Pairing of the Day: June 20-24, 2011

"Oysters on the half shell can wobble on the grill," James Holmes says. "That's a good thing—some butter will spill onto the coals, which smokes the oysters at the same time."

Pairing: Herb-scented Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc: 2009 Benziger.

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The cooks at Big Bob's marinate chicken wings for about four hours in a spicy apricot sauce before tossing them on the grill.

An apricot-based sauce brushed on chicken wings before grilling gives them plenty of flavor—no marinating necessary; extra sauce is good for dipping.

Pairing: Citrusy wheat beer: SweetWater Sch'Wheat.

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"One thing I've learned as a chef is not to overfeed your customers—a food coma is very unpleasant," says Charlie Parker of Plum restaurant in Oakland, California. This salad of grilled spring vegetables feels just filling enough, thanks to the protein-rich quinoa and a puree of dates that are grilled first to soften them and intensify their natural sweetness.

Pairing: Fino Sherry: Gutiérrez Colosia Elcano.

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To cook this seafood-and-chorizo paella, Pete Evans uses his grill as both a stovetop and an oven, simultaneously using direct and indirect heat. We've replaced his whole crab with jumbo lump crabmeat for simplicity's sake.

Pairing: Coriander-and-lavender-infused white ale: The Bruery Orchard White.

More Seafood Recipes

At Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Lilly uses a cut called picnic shoulder for his spiced jerk pork, cooking it over low heat for eight hours.

We suggest rubbing a vibrant jerk paste on chops before a quick 20 minutes on the grill, which gives them an insanely good, peppery heat.

Pairing: Bold, juicy Nero d'Avola: 2008 Tasca d'Almerita Lamùri.

More Grilled Pork Recipes