32 Memorial Day Recipes That Bring the Backyard to Life
Bring your backyard to life this Memorial Day with a feast full of smoky, saucy, flavor-packed favorites that’ll have your guests coming back for seconds (and thirds!). From fall-off-the-bone pork ribs and whiskey-marinated steaks to creamy mac and cheese, pulled BBQ chicken, and zesty homemade sides, these 32 cookout-ready recipes are made for sunshine, good company, and full plates. You’ll find grill masters’ rubs, crowd-pleasing sliders, easy slow cooker classics, and even a fruit salad to cool things down—every dish here is crafted to turn your gathering into a celebration of bold summer flavors.
Fall-Off-The-Bone Pork Ribs

Get ready for messy hands and happy guests with these maple-rubbed pork ribs—oven baked to juicy, fall-off-the-bone perfection for your Memorial Day bash.
Get The Recipe: Fall-Off-The-Bone Pork Ribs
Best Grilled Whiskey Steak Marinade for Backyard BBQs

Fire up the grill and treat your guests to a steak infused with smoky whiskey goodness. This marinade creates juicy, flavorful steaks that scream summer celebration.
Get The Recipe: Best Grilled Whiskey Steak Marinade for Backyard BBQs
Easy Pulled BBQ Chicken Recipe

Whip up crowd-pleasing pulled chicken in just 30 minutes with this Instant Pot recipe—ideal for sliders, tacos, or heaping BBQ plates this weekend.
Get The Recipe: Easy Pulled BBQ Chicken Recipe
Bourbon Baked Beans Recipe

Smoky, sweet, and slow-cooked—these bourbon baked beans are the ultimate BBQ side dish, featuring bold flavors and minimal cleanup.
Get The Recipe: Bourbon Baked Beans Recipe
Classic Grilled Corn in a Husk

Nothing says summer like grilling and corn on the cob, so this Grilled Corn In Husk with a BBQ coffee rub is the essence of summer flavors all combined with the punch of coffee, grilled bbq flavors, and a pinch of heat.
Get The Recipe: Classic Grilled Corn in a Husk
Juiciest Bone In Grilled Pork Chops

Fire up the grill and get ready to make the juiciest grilled pork chops ever! Tender bone in pork chops with a flavorful caramelized crust, all cooked to perfection without the need for brining. These are not dry boring pork chops but juicy and tender, an easy dinner recipe you’ll want to make over and over again. Simple to make with just 3 ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Juiciest Bone In Grilled Pork Chops
Best Cheesy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Let your slow cooker do the work while you enjoy the party. This cheesy mac and cheese is ultra creamy and the perfect pairing for BBQ mains.
Get the Recipe: Best Cheesy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Refreshing Creamy Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe

Cool off with this classic creamy cucumber salad—a simple, refreshing dish that pairs perfectly with hot-off-the-grill meats. Cucumber onion salad is a crisp, refreshing side dish that brings the taste of summer right to your plate. This recipe combines thinly sliced cucumbers, onions, and sour cream to create the perfect side dish for those hot days when you’re craving something cool and tasty.
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Creamy Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe
PGA Beer Chili Hot Dog Topping Recipe

Take your hot dogs to the next level with this beer-infused chili. Loaded with beef, black-eyed peas, and bold spices—it’s a BBQ crowd-pleaser.
Get The Recipe: PGA Beer Chili Hot Dog Topping Recipe
Homemade Squeeze Bottle Yellow Mustard

Skip the store-bought mustard because I’m going to teach you how easy it is to make your own yellow mustard at home. This classic yellow squeeze bottle style mustard is a homemade yellow mustard recipe that is surprisingly easy to make with a few simple pantry staples. Even better, it only takes about 10 minutes of your time to prepare this recipe.
Get The Recipe: Homemade Squeeze Bottle Yellow Mustard
BBQ Coffee Dry Rub (Flavor-Packed)

Easy BBQ Coffee Dry Rub Recipe for Ribs, Steak, Pork & Brisket is the perfect rub for kicking up your vegetables and meats when grilling. It infuses your taste buds with a sweet slightly nutty flavor and can be kicked up with some heat if you double up on the cayenne pepper.
Get The Recipe: BBQ Coffee Dry Rub (Flavor-Packed)
Slow-Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

Slow-cooked to perfection, this BBQ pulled pork is the ultimate cookout classic. Just 10 minutes of prep for tender, smoky pork that’s great for sandwiches, sliders, or BBQ platters.
Get The Recipe: Slow-Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe
Fresh Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers

This simple-to-make fresh corn salad recipe is a delicious and colorful side dish or salad. The combination of fresh corn, multicolored diced sweet peppers, and onions, all tossed in a slightly sweet tangy dressing, will be a hit at your next dinner.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Corn Salad with Sweet Peppers
Maple-Infused BBQ Dry Rub Recipe

If you want a great dry rub recipe for ribs, you need to mix up this Award Winning Dry Rub For Ribs. This homemade dry rub has a sweet maple-infused flavor with savory spices and just a touch of heat. Friends and family will say you are a pit master with this award-winning dry rub for ribs at your next BBQ.
Get The Recipe: Maple-Infused BBQ Dry Rub Recipe
Crispy Chicken Wings Dry Rub Recipe

Looking for a quick tasty way to make crispy oven baked chicken wings? The secret is this easy, dry rub chicken wings recipe along with a few tips and tricks I will share with you.
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Slow Cooker Hot Dogs (For a Crowd Recipe)

Are you hosting a party and need an easy way to feed a crowd? Making slow cooker hot dogs is the perfect solution: it takes only a few minutes to set up, and all you need is 3-4 hours of slow cooking, and you’ll be able to serve up a ton of hot dogs from your crock pot!
Get The Recipe: Slow Cooker Hot Dogs (For a Crowd Recipe)
Cucumber Dill Salad With Zesty Honey Dressing

This light cucumber salad with fresh dill and a honey vinaigrette is a delicious and easy recipe you can make year-round. This crisp cucumber salad is incredibly simple to make in less than 10 minutes and requires only a few ingredients.
Get The Recipe: Cucumber Dill Salad With Zesty Honey Dressing
Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

Smoked Chicken Wings have made it to the weekly rotation now that the weather is beautiful and we’re outside more. Chicken wings have always been a family favorite, but smoking has become my go-to way to cook them. The deep wood flavor you get from low and slow smoking is far superior to those heavily breaded deep fried wings you get in a restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe
Festive Mexican Macaroni Salad Recipe

Bring some fiesta to your feast with this colorful macaroni salad. It’s creamy, crunchy, and packs just the right amount of heat for a standout side.
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Bold Texas BBQ Rub (Big Flavor)

This Texas BBQ Rub recipe is an easy way to turn ordinary barbecue into extraordinary! This classic Texas-style combination of spices, salt, and sugar is a surefire way to make your grilled meats a star. This BBQ rub is a great seasoning for all kinds of meats such as briskets, pork ribs, pork butt, beef ribs, chicken, and prime rib.
Get The Recipe: Bold Texas BBQ Rub (Big Flavor)
Sweet & Tangy Pineapple Cabbage Slaw (BBQ Side)

This tropical twist on slaw brings juicy pineapple, crunchy cabbage, and a zesty dressing to your table—ideal for cutting through rich BBQ meats.
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Best BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe

Craving finger-licking wings without the hassle? These zesty 3-ingredient BBQ chicken wings come together in a snap and pack bold flavor—perfect for your Memorial Day cookout spread.
Get The Recipe: Best BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe
Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe with Sauce

The recipe takes you through the steps of preparing the shredded pulled pork sliders. There is also a secret sandwich sauce that adds a delightful creamy flavor, perfectly complementing the meat. The best part is this is an easy make-ahead.
Get The Recipe: Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders Recipe with Sauce
Refreshing Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing

End your meal on a refreshing note with this vibrant fruit salad—light, juicy, and bursting with summer flavors. This vibrant fruit salad with a zesty honey-lemon dressing is a refreshing mix of apples, kiwis, strawberries, and more!
Get the Recipe: Refreshing Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing
Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (Cookout Side Dish)

This cheesy hash brown casserole is the ultimate side dish for your BBQ feast. Creamy, crunchy, and satisfying—just like the one from Cracker Barrel.
Get The Full Recipe: Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (Cookout Side Dish)
Slow-Cooked Boston Baked Beans Recipe

The best homemade slow cooker Boston baked beans are made with molasses, brown sugar, and plenty of chunks of bacon for an unforgettable flavor and perfect texture. Easily cooked in the Crock Pot, this easy recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare and bubbles away all afternoon. Sweet, savory beans are easier than you thought, and come together perfectly every time.
Get The Recipe: Slow-Cooked Boston Baked Beans Recipe
Easy Whiskey Bacon BBQ Sauce Recipe

Bacon and Whiskey BBQ Sauce is sure to make you a superstar cook at your next BBQ. This sauce has a sweet smoky bacon flavor and punches of whiskey, garlic, and maple.
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Amish Potato Salad for BBQs

This Amish potato salad brings a sweet-and-tangy twist to your summer side dish lineup. It’s creamy, nostalgic, and downright delicious. With tender potatoes coated in a creamy, sweet-and-tangy dressing made from mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and mustard, every bite is a delicious balance of comfort and zing.
Get the Recipe: Amish Potato Salad for BBQs
Summer Farro Salad (Light BBQ Side)

Summer Farro Salad is an easy salad made with hearty farro, olive oil, lemon juice, zucchini, peas, pesto, and freshly chopped parsley.
Get the Recipe: Summer Farro Salad (Light BBQ Side)
Simple and Creamy Macaroni Salad

This crowd-pleasing macaroni salad is a fast favorite—whip it up in minutes and serve chilled alongside all your grilled favorites.
Get the Recipe: Simple and Creamy Macaroni Salad
Loaded Ranch Potato Salad

This Ranch potato salad with bacon, cheese and a sour cream ranch dressing is just what you need for a potluck or cook out. All the flavors of a loaded baked potato plus a flavorful dressing to coat tender new potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Ranch Potato Salad
Honey and Soy Chicken Kabobs

Chicken Kabobs marinated in a delicious honey and soy sauce mixture are a tasty variation to bring to the grill. Don’t have a grill? No problem, just cook them in the broiler and enjoy all year round. A perfect and easy meal paired with veggies and my famous butter rice.
Get the Recipe: Honey and Soy Chicken Kabobs
41 Lazy Slow Cooker Recipes for Those Days When You Just Can’t

Lazy days call for the easiest slow cooker recipes that practically cook themselves. These dump-and-go crockpot meals deliver big flavor with minimal effort—just toss in your ingredients and let the slow cooker work its magic. From tender beef and BBQ pulled pork to creamy chicken dishes and hearty stews, these recipes make weeknight dinners and cozy weekend meals a breeze. >>Get All The Recipes: 41 Lazy Slow Cooker Recipes for When You Just Can’t