Slowly smoked whole turkey prepared over a gently smoldering inferno of charcoal and fruitwoods. The crisped skin is caramelized in a gorgeous maple-bourbon and cider glaze, while the tender underlying meat is barbecued to sweet, succulent perfection. The bird is removed from the grill, rested, then filled for presentation with a homemade stuffing of toasted artisan sourdough croutons, roasted shallots and garlic, a garden of seasonal fruits and fresh aromatic herbs. Served best alongside family, friends and a strong pour of chilled Cabernet Sauvignon. -Happy Thanksgiving, David

Rack upon glorious, mouthwatering rack of finger-licking barbecued beef short ribs. Slowly smoked and reverse-seared over a smoldering inferno of charcoal and oak wood. Prepared to tender, succulent perfection, then caramelized in layer over layer of a homemade sweet and tangy red wine barbecue sauce. Garnished with a garden of aromatic fresh herbs and served alongside the best of friends, family and two handfuls of crisp, ice cold craft-brewed lagers. Basically Heaven.

If you ask me, surf and turf burgers are life. And life is surf and turf burgers!

On this weekend I’m throwing down a livefire gridiron feast for a crowd on the eve of college football’s greatest rivalry – Michigan State University v. University of Michigan. This gourmet tailgate in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan features gargantuan fontina cheeseburgers comprised of both land and sea.

Shish Kabobs take me 30 years back to barbecues surrounded by family, friends and the rustic cornfields of western Michigan. With a cattle farm near by my childhood home, naturally-sourced grass-fed beef was commonplace upon our modest dinner table. But, if a special occasion was to be hosted over the barbecue, rib eye or strip steak kabobs were most often the featured main course. Although a natural choice when electing to prepare a meal for a crowd, I imagine the regular appearance of kabobs on our holiday and family gathering menus could be equally attributed to their simplicity in preparation, aesthetic in presentation, and maybe most importantly – with the assistance of a great marinade, a touch of intense heat, and the application of charcoal and hardwood essence, the mouthwatering flavor of perfectly prepared seared beef and charred vegetables have no equal.