This year, the last day of May is also Memorial Day. On this day, all Americans remember and honor those who served and gave it all for the rest of us.

But Memorial Day is also the day that unofficially marks the beginning of summer and of grilling season. It doesn't get more American than a nice backyard BBQ, does it?

If you're like me, you probably have your go-to classics when it comes to grilling: be it steaks, burgers, ribs, or franks, you know your stuff. But perhaps, after such a long period of long-distance socializing, this year is the perfect opportunity to surprise your friends and loved ones with some new and delicious variations on the classics! Good thing Cookpad has you covered!

The Basics

BBQ is mainly about meats (although vegetarian and vegan options are more numerous than ever), so we'll start off with the four basic food groups of grilling: beef, pork, chicken, and sausages!

Left: beef never looked as good as Frenchy's 3 inch thick ribeye steak – Right: Karl's inventiveness translates into a sublime BBQ Pork tenderloin
Left: Let's get a'glazin'! with Crockpot Girl's Grilled Maple Syrup Chicken – Right: Ninjamomma's BLT Hot Dogs are a true American classic!

Fire and water

On a grill they DO go together! While fish can be tricky, as it tends to flake on a grill, a little bit of care (and choosing the right fish to grill) can go a long way! As for other seafood, long time favorites in America's backyards are shrimp, prawns, and lobster tails.

Left: Scrumptious Blackened Cod, courtesy of B's Messy Kitchen – Right: a taste of the exotic! Jess's Grilled Honey Prawn Skewers, Bali style

Burgers & Buns

Would you be happy at a BBQ without burgers? Neither would we! So, we searched our Cookpad database to find some juicy, plump, delicious patties encased in the most enticing buns. What we found left our mouths watering!

Left: Cast Iron Soulé's Pork n'Cheddar Burger smiles at its own juiciness! – Right: Classic Fantastic! This Smokehouse Bacon Burger by Cooljewel will give your tastebuds the royal treatment...
Left: Go fish! with these delightful Salmon Burgers, by Kitchen Sounds – Right: Batch it up with these Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders, by Taustin Kaste

And yes, there's quite a collection of vegetarian and vegan burgers as well! Just take a look:

Left: Claudia Sanders presents the new generation in burger patties with her Quinoa and Cannellini Bean Burgers – Right: Erik Ritter's Mushroom Barley Burger is the real deal, but vegan!

Here's the rub

Every grillmaster knows that the prepping of the meats (or veggies) is a crucial step towards success. Hence the importance of having the right seasoning mix to rub the pieces that will land on the grill. Here are some examples of Cookpad's rub collection:

Left: Al's Simple BBQ Rub – Center: RiceCake's Sweet Mild Pork Rub – Right: Lauren's Dry Rub Recipe

These are just a few ideas to get you fired up as the grilling season gets under way. What's your angle? What do you put on your BBQ? Let us know by sharing your favorite grilling recipes & Cooksnaps!

Matters of safety

When grilling, please remember that, in a way, you're playing with fire. So, keep the following common sense safety tips in mind:

  • Lighter fluid, propane, and charcoal SHOULD NOT be stored inside buildings.
  • When grilling, ensure that the grill is positioned safely away from nearby buildings (unless you want to set off your smoke alarms)
  • When grilling with charcoal, pour lighter fluid on the coals a few minutes before lighting the grill, to allow the coals to soak up the fluid.
  • Once the charcoal has been ignited, never pour lighter fluid on the hot coals to get more flame: fire can follow the lighter fluid stream back to the bottle causing it to burst into flames, causing severe injuries.
  • Flare-ups can be controlled by gently spraying water, e.g. with a water bottle.  Always have a water source nearby when grilling.
  • If grease drippings cause the fire to get out of hand, you may need to use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. Pouring water on a grease fire will only spread the fire and make things worse.