Grill & Smoker Inspiration to Up Your Midsummer Dinner Game

It’s August! We’ve reached that part of the season when it feels like summer is slipping by and we need to catch every minute of sunshine, swimming, playing, and lounging outside that we can. That includes, of course, maximizing the opportunity to use our grills, smokers, and fire pits — and soaking in those moments by dining al fresco in the comfort of our patios, decks, and backyards.

If you’ve been cooking and eating outdoors for as long as the weather has cooperated over the past few months, you might have started to run out of ideas to keep summer menus interesting. We’ve put together a boost of inspiration to help get you out of the same-thing-every-week cycle.

Pork is one of our favorites, and while we love a good tenderloin on the grill, a shoulder (also known as a butt) is fantastic for feeding a crowd during a weekend day spent hanging out with friends. Smoke it low and slow for amazing flavor. All it takes is time and patience. Shred it for barbeque sandwiches or tacos. Use the leftovers for rice bowls, pizza, or nachos. Pick up a boneless pork butt at Butcher Boy…and choose from our wide variety of spices and dry rubs that will help you smoke it to perfection.

A whole chicken is delicious when you roast it in the oven, but grilling it brings the flavor to a whole new level. The best way to do it?  Butterfly the bird by splitting it and removing the backbone so you can flatten it out. It’s called spatchcocking, and the benefits for grilling mean the breast and legs cook evenly in a shorter time. Does the process sound too complicated? Don’t worry, because we have the chickens split and ready to go for you to put right on the grill! It’s a great alternative to boneless chicken you might grill more often.

But even when you’re in the mood for burgers, you don’t have to stick with convention. Check out this list of the best burger recipes from Food & Wine magazine. From pimiento cheese to pickled slaw and fried shallots, there’s something here for everyone’s taste to give a basic cook-out favorite a bit of zing. To make prep even easier for the grillmaster, buy our 100% ground beef patties, made in-house. A ten-pound box gives you 32 5-ounce burgers. They’re packaged in four stacks of eight to use as many or as few as you need for your family and guests. Bring a box along to the next cook-out you’re invited to.

Is your garden ready to harvest? Toss a few of those sun-ripened veggies, like zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, or peppers on the grill, or mix up a simple salad of freshly-picked tomatoes and cucumbers with olive oil and herbs for the side. Even easier? Pick up your favorite prepared sides from Butcher Boy while you’re here.

What are your favorite summer meals on the grill and in the smoker?