Memorial Day BBQ

Poppa Mike’s Legendary Gnarly Burgers

For the Caveclan, any day that ends in “Y” is a good excuse for a barbeque. But, for many of the less “Fire goooood!” inclined in the USA, the Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start of their Q-ing season. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the need for balmy weather in order to fire up the grill. It’s just that, being a Caveman and all, anything short of hurricane force winds just won’t keep me away from a date with my BBQ. That said, with it’s imminent arrival just hours away, we thought we’d share a few of our favorite outdoor cooking recipes to make sure your Holiday celebration is full of fantastic flavor!
Nothing says good old-fashioned American barbeque than a juicy, hot off the grill, hamburger. Just about any burger tastes better when it’s been flame broiled outside over a charcoal flame. As a child with a very limited palate, those ground beef patties made up the large bulk of my diet. So, I became very versed in how they should taste. Though, for some reason my grandfather’s burgers always tasted better than so many of the others I had encountered. Being that Poppa Mike had spent the bulk of his career in the meat business, I figured that he just knew something the others didn’t. What I didn’t learn, until years later, was that he actually had a secret recipe that took his burgers to the meat mountaintop. I’ve since adjusted his recipe slightly, but still pay great homage to his with Poppa Mike’s Legendary Gnarly Burgers. Give these juicy, flavorful babies a try at your Q this weekend if you enjoy hearing mewls of delectable pleasure coming from your guests … as well as yourself!

Beale Street BBQ Ribs

If BBQ ribs are your thing (their mine, too!) then you can’t go wrong with a rack or two of our Beale Street BBQ Ribs. These tasty pork bones are so easy to make. The trick is to let them marinate in the rub for as long as you can … 2-3 days isn’t unheard of around here. Also, be sure to cook them long and slow, and not to baste them too soon or the sauce will burn. Other than that, it’s a very basic BBQ recipe that will have your eyes rolling into the back of your head with each bite. Of course, you will need a preparation of Killer BBQ Sauce to go with them. But, that is a pretty easy recipe, as well. The downside with these is that you won’t look pretty by the time you are finished, but they are soooooo good that you won’t care! Besides, that’s why Wet Naps were invented!!

Juicy Beer Can Chicken

Searching for something a bit lighter and healthier? Then, a Juicy Beer Can Chicken is right up your alley. An easy to prepare recipe that doesn’t require much tending to once it is on the grill. Making it the perfect dish when you want to spend more time with your guests than over the fire. The best part of this recipe is that, even if you over cook it, all the meat (even the breast meat) still comes out so juicy and flavorful, it’s almost fool-proof. Plus, since there is no oil or fat used in the making of it, and most of the internal fats drip out during the cooking process, it is one of the healthiest dishes you can make. However, you don’t have to tell your guests it’s acutally good for them until they start begging you for the recipe … and they will! 😉

Killer Mac Salad

Naturally, every barbeque is in need of a good side dish. And this one may just be the perfect compliment to any gathering ’round the grill. Macaroni salad is a traditional staple of Hawaiian BBQ dishes and has made it’s way into the mainstream of American outdoor eating, as well. Personally, I never was a fan of mac salad until I had the incredible one served up by Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ in Reseda, California. From that moment on, I was in a mad search to be able to make a great version of this scrumptious side. It took years, but I finally came up with a Killer Mac Salad recipe that truly lives up to it’s name. One of it’s advantages is that it is so much better when made a day in advance, which gives it time to soak up and blend all the flavors and seasonings, making it a very convenient dish! But, the best part is really the taste. My favorite way to eat it is to drizzle some of the Killer BBQ Sauce on it. I also tend to dip whatever meat I’m eating with it into the sauce that is inevitably left over from a heapin’ helping of this “pastatality”. Mmmmmmm MMMMMMM! … I’m jonesing for it just by writing this!

Easy Peasy Cherry Crumble Cake

No Memorial Day BBQ, or any type of meal for that matter, is complete without a dessert. As you might know, the Cavewoman is quite the baker. Many of her recipes take numerous ingredients and steps to achieve a fanciful fruition. But, it’s one of her easiest and quickest recipes that will compliment the backyard Q quite well this year. Her Easy Peasy Cherry Crumble Cake will have everyone thinking you took a baking course at some culinary academy when they taste this sweet slice of heaven. If you aren’t too keen on cherries, just substitute blueberries, apples, or peaches. Or, for the truly adventurous, whip up an order of Cave’s Cranberry Sauce and sub in an amount equal to the can of cherry pie filling. We gave that a go recently and man was it gooooooood!
We hope that these suggestions either help or inspire you to have a fun, festive, and flavorsome gathering. Whatever you end up planning for this Memorial Day holiday, just be sure to include as many friends and/or family as possible. They are the true ingredients to a merry and memorable time. And, please take a moment from your festivities to remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy the good times together with freedom and liberty.

©2010 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.