Labor Day Grilling Guide

Are you ready for the last big hoorah of the summer? If you look at Labor Day as the official end of the season, it can be kind of a downer. Sometimes it’s a little sad, putting away the pool toys, seeing the days start to get shorter, and giving up relaxed summer weekends for the busy season of back to school and demanding work schedules. On the other hand, it’s the start of a new season, with many more opportunities to share delicious meals together. Hopefully, one thing we can all look forward to is a relaxing Labor Day Weekend with our families.

Let’s celebrate Labor Day Weekend, recteq-style. Whether you’re looking for a new appetizer or a whole Labor Day menu, you’ve come to the right place. Bring a little extra recteq spice to the table with these delicious recipes to say farewell to summer and welcome Fall. First things first, let’s set the stage for a successful smoke this Labor Day:

Get Ready:

Before the big day, take a few minutes to prep your grill for all the action. We recommend performing all the small maintenance steps you might have been putting off: cleaning the drip pan, replacing the foil, putting a fresh jar or liner in your drip bucket, and emptying out your firepot if needed. You can use our bristle-free brush or wadded up aluminum foil to give the grates a quick scrub. Finally, make sure you’ve got plenty of pellets to power through the weekend. Check out our Pellet Grill Maintenance: Upkeep & Care post for more helpful tips.

Plan Ahead:

It’s a great time to invite your guests, set your menu, assign dishes for everyone to contribute (don’t leave it up to guesswork, or everyone will show up with a bag of chips), and shop for all the party essentials. Don’t forget napkins, cups, dishes, and cutlery, plus all the Rubs and Sauces your guests will love. Maybe you’ve been wanting to add some accessories to your grilling line-up; well, now is the perfect time. A recteq Apron is a great way of showing off your brand loyalty to all your friends. By the end of this party, they might be joining the recteq family.

The Good Stuff:

Of course, the sky is the limit when it comes to planning your Labor Day menu. You can keep it simple with burgers and hot dogs or go with something a little different to really impress your guests. May we suggest Bruschetta Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms to start off the festivities, followed by a main course of Grilled Pork Chops with Smoked Scalloped Potatoes and Green Jacket Salad. For desserts it’s got to be Molten Chocolate Lava Cake; unless you indulge in the delicious New York Style Cheesecake. For more amazing recteq meal ideas, check out Warm Weather Entertaining Made Easy.

Entertaining Tips:

Inviting guests over this Labor Day weekend? The process doesn’t have to be stressful; remember, using your recteq makes the cooking aspect so much simpler. Here are a few more tips that might help. If you’ll be eating outdoors, you can buy a cleaning caddy/office organizer and stock it with paper plates, napkins, utensils, and disposable cups. You can also include permanent markers and stickers for each person to ID their cup. Larger baskets can also hold condiments to make setting up the outdoor dining space even easier. Looking for a sleeker version? Search for BBQ caddy and you’ll find a lot of products created just to keep these supplies right at hand. If you want to be everyone’s favorite host, grab some extra food storage containers to send your guests home with leftovers. Be warned, though, these recipes are so good you probably won’t have anything left over!

Make it fun

If you want entertaining to become a simple, relaxing routine that the whole family enjoys, you can take some steps towards that goal:

Choose repeatable menus and perfect them. Take notes on your cooks to help with consistency. Find a buddy to co-host or ask everyone to contribute a dish. Create a party play list to set the mood. Set out non-perishable essentials the night before. Give yourself plenty of time in case there is a snag. Always cook to temp & probe-tenderness, not time.

Enjoy your Labor Day celebration and be sure to share your recipes with us:

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