MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND is when the grill comes out (how I love a grill that’s come out 😏), the chairs migrate to the yard, and everyone suddenly develops very strong opinions about potato salad.
I love that first big unofficial summer gathering. The screen door banging. The smell of smoke. The bowl of chips no one admits to hovering near. Someone’s kid running through the sprinkler fully clothed because joy has no respect for laundry.
But the best version of that weekend starts before anyone arrives.
Not with fuss. With forethought. A marinade already doing its quiet work. A salad chilling in the fridge. Drinks cold enough to make the cooler earn a raise. Dessert handled. Ice purchased. Buns accounted for, because nothing says “amateur hour” like serving burgers on folded sandwich bread.
Plan the bones of the menu now, and the weekend has room to breathe. You get to flip, pour, laugh, eat, and sit down like a human instead of conducting a three-ring circus with tongs.
Chow,
P.S. A word about these, uh, “interesting” Polaroids. I fed AI photos of my family from when I was a kid and prompted it to create fun scenarios around a cookout. Apparently, according to the algorithm: 1) everyone scowls, 2) my mother suddenly looks 10 years older and sprouts brown hair, 3) my father is remarkably younger and apparently extremely farsighted, and 4) I have absolutely no idea where that bald guy came from.
Choose food that holds up. Grilled mains, sturdy salads, easy desserts.
Make the fridge do work early. Marinades, dressings, sauces, and desserts love a head start.
Buy the boring essentials. Ice, charcoal, napkins, trash bags. Heroes, all.
Keep drinks simple and cold. That alone makes people happy.
Love thy self. The host deserves a plate, too.
Stick to safe topics. I don’t think I need to elaborate here… .
Yup. The same roadside double from the iconic Shake Shack. And it has everything you’ve ever wanted between two buns. Two burgers. Swiss cheese. And insanely tender and complex onions simmered in beer and bacon. Thank us later.
★★★★★ 4.86 from 69 votes
This is an easy, creamy, and versatile homemade go-to in your recipe repertoire, whether destined for burgers, tater tots, broccoli, chili, nachos, cauliflower, baked potatoes...need I continue? Sodium citrate, though optional, makes this the smoothest cheese sauce you've ever seen. Scouts honor.
★★★★★ 4.68 from 85 votes
Burger buns, specifically homemade soft hamburger buns that are almost like brioche, are the best in our book. These buttery, light, yet sturdy specimens are the most incredible we've ever had. The recipe comes from the baking geniuses at King Arthur Baking.
★★★★★ 4.68 from 85 votes
Homemade yellow mustard is deceptively simple to make from mustard powder, vinegar, and a couple other basic pantry staples. You just may never go back to store-bought! Here’s how to make it from scratch.
★★★★★ 4.75 from 36 votes
These barbecued beef back ribs are easy to make. They’re coated with a homemade spice rub and slowly grilled to perfection.
★★★★★ 4.98 from 37 votes
This bacon jam, made with bacon, maple syrup, and coffee, is a sweet condiment slathered on burgers at the Skillet diner in Seattle--and just about everywhere else these days.
★★★★★ 4.77 from 13 votes
This grilled porterhouse steak is impressive yet easy to make and arguably the best way to make a porterhouse steak at home. Here’s how.
★★★★★ 5 from 10 votes
Skirt steak is one of the most flavorful cuts on the entire steer, and when grilled and sliced properly, it’s one of the best values at the butcher shop. I like my tacos on the spicy side, so I load them up with plenty of sliced jalapeño and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime, cilantro, and pickled red onions.
★★★★★ 5 from 11 votes
These buttermilk onion rings are briefly soaked in buttermilk and double-dipped in flour before frying to ensure an extra crisp coating and oh so tender onions within. Spectacular alongside burgers. Or simply on their own.
★★★★★ 4.64 from 111 votes
This sweet pickle relish, made with cucumbers, sugar, onion, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and cider vinegar, is perfect for hamburgers and hot dogs and potato salad, and anything else. So long, storebought.
Solid boiling potatoes are best for this salad. I prefer to use slightly nutty Charlottes but small potatoes with red skin are also good.
★★★★★ 4.86 from 21 votes
Bobby’s barbecue sauce recipe is simply the best—an artful balance of sweet, spicy, and smoky. Perfect slathered on ribs, pork, burgers, or chicken.
★★★★★ 4.81 from 62 votes
The quintessential backyard bash dessert. This hybrid masterwork features an oatmeal cookie-like topping over a bubbling, sassy blueberry filling that’s not too sweet and not too tart. Best of all, you can prep the filling and crumble separately up to 3 days in advance, keeping you completely out of the weeds.
This old-fashioned classic requires exactly zero oven time, making it a brilliant tactical move for a hot weekend. With just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes of effort, chocolate wafer cookies layer up with a genius condensed milk whipped cream. It sits quietly in your fridge overnight, transforming into a pillowy, cake-like masterpiece.
★★★★★ 4.84 from 6 votes
Tangy, rich, and ridiculously fluffy. The addition of chopped pecans gives the traditional graham cracker crust a savory, nutty crunch that beautifully cuts through the bright, zesty key lime punch. It’s a showstopper that can be fully baked and chilled a day ahead.
Yes, that The One" in the photo above, showing what a totally reasonable, completely restrained single serving of this ice cream looks like in our house. Our nightly ice cream habit is a year-round affair, but when this particular batch came out of the freezer, all discipline dissolved. Four scoops might look like a structural hazard, but trust me—once you taste that thick marshmallow swirl hitting the deeply chocolatey, Oreo-spiked base, you’ll be tempted to stack your waffle cone just as high. (Just eat fast, or keep a bowl nearby to catch the drips!)
P.S. Won’t you consider tapping the ♥️, restacking this post, and/or leaving a comment? It takes but a moment, but its impact is enormous! xx
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