Summer Seafood Fire-Grilled Feast

PRO TIP: You can cook this meal on your Napoleon Gas Grill or your Napoleon Charcoal Barbecue as well. Just remember to preheat your chosen grill properly before beginning.

1. Start with the herb and spice butters. In separate bowls, combine the herb butter ingredients, mixing thoroughly and setting aside. Do the same with the spice butter, adding the optional hot peppers. The longer the butters have to sit, the better they will taste.
2. Start by getting your chosen cooking method hot. Today, I chose to use the Timberwolf® Smokeless Fire Pit. This will take the longest to preheat. Use the pyramid or log-cabin style to lay your fire. Place a couple of fire starters, wood shavings, and/or crumpled paper between the logs.
3. Ignite the starters, allowing the fire to catch in the kindling. Add a couple more medium-sized logs as needed, then allow the fire to burn down until the flames are below the rim of the fire pit. Carefully place your cooking grids over top.
4. While the fire burns down to coals, prepare your seafood. Break down the crab legs–if needed–and cut open the shell so that it forms a canoe around the meat. Cut the lobster tails in half. Shell and de-vein your shrimp, skewering them so they’re easier to handle. And finally, shuck the oysters and release the meat from the shell, but leave the meat in the shell.
5. Place dollops of your butter, a few teaspoons of the spice butter for the crab legs, a few tsp each for the herb butter and lobster tails. Lightly season both sides of the scallops with the salt and pepper. For the shrimp, toss the skewers in a mixture of the garlic, oil, fresh herbs, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Place small dollops of butter into the oysters, use your favourite, or alternate for a surprise with each bite.
6. Once the fire has burnt down to coals, grill the crab and lobster with the shell side down so that they butter poach as they get hot. At the same time, grill the shrimp and scallops directly on the grids. Both should only take 2 to 3 minutes, then flip so that they get a kiss of flame on the meat side. Grill until reaching a temperature of 140°F (60°C).
7. Remove the crab, lobster, shrimp, and scallops, then put down the oysters. Grill them, shell-side down, for about 4 minutes.
8. Remove everything from your grill and serve with the remaining butter melted, cocktail sauce, and boiled potatoes and corn.
9. Pair this epic seafood delight with a citrusy Belgian-style Wheat Beer whose citrusy aromas will complement the lemon in your herb butters, while anything that is made with an emphasis on hops will contrast beautifully, so IPA would be a great beer as well. For wines, try a Roussanne, a full-bodied and citrusy white with sweet apricot and chamomile that will elevate the citrus notes and complement the seafood beautifully. Or, go with a good Sauvignon Blanc that can stand up to all of the butter, herbs, and garlic without overpowering your delicate seafood.

This is the kind of meal that turns into a moment; hands reaching in, laughter around the table, and that unmistakable flavour of food cooked over fire. Paired with a crisp Belgian wheat beer, a bright Sauvignon Blanc, or a smooth Roussanne, and you’ve got everything you need for a relaxed but unforgettable summer gathering. Whether you’re at the cottage or in your own backyard, this seafood spread proves that a little flame and some butter go a long way.

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Happy Grilling!