There’s no better way to kick off the summer than by cooking various Memorial Day BBQ recipes. It’s a great way to add some variety to your meals as you finally bring out the grill. Moreover, food can bring the family together as you honor the fallen.
Mouthwatering Memorial Day BBQ Recipes
Families across the US will honor Memorial Day at the start of the season. But alongside this, many folks will also probably start grilling hotdogs and burgers.
What Memorial Day BBQ recipes are worth making to mark the start of summer? Here are some mouthwatering ideas you can try for a family dinner or a cookout!
1. BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Nachos
In today’s increasingly isolated culture, it’s more important than ever to use social eating to bring families and friends together. And what better way to do that this summer than with some nachos and barbeque chicken?
The recipe is simple as it simply swaps standard nachos with sweet potatoes. It’s also quite healthy as it uses poultry and lots of pickled onions.
Ingredients:
- ½ tsp honey or light agave
- ½ tsp lime zest
- 2 tbsp and 2 tsp lime juice, divided
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 rotisserie chicken breasts, shredded
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 6-oz bag of thick sweet potato chips
- 6 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- Kosher salt
Directions:
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet using parchment paper.
- Prepare a small bowl. Whisk honey, 2 tbsp of lime juice, and ¼ tsp of salt to dissolve.
- Afterward, add in jalapeño and onions. Toss to combine them. Then, let them sit while tossing them occasionally until you need to use them.
- Prepare a medium bowl and toss the shredded chicken inside. Afterward, coat it with barbecue sauce.
- Organize and place one layer of sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese in them. Then, sprinkle in the chicken and add the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
- Bake the potatoes and chicken. Keep them baking until the chicken warms up and the cheese melts. This will take about 15 to 18 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix sour cream, lime zest, and 2 tsp of lime juice in a small bowl.
- Top the nachos with the red onion and jalapeño mixture. Then, drizzle them with the sour cream sauce and sprinkle them with cilantro.
2. Best-Ever Burger
If you want simple Memorial Day BBQ recipes, we recommend the Best-Ever Burger. While the recipe is easy, it’s certainly delicious enough to make your mouth water. Just remember to follow a few grilling safety guidelines while you’re cooking them.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 3 slices of cheese
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- Kosher salt
- 3 hamburger buns
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- Iceberg lettuce
- Minced white onions
Directions:
- Shape the ground beef into three patties. For best results, ensure they’re about an inch wider than the bun.
- Season each beef patty with salt and pepper.
- Press each patty in the middle to create a wide but shallow indent.
- Heat the grill to high. Grill the patties until the pink color is gone and they develop a crust. This should take about 6 minutes.
- Flip the patties once grilled and brush them immediately with melted butter. Afterward, cook the patties for 3 more minutes.
- Add cheese to the patties. Then, grill them until they’re fully cooked according to your preferred doneness. This should take 3 more minutes for a medium finish.
- Place the patties between the buns and add the fixings.
3. Big Mac Hot Dogs
Recipes for Memorial Day BBQ don’t always have to be intricate. Sometimes, easy Memorial Day BBQ recipes are all you need to make the day special.
Ingredients:
- For the sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp relish
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- For the hotdogs:
- 6 hotdogs
- 6 slices of American cheese
- 6 hotdog buns
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced pickles
- Chopped white onions
- Sesame seeds for serving
Directions:
- Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, vinegar, mustard, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in a medium bowl.
- Preheat the grill for 5 minutes. Prepare it to cook on medium heat.
- Grill the hotdogs. Turn them halfway through until they’re warm enough. You can also tell that each side is cooked well when grill marks appear. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Put a cheese slice on a hotdog bun. Afterward, add the hotdog and top it with the sauce, onions, pickles, and lettuce. You can also sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
4. Grilled Chicken Wings
If you’re running out of Memorial Day barbecue ideas, we suggest going for something classic like grilled chicken wings.
They’re easy to prepare and are versatile enough to fit all occasions. In fact, you can even reuse the recipe on other holidays like Labor Day.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup apricot preserves
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- ½ tbsp sriracha (optional)
- 2 ⅓ lb chicken wings with discarded tips, separated
- Chopped cilantro or scallions for serving
Directions:
- Get one large bowl and whisk the bourbon, apricot preserves, lime juice, sriracha, and soy sauce until smooth. Set aside ¼ cup of the mixture.
- Add chicken wings to the large bowl. Then, toss them to coat the meat evenly. Cover the mixture and leave it in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
- Set the grill to low heat. Afterward, place the chicken wings on the grill with the bone facing down. Cover the grill and let them cook for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and let it grill until they cook. This will take an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
- Toss the chicken with the reserved ¼ cup of sauce.
- Sprinkle the chopped cilantro or scallions and then serve.
5. Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets With Summer Squash
This is one of the more creative BBQ ideas for Memorial Day — perfect for those looking for a challenge. Moreover, it’s a healthy alternative to red meat, pork, and poultry.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup packed basil leaves, torn
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 summer squash, chopped
- 4 6-ozz salmon filets with skin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- Kosher salt
- Lime wedges for serving
Directions:
- Prepare the grill to cook on medium-high heat.
- Whisk the butter, ½ tsp salt, garlic, honey, and chili powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Season either side of the salmon with ¾ tsp of salt.
- In a medium bowl, toss the red onions, zucchini, and summer squash with ¼ tsp of salt.
- Cut aluminum foil into four 12-by-16-inch pieces. Place the foil on a flat surface.
- Place the vegetable mixture into the foil packets. Fill half of the center of each piece.
- Put the salmon pieces beside the vegetables in the foil packets. Afterward, drizzle them evenly with chipotle sauce.
- Fold the edges of each packet to keep the food from falling out.
- Place the foil packets on the grill to cook for 11 to 14 minutes. Rotate the packets halfway through the cooking process to cook the food evenly.
- Sprinkle the salmon and vegetables with basil. Then, serve them with lime wedges.
6. Honey Lime Grilled Corn
Meat shouldn’t be the only thing that occupies your Memorial Day barbeque menu. Adding some grilled corn is a must if you want a big feast.
Ingredients:
- ¼ tsp fresh black pepper, ground
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp lime zest, finely grated
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 seeded jalapeño, finely chopped
- ½ cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- Vegetable oil for the grill
Directions:
- Prepare the grill for medium-high heat.
- Clean and oil the grates and then preheat for 5 minutes.
- Grill the corn and rotate them often. Keep grilling until they begin to char on each side. This should take about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the jalapeño, garlic, butter, honey, lime juice, lime zest, black pepper, cilantro, and salt in a small bowl.
- Place the grilled corn on a 13-by-19-inch baking dish. Afterward, spread a tablespoon of honey-lime butter onto each ear of the corn.
- Cover the corn using foil. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Afterward, serve the corn with the leftover butter on the side.
Start Your Summer With a Barbeque
Summer brings perfect grilling weather. As such, there’s no better way to kick it off than by cooking up some Memorial Day BBQ recipes. They’re also pretty easy to make and add flavor to your meals.
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