What are YOU grilling for Labor Day?

[jfmorris]

I've been pondering the fact that Labor Day has snuck up and is upon me this coming Monday, and along with it, a celebration of the end of summer, effectively, as far as our backyard pool goes. It's been a weird summer. We had cooler than normal weather, lots of rain, hotter than normal weather and lots of drought. Pool temps were in the mid to upper 80's for most of July, and then in August, we had a number of cool nights down in the low 60's, even upper 50's one night, and the pool temp plummeted to 77 one day last week! I put the solar cover on, and it's hovering around 85 now. It's hitting 100+ every day this week I feel, but still 60's overnight, which cools the pool down quick.

Anyway, some of our kids will be out of town. We had a divorce in my wife's brothers family, and I have NO CLUE who, if anyone, will be here on Monday. I probably won't have a clue until Sunday night or Monday morning.

So my thoughts are, I am going to go to Kroger or Publix tomorrow, buy a bunch of 80/20 ground chuck, and form it all into 1/3 pound smash burger balls, freeze on a sheet pan, THEN vacuum seal in bags of 8. I've done this before, and it works pretty well. Then, on Monday morning, when I finally know who is coming, I can just pull the right number of premade smash burger balls out of the freezer, and let them thaw on the counter for an hour before cooking. I've got some brats buried in the deep freeze that I will do the same thing with.

This will be a good time to uncover the griddle, unused since early May, and make sure it's clean and has no rust! It's been under a hard top and with a canvas cover, but is out in the elements... last burgers I made were on Memorial Day, and were grilled over charcoal on the SNS kamado. Last time I grilled/smoked anything was pulled pork for my birthday on August 11th... REALLY been an off game for me this summer...

Also, for simplicity, will be some simple sides like potato salad and/or chips and dip, and a churn of homemade vanilla ice cream.

So, whatcha cooking for Labor Day?

Poll below!

[GolfGeezer]

I voted “something better” as I assumed “ribs” meant some form of pork ribs. I’ll be smoking a nice rack of Wildfork beef plate short ribs and making some Rancho Gordo pinto beans to complement.

[jfmorris]

Ohh.... I have a big ole slab of beef plate short ribs in the bottom of the deep freeze... it's only 3 or 4 bones, but they are BIG bones. Maybe I need to pull that out and smoke on the kamado while the other stuff cooks for lunch, and have the ribs for dinner when everyone leaves, haha....

[bbq_esq]

Which grade did you get? I have been meaning to try these. Wondering if prime is really worth it for something like beef ribs which presumably are marbled plenty.

[GolfGeezer]

bbq_esq This rack was an Angus Choice. One of the benefits of going to the Wildfork store in lieu of having it shipped is being able to pick through the bin. The Primes were OK, but visibly thinner. I was also able to see the fat layers and the Choice was better in that regards as well. This one came out very, very moist and tender.

[Mosca]

Probably burgers and dogs, smashburgers are now traditional for me! Plus I want to do that brisket.

[Mosca]

jfmorris They’re coming back in June:

https://www.thedailymeal.com/2182540/new-sams-club-products-find-june-2026/

[jfmorris]

Good news Mosca! But it just says the 8 oz patties are coming back. I'll wait and see if the sliders show up too - those were perfect for smash burgers on the griddle.

That said - the charcoal grilled chuck burgers I made on Memorial Day and am still eating today on National Burger Day are pretty darned good, and give me a taste for more grilled and less smashed patties this summer...

[Mosca]

jfmorris At our Sam’s, they’re usually side by side. On occasions they haven’t been, I’ve bought the larger ones and divided into two balls and froze those for smashing later.

[Jerod Broussard]

Working. But, Sunday I'm scheduled to pick up a Discgrill off FBMP.

[Bkhuna]

Nice. My neighbor has one and I've been tempted.

[texastweeter]

Yeah we have one at the ranch

[bbq_esq]

Please post more when you get this - very tempting.

[acorgihouse]

I have an outside skirt steak in the freezer, I'm taking out Sunday to cook Monday. My usual would be fajitas, but looking for something different. Been perusing recipes, as yet undecided. I usually go to the produce co-op on Sunday mornings, so winging that too.

[realdocBBQ]

Oh man, outside skirt. I only WISH!

[acorgihouse]

I'm thinking two things right now. I've had the Bloody Mary flank steak recipe in my head, there are a lot of recipes online, all similar. I like the one on the Traeger website, but going to use my favorite Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix. Then, today, I saw billboard for a local restaurant, advertising Tequila lime flank steak fajitas. So, hmmm. I expect I'll go with the bloody marinade and grill, and see what kind of veg at the produce co-op to throw on with. We shall see.

[fzxdoc]

Nice find on that outside skirt steak. Wish I could be that lucky.

K.

[DavidNorcross]

It is burgers and dogs!

[Skip]

We're busy Friday thru Sunday but Monday our Daughter will be home for overnight so probably do burgers like fuzzydaddy just posted on the SUWC thread. His technique intrigues me. We have some SJUfeller burger in the freezer which is very good for grilled burgers!

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/food-recipes-techniques-show-us-what-youre-cooking/show-tell/1614901-show-us-what-you-re-cooking-suwyc-volume-34-summer-2024/page44#post1639544

[jfmorris]

Thanks for the link! I've never thought to front-sear the burgers like that, even though I've done it with plenty of steaks. I'll ponder doing that on Monday if I want to use charcoal instead of the griddle...

[Skip]

I'm thinking this technique will improve my goal to serve both medium and well done burgers.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Working the whole weekend, but will do burgers on Labor Day.
Daughter will be house/pet sitting Tuesday to Friday after Labor Day. Going away for a few days with my wife. To the vineyards...

[Purc]

Serving pulled pork with all the traditional southern side dishes.

[jfmorris]

That's what I did for my birthday earlier this month. I did 2 butts and still have one bag of leftover pulled pork in the freezer...

[Jfrosty27]

No set plans but I have a few things in the fridge and ready to go. Fresh brats from my favorite local butcher. Thick cut, bone in, Berkshire pork chops from Wild fork. These baby’s are huge and tender when smoked low and slow on the Recteq. BLT’s with some very thick cut homemade bacon from a local Pitmaster friend and fresh picked tomatoes. Yum. And I suspect there’ll be a pizza in there somewhere. Happy Holiday!

[Richard Chrz]

I have chicken thawing, i just pulled out some short ribs, I am going to make a few pizzas, and other baked carbs in my Gozney, if any neighbors are are around, they will be fed pizza . I’m still debating on a pork loin, chrzacos, and burgers all are on the table.

Cheers everyone to a safe Labor Day weekend, for all that will celebrate in some form.

[smokenoob]

Hotdogs on a wood fire next to a river somewhere in the Rocky Mountains! Have provisions for 4 days, not sure where yet 😁

[LA Pork Butt]

Doing my 1st Prime Brisket, Mexican Street Corn and Slaw.

[jfmorris]

Enjoy! Mexican street corn sounds good! I may pull that into my cook, and toss some corn down on one end of the griddle...

The prime brisket may be probe tender at a lower temp than the choice briskets, and hopefully the flat will be a little juicer. Enjoy!

[tstalafuse]

Probably Brats if I can get to the grill by Monday. Discovered some very serious rotted wood joists on the deck that will have to be dealt with this weekend, so everything is somewhat piled up on the opposite side of the deck.

[Prof Bunky]

We usually do a whole chicken, but it's just us this year and we have steaks in the freezer, so…