PAT Oh, how we love grilled pineapple—and everyone loves grilled shrimp. And as Gina says, “Let’s keep it pretty,” so we skewer these two favorites together. Always remember to soak your skewers in cold water so they don’t catch fire on the grill. A brush of the syrupy glaze at the end will have your guests licking their sticks.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

　　1/2 cup light-brown sugar

　　1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar

　　1/4 cup lime juice

　　1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

　　Pinch of kosher salt

　　1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

　　1 large pineapple, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

　　Twelve 10-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

　　

Step 1

Melt the butter and cook the garlic in a saucepan set over medium heat. Once you can smell the garlic (about 1 minute), add the brown sugar, rice-wine vinegar, lime juice, ginger, basil, and salt. Stir, and bring to a low simmer; let it cook and reduce until the sauce is just syrupy, about 8 to 11 minutes. Set this glaze aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

Thread the shrimp and pineapple on the soaked skewers so you have two shrimp and three pieces of pineapple on each skewer, alternating between the shrimp and pineapple chunks.

　　

Step 3

Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Brush the grates with some vegetable oil with a clean tea towel. Grill the skewers for 5 to 8 minutes per side. Brush the skewers with the glaze for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

　　

PAT’S PREP-AHEAD

Step 4

In Daddy Milton’s honor, the day before, you can soak the skewers and skewer the shrimp, make the patties, and make the “Comeback Sauce,” the coleslaw, and the potato salad. But the corn, the onion rings, dessert, and drinks are all easy to pull together at the last minute.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.