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Firing Up A Flavorful Grilled Mardi Gras Feast (13 Recipes, 2 Articles)
Fat Tuesday. Is there a more joyous food holiday? This special occasion revels in the richest, fattiest, most calorie-laden and decadent edibles available. After all, it’s the last day before the fasting of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is actually the culmination of the entire Carnival season, a months-long celebration featuring public parades, parties, costumes, masks, high-spirited revelry, and magnificent feasting.
From Belgium to Brazil, Mardi Gras festivities take place all over the world. In America, the party reaches its peak in New Orleans, Louisiana, the birthplace of U.S. Mardi Gras celebrations. Way back in the late 1600s, French King Louis XIV sent delegates overseas to defend France’s claim on the American territory of Louisiane. At that time, Louisiane included the modern-day states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and portions of eastern Texas. On Tuesday March 3, 1699, the king’s delegates made camp on the Mississippi River about 60 miles downstream from what is now New Orleans. It happened to be Fat Tuesday, and in honor of that day, they named the encampment area Mardi Gras Point (Point du Mardi Gras in French). By 1723, New Orleans became the capital of Louisiana, and the first NOLA Mardi Gras parade took place in 1837. The city was a natural epicenter for Carnival celebrations in the region and eventually the entire United States, a badge of honor that New Orleans has welcomed with open arms. For two weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, local NOLA social clubs or “krewes” pull out all the stops with elaborate parties, balls, costumes, masks, dances, marching bands, parades, and floats, where riders toss “throws” such as colorful beads, doubloons, moon pies, lingerie, and coconuts into the cheering crowds. Anything goes during Mardi Gras, and it’s a wild time. Or as they say in the Big Easy, laissez les bons temps rouler. Let the good times roll!
King cake is the most iconic Mardi Gras food, decorated in the traditional colors of purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power). This rich, buttery cake is twisted and baked in a ring-shaped mold then decorated with colored icing sugar. It’s customary to hide a baby Jesus figurine inside the cake. Whoever gets the trinket bakes the next king cake to keep the party going.
Sweet pancakes are also traditional on Shrove Tuesday, as Mardi Gras is sometimes called, along with all manner of rich, fried pastries from doughnuts to beignets. In New Orleans, other Cajun and Creole foods find their way to Mardi Gras tables from jambalaya and gumbo to muffuletta, andouille po’ boys, grilled oysters, red beans and rice, pralines, hurricanes, and Sazerac cocktails. If you can’t make it down to New Orleans to partake of these foods and drinks, enjoy them at home! Here are some of our richest, most delicious NOLA-inspired recipes to help you celebrate Mardi Gras in style, no matter where you are.
Red Beans And Rice Recipe, A New Orleans Classic Made At Home
Enjoy a taste of New Orleans with this recipe for classic red beans and rice! In NOLA, Sunday is ham night, and on Monday, the leftover ham and the ham bone are used to make Red Beans and Rice, a traditional Creole stew that can be prepped quickly and simmers for several hours before diving in.
Easy Foil Packet Shrimp Boil For A Backyard Beach Feast
This mouthwatering grilled shrimp boil recipe is an effortless family style feast for your backyard cookout. There’s something truly engaging about diving into a steaming hot peel-and-eat shrimp boil, fingers dripping with spicy juices as you devour the tender shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn, all done on the grill.
Grilled Oysters With Roasted Garlic Butter And Romano
If you've only ever eaten oysters raw, this recipe will be a revelation. And if you've never warmed up to oysters, give this recipe a try. Oysters Grilled with Roasted Garlic Butter and Romano are easy to make, drenched with rich flavors, and utterly delicious.this item is for members only
Original New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Recipe Does Right Bayou
New Orleans barbecue sauce is a rich, hot buttery sauce used on shrimp but it works beautifully on many other dishes. Technically, since there is no smoke in the recipe, so it really isn't barbecue, but there's no reason why you can't bask in its delicious mix of butter, garlic, Louisiana hot sauce, and more.
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo Warms The Soul
Turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a delicious, soul warming gumbo with this easy to follow recipe.
Melissa Cookston’s Grilled Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
Create a grilled bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp appetizer with only five ingredients thanks to this award winning recipe courtesy of pitmaster Melissa Cookston. Cookston won the 2012 Kingsford Invitational by taking first place in five categories including this delicious bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp recipe.
Show Some Southern Flair With Grilled Shrimp And Grits
Enjoy a taste of the south with this tested recipe for a grilled twist on the classic pairing of shrimp and grits. Whether it’s for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this delicious combination of rich and creamy stone ground grits and perfectly grilled shrimp is sure to please any crowd.
How To Make Traditional Louisiana Andouille Sausage At Home
Andouille sausage is the soul of New Orleans Creole cooking. It is spicy, garlicky, and smoky. Here is how to make this classic Louisiana sausage.
How To Shuck An Oyster And Cook It Like A Pro, Safely And Properly
Opening an oyster shell isn't hard once you know how. Here's how.
The Genius Trick to Making Grilled Catfish That Doesn’t Stick
A base of sliced citrus is the key to perfectly grilled fish in this recipe for grilled blackened catfish with charred lemon cream sauce. Grilling the catfish fillets on top of orange slices ensures the fish won't stick to the grill grate and adds a touch of citrus flavor.
Bayou Bite Louisiana BBQ Sauce Recipe
This Louisiana BBQ sauce recipe is spicy and sweet with Chipotle Tabasco, roasted jalapenos, red peppers, and Steen's Cane Syrup. Referred to as Bayou Bite, this delicious sauce blends sweet and hot peppers for a mildly spicy finishing and dipping sauce for ribs, chicken, steaks, chops and so much more.
Get a Taste Of N’awlins With This Cajun Seasoning Rub Recipe
This spice blend features classic Louisiana flavors like cayenne and allspice, perfect for making andouille sausage, jambalaya, gumbo, and blackened fish. It is also good rubbed on barbecued meats and mixed into burgers.this item is for members only
Creole Seasoning Rub Recipe
This recipe for spicy Creole seasoning is perfect for gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish etoufee. It also works well rubbed on pork, chicken and turkey.
Bite-Size Pecan Pies Are Easy To Make And Easier To Eat
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this delicious recipe for pecan tassies, mini bite size pecan pies. Crunchy, nutty, gooey, flaky, and easy to pop one after another, these tasty tartlets are often served at Southern weddings, but are most common at Christmas and Thanksgiving, when pecans are still fresh.Related articles
- Barbecue History: Outdoor Cooking Through The Ages
- How To Fry – And Here’s The Genius – Do it On Your Grill!
- Seasonal Topics (10 Pages)
- Red Beans And Rice Recipe, A New Orleans Classic Made At Home
- BBQ Shrimp & Andouille Po Boy Recipe: A Taste Of N’awlins
- Easy Foil Packet Shrimp Boil For A Backyard Beach Feast
- Grilled Oysters With Roasted Garlic Butter And Romano
- Original New Orleans BBQ Shrimp Recipe Does Right Bayou
- Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo Warms The Soul
- Melissa Cookston’s Grilled Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
- Show Some Southern Flair With Grilled Shrimp And Grits
- How To Make Traditional Louisiana Andouille Sausage At Home
- How To Shuck An Oyster And Cook It Like A Pro, Safely And Properly
- The Genius Trick to Making Grilled Catfish That Doesn’t Stick
- Bayou Bite Louisiana BBQ Sauce Recipe
- Get a Taste Of N’awlins With This Cajun Seasoning Rub Recipe
- Creole Seasoning Rub Recipe
- Bite-Size Pecan Pies Are Easy To Make And Easier To Eat
Published On: 6/28/2019 Last Modified: 6/22/2024
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