Planning a Labor Day Cookout? Use These Recipes!

With Labor Day right around the corner, you might be getting the plans together for your annual cookout. Whether you’re just going to spend the day with your immediate family, or you’re hosting friends and loved ones for a day of fun in the sun, celebrating the unofficial end of summer is a great chance to serve up some tasty treats.

Are you tired of just throwing burgers and hotdogs on the grill?

If so, we’ve got you covered with some must-try recipes for your Labor Day cookout. This list is sure to give you some great ideas that you can put on the menu to make this Labor Day cookout the best one yet.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

It’s the perfect time of year to find some fresh corn on the cob at your local farmer’s market or produce stand, and you can elevate the side dishes at your cookout by prepping your corn on the grill instead of just tossing it into a pot of boiling water.

When you remove the husk and silk from the corn, be sure to leave a few thin layers on the corn to protect it when you put it on your grill’s grates. This will also help you trap some of the flavors in the kernels.

While you’re not going to boil the corn, you should soak it in some cold water for 10 or 15 minutes before grilling. This allows the corn to steam when you put it on the grill.

Consider adding some seasonings to your corn, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. You can put a squeeze of lime juice on it to add an acidic touch, or you can experiment with some different cheeses. If you want something with a little bit of kick to it, consider sprinkling some chili powder and cilantro

When your corn is cooled, seasoned, and ready to go, put it over medium heat for about 15 or 20 minutes. Be sure to turn the cob every 3-5 minutes to get an even char on the kernels. When it’s done, let the silk and husk that you left on it cool, peel it away, and enjoy some mouth-watering corn on the cob that’ll be better than any you’ve had before.

Potato Salad

If you haven’t been serving potato salad at your Labor Day Weekend cookouts, now is the time to start. Grab some “waxy” potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon gold. These are better at holding their shape during cooking.

Peel them (or leave the peel on) and cut them into bite-sized pieces before you cook them. You’ll want to keep a close eye on your potatoes while you’re cooking them, as they need to be soft enough to puncture with a fork, but you don’t want them to get mushy.

When they’re done, mash them with a fork. The best part about this step is that you can make your potato salad as chunky or as smooth as you want it.

Add some mayonnaise to serve as the “base” of the potato salad. If you want to add a bit of a tangy twist to the equation, consider putting some Greek yogurt in it, too.

Once everything is mixed together, you’re ready to start adding some other flavors, and the options are truly limitless.

Dill pickles, mustard, and a splash of apple cider vinegar will make your potato salad more zesty, so if you’re looking for a side dish with a little “kick,” this is a great way to incorporate some new flavors.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Depending on where you live, Labor Day Weekend may still bring some sky-high temperatures. If you and your loved ones are going to be spending the day outside, you may want to add some light, easily digestible appetizers to the menu, and these Caprese salad skewers allow you to take a traditional summer salad and turn it into finger food.

One of the best things about cookouts is how everyone can move around and socialize. That’s not always possible if you’re serving salad as an appetizer, but you can change the game with these skewers. They’re easy to make, which is even better!

Simply take your skewer and grab your cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves, the three ingredients in a traditional Caprese salad. Simply alternate the three items on the skewer, and stick them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them up.

BBQ Grilled Chicken

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about mouth-watering side dishes and appetizers. But there’s still plenty of time to turn your main course into something that will leave your guests wanting more. If you’re tired of throwing some burgers and hotdogs on the grill, consider serving some BBQ grilled chicken instead.

The night before your cookout, make your own marinade. If you feel like that’s outside of your level of cooking expertise, it’s as simple as mixing a few items in a bowl.

Take some apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and paprika, and mix it all together. Then, put your raw chicken in the bowl and let it sit in your refrigerator overnight. By the time you’re ready to put it on the grill, your chicken will be infused with a tangy, sweet flavoring that will make everyone ask for seconds.

Before you put the chicken on the grill, preheat it to medium-high heat. This will not only help sear the chicken, which locks the juices in that it’s absorbed overnight, but it also ensures that the chicken is thoroughly cooked, which is crucial.

When you’re about two minutes away from taking the chicken off the grill, lightly brush some of your favorite BBQ sauce onto the chicken, flip it over, and brush the other side, too.

This puts a level of sweetness on top of the tangy marinade that you soaked the chicken in the night before. You’ll have a juicy, delicious main course that’s sure to be the hit of your cookout.

BBQ Ribs

Maybe you want to take things to another level, and you just don’t feel like chicken is the way to go. Go to your local butcher or grocery store and get enough ribs to feed your guests, and then make them what you want them to be.

We recommend using a dry rub on the ribs, and you can easily make your own. Mix some garlic powder, brown sugar, and paprika together and thoroughly coat the ribs before covering them and putting them in the refrigerator. You may not have realized it, but dry rubs can soak into the meat just like a marinade can.

The most tender ribs are those that get cooked low and slow, so you’ll want to get an early start on the day of your cookout.

Don’t put the ribs directly over your grill’s flame. Close your grill’s lid and leave your ribs alone for a few hours. If you don’t want to leave them on the grill that long, you can bake them, but you’ll forfeit some of the smokiness that comes from a grill.

When you’re about 20 minutes away from taking the ribs off the grill, lightly brush some of your favorite BBQ sauce on the ribs, and then let them rest for five minutes.

The sauce and the dry rub will blend together into your ribs that will be falling off the bone as soon as you serve them up. Your guests will think they’re at a high-end smokehouse, and you’ll get all the credit.

Enjoy Your Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, and it’s typically the last long weekend until Thanksgiving.

Serving up these fresh Labor Day cookout recipes can help you make it one to remember for you and your loved ones. Happy Labor Day!