The Ultimate BBQ Memorial Day Party

My BBQ Memorial Day Party is sponsored by Heinz. All ideas and opinions are mine alone.

Memorial Day signals many things… the kick off of summer, the first day many pools open, the date after which some believe it’s then acceptable to wear white, and most importantly, it signals the kick off of the official BBQ season!

We love cooking out with friends and family, and this year I’m going for a more non-traditional Memorial Day party food line up; there’s plenty of time all summer and the other grilling holidays to have the traditional cookout fare.

Anyone else think of BBQ as universal? Well it is, but I’ve recently discovered the unique nature of some regional BBQ’s, all BBQ is not created alike! The ingredients, the way it’s made and signature regional recipes are what set these BBQ sauces apart.

I love the idea of celebrating these unique qualities so this year’s Memorial Day party will be a regional BBQ tour, where the BBQ is the star! This was easy to do by using the Heinz Pitmaster Collection BBQ Sampler Pack. Heinz partnered with  true BBQ masters to come up with a delicious and authentic nod to each region’s pride and joy BBQ sauces, all of which are 100% natural.

REGIONAL BBQ TOUR MEMORIAL DAY PARTY MENU

Carolina Style Grilled BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Carolina BBQ sauce is the perfect amount of sweet and spice. The partnership with Sam Jones of Skylight Inn BBQ to create this Carolina Vinegar Style Tangy sauce exemplifies these traits perfectly and is a delicious compliment to the smoky bacon in this grilled shrimp appetizer.

Kansas City Smoked BBQ Chicken Salad

Joe and Mike Pearce of Slap’s BBQ teamed up on the Kansas City Sweet & Smoky flavor to create this thick and rich sauce that hugs the smoked chicken for this salad creating a perfect bite!

Memphis BBQ Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Nachos

Dan Brown from Memphis’ Leonard’s PIT Barbecue knows how to incorporate sweet and spicy which blankets each shred of pulled pork in this Memphis BBQ favorite.

Texas Style Oven Roasted BBQ Beef Brisket Tacos

Texas BBQ is not shy and is BIG on spice and big, bold flavor. In teaming up with Robert Sierra from S + S Pit Crew, this Texas Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce announces these tacos with a shout.

MEMORIAL DAY PARTY DESSERTS & HYDRATION

Red, White & Blue Fruit Kebab Flag

Blueberry Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Berry Infused Waters

Would you say you have a “signature” BBQ recipe? I would, and it’s the BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos! Here’s everything you need to make them for your Memorial Day party (and a printable recipe below).

BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos

These are so easy to make its silly, really. I like to use round tortilla chips for this recipe as it grips the pulled pork and toppings well, so every chip is the perfect bite!

Once your pork is finished slow cooking, shred it and add spread on tortilla chips. Hold on to the extra for pulled pork sandwiches!

Lay sliced onion on top of pork and top with shredded cheddar, baking to a bubbly, golden brown.

Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos

Published by: Lydia

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Ingredients

  

• 4 pounds pork roast or 6 - 8 pound bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bottle of Heinz Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce
• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
• ½ cup green onion thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in large skillet over high heat.
• Sear all sides of pork roast until browned (1 - 2 minutes per side).
• Pour enough BBQ sauce into bottom of slow cooker to just cover the surface.
• Add pork and top with BBQ sauce (reserve 1 - 2 tablespoons for topping at the end).
• Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours or 3 - 4 hours on high, or until fork tender.
• Shred pork.
• Heat oven to 400º.
• Lay tortilla chips on a large cooking sheet, cover with pulled pork.
• Top with red onion and cheddar cheese.
• Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and chips are golden brown.
• Drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce and top with green onion.

Tried this recipe?Mention @lydioutloud or tag #lydioutloud!

REGIONAL BBQ TOUR MEMORIAL DAY PARTY DECOR

Any party comes to life with the decorations, right?! Patriotic decorations are fun and so easy!

I like to make placemats for my food to fit my party theme, it adds some fun interest to a bunch of dishes and bowls on a table! For these, I cut out large star shapes out of scrapbook paper to place dishes on.

Since the regional BBQ is the star of the party, I wanted to highlight the unique regional elements that set each BBQ sauce apart with signs that mark the food and also share the BBQ’s characteristics.

First I printed out the names of each BBQ dish on red 8 x 10″ card stock. Underneath the dish title, I used an electric cutting machine to cut out the state’s shape where that particular BBQ sauce resides. I printed out a blurb about that region’s BBQ sauce and printed it out on white 8″ x 10″ card stock.

I cut the white paper so that the BBQ description fit in the middle of the state and glued it to the back of the red card stock.

I placed the signs in clear 8″ x 10″ frames and stood them behind their respective dish.

I used mason jars with red and blue bandanas as silverware caddies and tied some flag ribbon around the rims of the jars.

Blueberries and strawberries make perfect Memorial Day party embellishments and are right in season. I love tossing them in some water for a refreshing infused water.

What is your favorite way to celebrate Memorial Day?

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