Relaxed, well-considered, and built for easy execution. The cookout that feels effortless because someone thought it through.
The best cookouts feel effortless. The food comes out right, the drinks are cold, nobody's hovering anxiously over the grill, and the host is actually present — sitting down, in the conversation, not running between the kitchen and the backyard with a dish towel over their shoulder.
That feeling doesn't happen by accident. It happens because someone thought it through in advance. This menu is that thinking-through — a complete Memorial Day cookout spread built for a crowd of eight to ten, each dish chosen for flavor, simplicity, and the ability to be mostly prepped before guests arrive.
Each dish is paired with a Highland Falls. Because a cookout this good deserves something equally considered in the cooler.
The Menu
Watermelon and Feta Skewers with Mint The Perfect Smash Burger Elote-Style Grilled Corn Creamy Dill Potato Salad Grilled Pineapple with Brown Sugar and Coconut Cream
Watermelon and Feta Skewers with Mint Paired with: Coastal Calm
This goes on the table the moment guests arrive — something to eat while the grill heats up, something that looks like summer and takes almost no effort.
Cut seedless watermelon into one-inch cubes. Cut a block of good feta into similar-sized pieces. Thread them alternately onto small skewers — two watermelon, one feta, repeat. Arrange on a platter, scatter fresh mint leaves over everything, and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil, a crack of black pepper, and optional flaky salt.
The combination of sweet watermelon, salty feta, and fresh mint is one of those pairings that requires no explanation once people taste it. Make more than you think you need — they go fast.
Why Coastal Calm: Light, clean, and refreshing. Coastal Calm belongs in the hand during the first thirty minutes of a summer gathering, when everything is easy and nobody's in a hurry yet.
The Perfect Smash Burger Paired with: Back Porch Bliss
The smash burger has overtaken the thick patty for a reason: more crust, more flavor, faster cook time, and a result that's genuinely better than what most people produce on a backyard grill. Here's how to do it right.
Use 80/20 ground beef — the fat content matters. Form loose balls of about three ounces, no packing. Get your griddle or cast iron skillet screaming hot on the grill. Place a ball on the surface and immediately press it flat with a spatula and some force — as thin as you can get it. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for ninety seconds to two minutes until the edges are deeply crispy and brown. Flip once, add a slice of American cheese (not optional — it melts correctly in a way that other cheeses don't), and cook thirty seconds more.
The bun: brioche, toasted on the grill in the burger fat. The sauce: mayo, ketchup, a little yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, garlic powder, and a dash of hot sauce mixed together. That's your special sauce.
Serve immediately. Smash burgers do not hold — they're a moment, not a dish that waits.
Why Back Porch Bliss: The burger is the centerpiece of the cookout and Back Porch Bliss is the centerpiece of the cooler. Warm, easy, smooth — it belongs next to the main event.
Elote-Style Grilled Corn Paired with: Highland Harmony
Corn on the cob is a cookout standard. Elote-style corn is a cookout revelation.
Grill ears of corn directly on the grate over high heat, turning occasionally, until charred in spots all the way around — about ten to twelve minutes. While hot, brush each ear with a mix of mayonnaise and Mexican crema (or sour cream). Roll in cotija cheese crumbled fine. Dust with chili powder and a pinch of smoked paprika. Squeeze lime over the top and finish with fresh cilantro if your crowd is into it.
Set up a station and let people dress their own — a bowl of the mayo mixture, a plate of cotija, the spices, lime wedges, cilantro. It becomes an interactive moment at the table and most people eat two.
Why Highland Harmony: The balance and brightness of Highland Harmony cuts through the richness of the crema and cotija without competing with the spice. A natural pairing for the most-talked-about dish on the table.
Creamy Dill Potato Salad Make ahead — serves 8-10
A cookout without potato salad is missing something. This version is worth making the night before — it actually improves as it sits.
Boil two pounds of small Yukon Gold potatoes until just tender, about fifteen minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then cut in halves or quarters. While still warm, toss with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt — the warm potatoes absorb the vinegar in a way that cold ones don't.
The dressing: good mayonnaise, a spoonful of Dijon, a splash of apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and a generous amount of fresh dill. Fold in thinly sliced celery, thinly sliced red onion, and a few sliced hard-boiled eggs if you want the classic version. Taste and adjust — it should be creamy, tangy, and herbaceous.
Refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve cold, topped with more fresh dill and a sprinkle of paprika.
Make-ahead note: This is the dish that buys you the most time on the day. Make it Friday night and it's done.
Grilled Pineapple with Brown Sugar and Coconut Cream Paired with: Golden Glow
Simple, unexpected, and the dessert that gets requested at every cookout afterward.
Cut a fresh pineapple into rings or long spears. Toss with brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, and a little melted butter. Grill over medium-high heat for three to four minutes per side until caramelized and fragrant.
Serve warm with a drizzle of coconut cream and a pinch of flaky salt. Optional: a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to make it a proper dessert. The heat and char of the grill does something to pineapple that no other cooking method replicates.
Why Golden Glow: The caramelized sweetness of the grilled pineapple and Golden Glow's warm, smooth character are the natural end to a long, unhurried day. This is the pairing for the last light of the evening.
The Timeline
Friday night or Saturday morning: Make the potato salad. Mix the burger sauce. Prep the elote station ingredients.
Day of, one hour before guests arrive: Cut the watermelon and assemble skewers. Prep the pineapple. Stock the cooler with Highland Falls.
Thirty minutes before: Light the grill. Set out the watermelon skewers and the elote station.
When guests arrive: Grill the corn first — it holds well. Smash burgers to order as people are ready. Pineapple goes on last, as the grill cools slightly.
Everything is ready. The host is sitting down.