Burgers, Dogs, Chicken, and Corn: A Memorial Day Mixed Grill

Presented by Monument Grills

Memorial Day is here! While we reflect on the sacrifice of our service members, we also usher in the first big grilling weekend of the summer. You could celebrate with the predictable hot dogs or bratwurst. But what better way to celebrate Memorial Day than with a belt-loosening mixed grill.

The mixed grill is perfect for a cookout because it can give people choices. Not everyone wants the same thing. Some folks want burgers, others hot dogs, others chicken, etc. And you don’t need complicated recipes to prepare any of these.

Yes, it sounds simple. But then you realize that everything cooks differently. Chicken needs a moderate heat for an extended time. Burgers cook quickly, but requires high heat. Hot dogs come cooked already, so all you need to do is warm them. (And add a little char, because nothing brings out a hotdog’s flavor like a little char. Buns need a warm spot for toasting. A large grill with separate heat zones can make the whole cook manageable.

Enter the Denali 605Pro from Monument Grills. The Denali has a large cooking area (900 square inches), heat control with its 5 burners (including a burner for infrared searing), a warming rack and temperature control. Plus, cool knob lights so you can see what the heat zones are at a glance.

The Memorial Day Mixed Grill Menu

For our cookout, here is our menu:

• Burgers
• Hot dogs
• Brats
• Chicken thighs
• Corn on the cob
• Asparagus rafts
• Buns and rolls
• Grilled onions and peppers

The key to a successful mixed grill is not just throwing everything on at once. You want to set up different heat zones. A hot zone for burgers, quick searing, and finishing the brats. A medium zone for chicken and brats, and a low/indirect zone for corn and holding food. Plus, your cooling rack for buns. And the Denali is a perfect grill for this kind of cook.

First preheat the grill and set up your hot, medium, and low zones.

Start with the chicken as it takes the longest and needs the most attention. Use the medium zone so the outside doesn’t burn before the inside is done. The Denali comes with a temperature monitoring system including meat probes. Chicken should be cook to an internal temperature of 165°F. Once the chicken is underway, add the brats and corn.

Brats benefit from a little time over moderate heat so they can cook through without splitting or burning. Corn can cook alongside the proteins and be turned occasionally.
We put all the veggies (bacon wrapped asparagus and peppers) into a separate grill basket so it’s easy to flip them and move them around.

You don’t want to start the burgers too early, as they are best when served sizzling hot, juicy, and fresh off the grill. You can use the hot zone and cook them when people are ready to eat. The larger grill makes it easier to cook the burgers while everything else is still finishing or resting.

Finally put on the hot dogs and buns. Those quick the fastest and should go on at the end and the buns can go on the warming rack or a lower heat for a quick toast.

Why a Large Grill Makes the Cookout Easier

Having this extra space is awesome and can change the experience. You are not cooking everything in small batches. You can keep food separated. You can move food away from flare-ups. And you can keep finished items warm.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Prep everything before you light the grill.
• Season the chicken and burgers before guests arrive.
• Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use separate tongs or clean them between raw and cooked foods.
• Start with the slowest-cooking item.

And the key thing to remember:

Do not put everything on the grill at once. A successful mixed grill is about timing and zones.

We hope you have a great Memorial Day and a wonderful cookout!

Thanks to Monument Grills for sponsoring this post.

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