Memorial Day BBQ Ideas: Elevate Your Cookout Game With These Unique Recipes

Memorial Day is this weekend, the time of year when Americans traditionally bust out their barbecue grills for the unofficial first weekend of summer. And if you’re tired of just burgers and hot dogs, you’ve come to the right place! Here, now, is an alliterative collection of three new and unique barbecue recipes you may want to consider trying this Memorial Day Weekend.

Clams

From Bon Appetit comes this recipe for those of you who live near a coast or otherwise have access to fresh seafood. While grilling fish is pretty commonplace, you may not have known that you can also grill shellfish – in this case, clams.

Grilled Clams With Spiced Paprika Butter

The first and most important thing to do with clams, according to TheKitchn, is to clean them. However, it’s pretty simple and straightforward: first, tap them gently against the counter top to knock out as much sand as you can before soaking them. Then fill up a bowl with cool tap water, then add a few tablespoons of cornmeal: this will cause the clams to spit out any sand inside them. Once you’re done soaking them for about 20 minutes to an hour, run them under tap water to finish the job.

Grilling the clams is equally straightforward: simply get your gas or coals going at medium-high heat, then place the clams directly onto the grill. After about three to five minutes they’ll pop open, and they’re read to serve. Discard any that don’t pop open after five minutes.

For the butter (which you can prepare up to four days in advance), simply mix up a stick of softened, unsalted butter; one and a quarter teaspoons hot, smoked paprika; a teaspoon of celery seeds; a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper; and salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the clams and butter in a bowl and serve!

Lamb

For those who prefer a more ground-based meat for their grill, consider lamb. And while lamb can be a little tough and gamey if not prepared right, this recipe from Food Network (which includes a marinade to soften up the meat and mute the strong taste) will hit all the right notes.

Grilled Lamb Chops

First, make a marinade. You’ll need to combine in a blender and blend two large garlic cloves, crushed; a tablespoon each of fresh rosemary and thyme leaves; a pinch each of cayenne pepper and coarse sea salt; and two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Then, rub the marinade over both sides of the chops and let them sit for one hour. Then – and this is important – let them cool for about 20 minutes before grilling.

Then simply get your grill up to high heat and sear on each side for three to three and a half minutes.

Spam

If your Memorial Day plans include a limited budget, have no fear: everyone’s favorite “broke” meat is perfect for grilling. And, thanks to King’s Hawaiian rolls, here is a recipe that will bring the flavors of Hawaii to your backyard.

So Ono Grilled Pineapple, Cheese, and Spam Sandwich

Simply cut your rolls (they don’t necessarily have to be King’s Hawaiian, but that particular brand has a sweetness that will compliment the other ingredients) as if you were making a sandwich – because that’s what you’re going to be doing. Cut your Spam into eighth-inch slices and grill for about eight minutes; grill your pineapple slices for about five minutes; make a sandwich with cheese; and you’re done!

The Inquisitr would like to wish you and yours a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.