Memorial Day weekend is the Super Bowl of grilling. The smoker comes on Friday night, the crowd shows up Saturday, and someone always asks who made the food. These 19 recipes will make sure that someone is you.
From competition-worthy smoked brisket to a cowboy steak the size of your forearm, this is the full Memorial Day menu. Big proteins, crowd-pleasing sides and a dessert that finishes the weekend strong. Every single one is made on the grill or smoker.
The Big Guns
These are the showstoppers. The recipes people drive across town for. Start your smoke early and let these carry the whole cookout.
Steaks and Chops
Every great cookout needs a steak moment. These three cuts deliver.
Burgers, Dogs + Handhelds
The backbone of every Memorial Day cookout. Get these right and nobody goes home hungry.
Sides + Dessert
The sides and summer dessert that make people forget there was even a main course.
Not sure where to start? Here’s how to think about it:
Feeding 10 or fewer: Pick one big gun (brisket or ribs), one burger or dog, two sides and dessert. That’s your whole weekend.
Feeding 10–20: Go brisket + pulled pork, all four sides, the shrimp as an appetizer, and peach cobbler to close.
Feeding a crowd: Pick two big guns, a couple handhelds, all the sides and the cobbler.
