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Peach Meets Grill: Cinnamon-Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Glaze
By Steven Raichlen
Some years ago, while researching Japanese barbecue, I found myself at a produce market in Tokyo. There, amid the Yubari king melons and giant Amaou strawberries, was a $70 peach.
Flabbergasted, I asked the vendor how a single peach could cost $70. He explained the philosophical differences between Japanese and American agriculture.
“An American farmer looks at a peach orchard and thinks about how many tons of peaches he will harvest,” the vendor said. “A Japanese farmer looks at his orchard and thinks that one tree will produce peaches far superior to all the rest. And on that tree, one branch will produce a peach so extraordinary, connoisseurs will line up to pay $70 for the privilege of buying it.” (Sadly, I was not among them.)
Why Grill Peaches?
I’m not going to tell you about a $70 peach this week, but I will tell you about a peach dish that tastes like a million bucks. It involves a spice, an herb, and a piece of cooking equipment near and dear to our hearts. You guessed it: the grill.
The spice in question is cinnamon—more precisely, the rolled bark of the tree that gives us ground cinnamon: the cinnamon stick.
The herb is celebrated across Planet Barbecue for its vibrant refreshing flavor: fresh mint.
To put them together, you make mini kebabs with peach quarters and mint, using cinnamon sticks as skewers.
The Bourbon-Brown Sugar “B3” Glaze
Like all good barbecue, these grilled peach kebabs come with a sauce—in this case, my “B3” sauce. The three Bs are bourbon, brown sugar, and butter, with a whisper of heavy cream to hold them together.
Grill over a hot fire to caramelize the outside of the peaches, leaving the inside juicy and raw.
The crowning touch? Serve the grilled peaches over ice cream.
Summer never tasted so good!
How to Make Cinnamon-Grilled Peaches
Recipe
Cinnamon-Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Glaze
These fresh peach kebabs use cinnamon sticks as skewers, with mint leaves tucked between the fruit. As the cinnamon sticks char, the heat releases their aromatic oils. The peaches are finished with a creamy bourbon, brown sugar, and butter glaze.
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe freestone peaches
- 1 bunch large fresh mint leaves
- 8 cinnamon sticks
For the B3 Glaze
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for serving
You’ll also need: Bamboo skewer and martini glasses
Instructions
- Cut each peach in half along the crease, running your knife in a circular motion around the peach and cutting to the pit. Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate them. Using a spoon, pry out and discard the pit. Cut each peach half in half.
- Using a bamboo skewer, poke a starter hole through the middle of each peach quarter. Skewer 2 quarters on each cinnamon stick, placing a fresh mint leaf between them.
- Make the B3 glaze: Combine the bourbon, brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let the glaze boil until thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes.
- Set up the grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.
- Arrange the peaches on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, basting frequently with the bourbon glaze.
- Spoon the ice cream into martini glasses. Place 2 peach skewers in each glass and spoon the remaining bourbon glaze on top. Garnish each with a sprig of mint and serve at once.
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