while cooking on the beach, at the park or wherever family adventures may take you this season. “Honey is a highly portable, quick and easy addition to any recipe that can heighten the flavor factor in grilled dishes, especially spicy ones,” commented Sanchez. “It also helps lock in moisture when used in a marinade or glaze on a protein, sealing in lots of great juices when caramelized over an open flame. The taste is just amazing!”

For Sanchez, the usage of honey on the grill is very familiar territory, going far back into his childhood since one of his uncles is a local South Florida honey producer. Now, as the owner and Flavor Innovator of Latin House Grill in Miami, this self-proclaimed honey enthusiast shares six of his newest grilling creations for this summer season. All the recipes, exclusively available on mielpura.org and on Sanchez’s social media platforms, are familiar grilled comfort food classics embellished and balanced with just the right touch of nature’s sweetener. Two of Sanchez’s “Honey Up Your Summer!” recipes include:

Honey Fish Tacos
For a fresh summer meal, try these delicious fish tacos. With the added goodness of honey, lime, and crema Mexicana, it will soon become your family’s favorite summertime meal.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
½ cup honey
12 oz mahi-mahi
¼ cabbage
2 oz crema mexicana
2 limes
8 corn tortillas
Pinch salt

Preparation:
Rinse and clean mahi-mahi and pat dry, cut into eight equal strip portions sprinkle with salt and set aside. Finely cut cabbage, squeeze half lime over cabbage and set aside. Heat grill and place mahi-mahi over medium heat for 3 minutes each side. Brush on honey right before removing from grill. After warming tortillas for about a minute, you can now start building your honey tacos. Place two tortillas on a plate and add one piece of mahi-mahi to each. Top with the shredded cabbage, squeeze lime over taco, add crema and drizzle with remaining honey.

Honey Sriracha Grilled Wings
Sriracha on wings, too spicy? Balance the heat with some sweet honey!

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups honey
4 lbs fresh chicken wings
3 cups rice wine vinegar
¼ cup Sriracha
2 tablespoons salt

Preparation:
Place wings in a large bowl and rinse with cool water. Add rice wine vinegar, sriracha, salt and ½ of the honey. Fold to incorporate all the ingredients and coat the wings evenly. Using the slow and low method of BBQ’ing, set grill temperature to 225-240 degrees. If using coals, let them burn off and move over to one side of the grill. Place the wings on the grill, cover with a lid and cook for 12-14 minutes before turning once and letting them cook for an additional 15-18 minutes. Open the lid and turn the wings one more time. Brush the remaining honey onto the wings. Let the wings cook for 5-8 more minutes, remove from heat and serve them up hot and juicy!

Find these and other great smoky, spicy and sweet pure honey grilling recipes by Chef Michell Sanchez visitingmielpura.org

Leave A Comment