Three Recipes to Make on the Grill this Labor Day Weekend

Sep 04, 2021

Summer is starting to wind down and kids are headed back to school. In my neck of the woods, cooler Fall weather is right around the corner, so I will try to enjoy the remaining warm weather days behind the grill or smoker as much as possible. Luckily, the upcoming three-day holiday weekend is the perfect opportunity to try out some new recipes for gatherings with family and friends.

Here are three delicious dishes you’ll want to try this Labor Day weekend.

Parmesan Crusted Steak by Susie Bulloch of Hey Grill Hey
Susie Bulloch of Hey Grill Hey takes grilled steak to the next level with this recipe. This parmesan crust offers a unique creamy and tangy flavor that everyone will enjoy. Bulloch suggests you use this recipe on a thick cut steak such as a New York strip, tenderloin, or ribeye. View the recipe here.

Polenta Stuffed Peppers by Chef Tom of All Things BBQ
Chef Tom of All Things BBQ shows you how to fire up your smoker to make peppers stuffed with fried morel mushrooms and creamy polenta. The peppers are wrapped in bacon and grilled over direct heat. Chef Tom takes these peppers over the top by drizzling them with hot honey. View the recipe here.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Grilled Bananas by ‘Grill Girl’ Robyn Lindars
Who says you can’t do dessert on the girl? This recipe from Grill Girl Robyn Lindars is simple and is sure to be a crowd pleasure. Robyn suggests you pair this with ice cream or whipped cream, but it can also be enjoyed all on its own. View the recipe here.

I hope everyone’s Labor Day weekend celebrations are filled with plenty of good food and lots of fun. Make sure you take a look at our Recipe of the Week below for an excellent grilled asparagus dish courtesy of Steven Raichlen from his latest book, How to Grill Vegetables: New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables over Live Fire.

Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Sheet

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—The new Troubadour Festival will feature 42 of the top BBQ joints from across Texas this November.—

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The lineup for a new BBQ and music event called the Troubadour festival was announced last week, which will be held on November 6th in Celina, Texas. The festival features an incredible lineup of 42 BBQ joints from across Texas, including Kreuz Market, Louie Mueller Barbecue, Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue, Truth Barbeque, and many more from the Texas Monthly Top 50 list. The new event was created by Chase Colston, founder of the popular Red Dirt BBQ & Music Festival. While VIP tickets sold out in record time, General Admission tickets are still available. Read more.

In other event-related news, Brett’s Backyard Bar-B-Que recently announced a Save-The-Date for their Third Anniversary Celebration. They’ve invited pitmasters from 30 BBQ joints from across Texas and beyond to join in the fun. The event will be held on Sunday, October 24th at their location in Rockdale, Texas. Read more.

After being closed for 8 months following a major fire, Hutchins BBQ in McKinney, Texas is re-opening this week and making a major comeback. Repairs were made to the roof and kitchen after the fire caused more than $1 million in damage. Owners Tim and Trey Hutchins are teaming up with pitmaster John Mueller, who has served as pitmaster at several notable joints around Texas. Read more.

Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn recently visited the second location of Feges BBQ in Spring Branch and raved about the experience. Patrick Feges and Erin Smith opened the new location this summer after finding success in their Greenway Plaza food court location beginning in 2018. Vaughn writes, “With both lunch and dinner service, an even more ambitious menu than the first, and a wine list rarely seen in Texas barbecue, the new Feges barbecue is one of the most appealing places to eat barbecue, or not, in town.” Read more.

The organizers of the RodeoHouston World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest will be adding a new “open category” contest and expanding the Junior Cook-off in future events. With the addition of the new category, barbecue teams will be allowed to cook any non-dessert item. “It could be anything to display their skills – it could be alligator, steak and lobster, shrimp etouffee,” said David Stone, barbecue competition chairman. “And another chance to get a trophy.” Read more.

ADDITIONAL READS

Forbes asked Diva Q’s Danielle Bennett and other chefs and pitmasters to give their expert advice on planning the perfect Labor Day cookout.

Kansas City barbecue staple Jack Stack Bar-B-Que is set to open its newest location soon in Lenexa City Center.

Sean Welch recapped the recent For the Love of BBQ Pitmaster Showcase held by BBQ Brawl competitor Brendan Lamb of Smiley’s BBQ in Roanoke, Texas, featuring an impressive lineup of participants.

Pitmaster Lance Kirkpatrick of Stiles Switch in Austin shares his secrets for making the perfect beef ribs.

The Houston Chronicle’s J.C. Reid writes about how Houston-area barbecue pop-ups are going underground.

Big Barlow’s BBQ & Catering, which was named one of New Jersey’s greatest barbecue joints, has closed due to staffing issues and financial struggles.

The North Carolina Barbecue Society is looking to the future after the passing of founder Jim Early.

After closing three years ago, Rock Hill, South Carolina barbecue institution Pete’s BBQ will be re-opening on Labor Day weekend.

—Shalamar Lane brings her family’s barbecue traditions to her restaurant in Carson, California.—

WATCH

How Pitmaster Shalamar Lane Brought Alabama and Texas Barbecue Traditions to California — Smoke Point

Pitmaster Shalamar Lane grew up learning Alabama and Texas-style barbecue traditions from her dad and his sisters. Today, she combines these family traditions, regional-styles, and some of her own unique barbecue techniques at My Father’s Barbeque in Carson, California. WATCH HERE.

LISTEN

Mary Cressler and Sean Martin of Vindulge.com — The BBQ Beat Podcast

Fire and wine make for amazing food pairings, a fact that's confirmed and celebrated in this conversation with Mary Cressler and Sean Martin of Vindulge.com. Mary's sommelier-level training and Sean's passion for cooking with live fire are evident in their recently released book, Fire + Wine: 75 Smoke-Infused Recipes from the Grill with Perfect Wine Pairings. LISTEN HERE.

READ

BBQ for Dummies — Carey Bringle

The new book BBQ for Dummies is the complete year-round guide to BBQ and smoking. Written by America’s Pit Master and award-winning restaurant owner Carey Bringle of Peg Leg Porker, one of the most famous BBQ spots in Nashville, this book features more than 50 recipes and provides tried-and-true advice on BBQing and smoking all types of meat, seafood, chicken, pork, and veggies. If you’re looking for a new guide to classic barbeque and more, look no further. ORDER HERE.

—This recipe from Steven Raichlen calls for the asparagus to be dipped in a hot bath before grilling. (Photo by Steven Randazzo).—

Grilled Asparagus with Bagna Cauda

By Steven Raichlen

For this week’s Recipe of the Week, we chose this recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Bagna Cauda from Steven Raichlen. He gives the asparagus a “hot bath” in a warm sauce as is the specialty of the Piemonte area of Italy before grilling. This recipe can be made with two variations: a more traditional variation with olive oil, garlic, and anchovies or a vegan miso variation. The asparagus can be grilled using gas, charcoal, or wood and makes for an elegant accompaniment to a meal.

—Lots of must-attend barbecue events are scheduled for 2021.—

September 3-5, 2021: Pinehurst Barbecue Festival — Pinehurst, North Carolina
Debuting Labor Day Weekend 2021, The Pinehurst Barbecue Festival celebrates “All Things Barbecue” in North Carolina. From Eastern North Carolina vinegar to Western North Carolina tomato, they will have all of your favorites. The Pinehurst Barbeque Festival is a “Celebration of Taste and Tradition” featuring award-winning pitmasters in one of the most picturesque settings in all of North Carolina — the historic Village of Pinehurst. Choose to experience the entire three-day festival, or attend just one signature event. A multi-ticket VIP package, as well as individual tickets for each event are available. MORE INFO HERE.

September 10-11, 2021: Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival (Cary) — Cary, North Carolina
Cary’s Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival is back and better than ever. Get ready to enjoy all those pleasures that true Southerners live by – Beer, Bourbon, Barbecue, Boots, Bacon, Biscuits, Bluegrass, and Smoked Beasts. It’s a great day of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbecue eatin’. One admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-taste sampling of beer and bourbon. MORE INFO HERE.

September 11, 2021: Pig Island NYC — New York, New York
For those that love all things pork and barbecue, the annual Pig Island NYC event is a can’t-miss affair. This year, the event will emphasize its special relationship promoting Friends of Firefighters charity. Many chefs and pitmasters from around the country show up and serve their best pork creations. Held outdoors, this all-inclusive event will also feature a ton of great food, beer, cider, and liquor. MORE INFO HERE.

September 16-19, 2021: American Royal World Series of Barbecue — Kansas City, Kansas
The American Royal World Series of barbecue is the largest BBQ competition in the country. On top of a massive KCBS competition with roughly 500 teams from around the country, this signature Kansas City event includes public-facing activities, including live music, delicious BBQ and local food, a full lineup of kids activities, and a vendor fair authentic to Kansas City and BBQ enthusiasts. Read our to learn more about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.

September 17-19, 2021: Denver BBQ Festival — Denver, Colorado
BBQ in back in the Mile High City for the Denver BBQ Festival. The 3rd annual Denver BBQ Festival is happening at Empower Field at Mile High. Don’t miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. MORE INFO HERE.

September 18-19, 2021: Born & Raised Music Festival — Pryor, Oklahoma
On top of many top musical acts like ZZ Top and Cody Jinks, the big new event will feature “The BBQ Ranch” curated by pitmaster Wayne Mueller. Joining Mueller will be Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue, Night Goat Barbecue, Phatt Tabb's BBQ, Roegels Barbecue Co., and more. MORE INFO HERE.

October 1-3, 2021: Q In The Lou — St. Louis, Missouri
Get ready to go hog wild and get your BBQ fix at another great year of Q in the Lou. Many of the country’s biggest names in BBQ will be back once again. Given heightened safety protocols, it will likely be a little different from years past but still offering lots of food and fun. Read our to learn more about how the event generally goes. MORE INFO HERE.

October 8-9, 2021: Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational — Lynchburg, Tennessee
The Jack Daniel’s Annual World Championship Invitational Barbeque – or simply The Jack as it’s known in the world of competition barbecue – is widely considered the world’s most prestigious barbeque competition where teams from around the globe smoke, season and sear their way to a chance to be named the Grand Champion and a $25,000 prize. Annually featuring more than 100 teams representing all 50 states and countries across the globe, The Jack transforms Lynchburg, home of the Jack Daniel Distillery, into the barbecue capital of the world. It’s also important to note that KCBS has changed the date The Jack is usually held in hopes of getting more favorable weather, so check your calendars. Read our to learn more about the experience. MORE INFO HERE.

November 13, 2021: Holy Smokes: Lowcountry BBQ Festival — Charleston, South Carolina
The Holy Smokes BBQ Festival from Home Team BBQ, Swig & Swine, and Robert Moss will be held November 13 in Charleston. The big new event will include pitmasters from around the country including Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Patrick Feges and Erin Smith, Feges BBQ, Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ, Matt Horn of Horn Barbecue, and Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott’s BBQ. MORE INFO HERE.

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