MDW: Meat. Drinks. Weekend.

With Memorial Day Weekend upon us, and the school year almost behind us, we’re back with a pep in our step and summer nights on the horizon. Welcome back to The Meat Platter, we’re glad you’re here.

Before we get started, we know federal holidays like Memorial Day are usually reason for get togethers, enjoying the long weekend with family and friends, celebrating that day off from work, and shopping with savings. We are consumers after all. But there’s so much more to be remembered (and honored) this weekend as we gather so freely.

Originally known as “Decoration Day,” the holiday started with communities coming together to decorate the graves of those who died during service and can be traced back to the late 1860’s after the Civil War.

Red poppies symbolize remembrance and respect for those who died in service to our country, originally inspired by the 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields,” by John McCrae.

We are reminded of the brave men and women who served our country and gave their lives for our freedom, not just on Memorial Day, but every day. It's not just a day off; it's a time to think about why we remember these heroes.

MDW is the summer kickoff none of needed an excuse to celebrate.

And nothing says “bring out the grill” faster than Meat Head Charcoal’s signature Trio of BBQ sauces. Packed with flavor, a kick, and a punch- these 3 bold BBQ sauces help you Treat Your Meat with ease.

Now through Monday, you can snag a Trio over on our site and get a second one FREE. Yah. FREE.

I can’t say this Best Memorial Day Cookout Recipes in the NY Times was written by a Southerner necessarily, but it does include some of those classics we love!

We can get behind a classic potato salad and a lemon bundt cake that looks like your grandmother made it.

For those adventurous eaters, or if you’re just looking to switch it up- no better time to learn to make Kimbap (which if you haven’t tried…slaps).

With Summer’s fast approach, really no time to spiff up your “outdoor kitchen” (whatever that may look like). And a good first step is deep cleaning those grills.

Weber has a great step-by-step for your gas, charcoal, or pellet grill over on their site.

Want to hit the high points?

• Clean the Grates Every Time You Grill – And make sure to replace your grill brush at least once a season. 

• Check the Grease or Ash Tray – A full tray can lead to flare-ups or restricted airflow. 

• Deep Clean When Cool – Take your time with a full cleaning when the grill has cooled completely. 

A little routine maintenance now makes grilling easier all season long. Take care of your grill, and it’ll take care of you. 

Would a perfect weekend of grilling be complete without a smash burger? In case you missed this one, it’s not your average beef and bun. It’s all about doing one thing right, and we respect the hustle.

The reason restaurant burgers often taste better has less to do with seasoning and more to do with surface contact.

Most restaurants cook burgers on flat tops or griddles, which means more of the meat touches hot metal at the same time — creating a deeper crust and more browning through the Maillard reaction (the chemical reaction that happens when heat transforms proteins and sugars on the surface of food, creating browning, crust, and deeper flavor. It usually kicks in around 300–350°F, which is why high heat matters so much when grilling or searing).

That’s also why smashburgers took off: more contact = more flavor. Basically, crispy edges are science.

Our buddies at Genuine Canine are hosting a giveaway on Instagram for their awesome leather leashes and collars along with the best dog treats in the game.

We are pet lovers here at The Meat Platter, and our Companion Dog Treats are the best way to treat your furry companion by the grill this weekend!

We’ll be playing the May playlist all weekend long and think you should too. It’s a little of everything that you can’t anticipate until it’s playing through your Turtle Box. (Maybe they will gift us one of these if we keep talking about them).

Our Spotify page has it all, so check it out and hit subscribe to the playlist that best fits your vibe.

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We love those of you that read our newsletter each week, support our products, buy in store and online- it truly means the world to us. So, if you’ve bought from us for years or are new to Meat Head, we’d really appreciate it if you’d leave us a Google Review. We hope those reviews are glowing, and we are only as good as those of you who keep coming back and support us because you love the product. Thanks, from all of us at Meat Head. Treat Your Meat!

Why don’t grills ever get lost?

—Because they always know where the meat-up is.