No-Fuss Grilling for Labor Day Weekend

No need to be an overachieving griller this holiday! Labor Day marks the last weekend of the summer season, so why not craft no-fuss dishes that dare to appear deliciously complex, while beaming with a taste that’s even more mouth-watering.

Here’s a gorgeous roundup of the best grilled dishes made lazily, requiring little checking in and turning over, allowing you to take it easy and mentality prepare for the incoming fall season.

Grilled Corn with Cayenne, Lime, and Cotija

Adapted from Chow

Photo | Chow

Skip the usual dressing for grilled corn, and instead woo your picnicking partners with cotija, a crumble cheese from Mexico, found in Latin markets and most grocery shops.

  • 6 tablespoons mayo
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
  • 3/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • 6 ears corn, husks on
  • 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
  1. Mix together mayo, garlic, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl until well blended. Place cheese in a shallow dish that is at least as long as the corn.
  2. Heat the grill to medium high (about 375°F). Before grilling the corn, here’s a tip: Peel back the husks of each ear  more than halfway and remove as much silk as you can without pulling the husks off. Then, pull the husks back up.
  3. Plop the corn on the grill and close the lid. Every 10 minutes, roll the corn a quarter turn so it cooks evenly. Cook until the husks appear charred and starting to peel back from the corn. Remove from the grill and cool until easy enough to handle.
  4. Without detaching the husks, peel them back completely. Brush corn with a thin layer of the mayonnaise mixture, roll the cobs in the crumbled cheese, and serve. Prepare lime wedges for squeezing over the corn.
Pop-Open Clams with Horseradish Tabasco
Adapted from Food & Wine

Photo | Food & Wine

Since clams pop open when they are finished cooking, there is nothing easier than this.

  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp. drained horseradish
  • 1 tbsp. Tabasco
  • 1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
  • salt
  • 2 doz. littleneck clams, scrubbed
  1. Light a grill. In a bowl, blend butter with the horseradish, Tabasco, lemon zest, lemon juice and paprika. Season with salt.
  2. Arrange the clams over high heat and grill until they pop open, about 25 seconds. Using tongs, carefully turn the clams over so the meat side is down. Grill for 20 seconds longer, until clam juices start simmering. Transfer the clams to a bowl. Top each clam with about 1/2 teaspoon of the horseradish-Tabasco sauce.
Crosshatch Hot Dogs
Adapted from Food & Wine

Photo | Food & Wine

These pups are sliced in a crosshatch pattern, allowing them to cook faster than ever before. The sweet and savoryglaze is a winner, too, adding an adult-vibe to the classic bunned meat (this time we’re skipping the usual hot dog buns for croissants).

  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 6 c  shredded green cabbage
  • 3 red chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 croissants, split but still attached on one side
  • 4 large hot dogs
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp veggie oil
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  1. In large bowl, stir the honey with the sherry vinegar until the honey is dissolved. Add the shredded cabbage and red chiles, season with salt and toss. Let stand until cabbage is softened, tossing a few times.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend the butter and the mustard. Spread the cut sides of the croissants with the butter.
  3. Light a grill. Thread each hot dog lengthwise onto a thick  skewer. With a small, sharp knife, make cuts at an angle in 3 rows down each hot dog, about 1/2 inch apart, cutting partway into the hot dog. The cuts should look like rounded half circles. Lightly run the knife down the center of the cuts to halve the half circles.
  4. On a large plate, mix the ketchup, soy sauce, oil and garlic. Coat each hot dog with the mixture.
  5. Grill the croissants over high heat, cut side down, until toasted, about 30 seconds. Turn and grill the other side for about 10 seconds. Grill the hot dogs over high heat, until nicely charred and the cuts open up, about 2 minutes total. Layer cabbage salad on one half of each croissant, set the hot dogs on top and serve.
Grilled Peaches with brown sugar balsamic glaze
Adapted from Salon

Photo | Salon

Don’t think that we’d skip grilling dessert, and this recipe is a no-frills, sweet treat finish.

  • 4 semi-ripe peaches,  halved and pitted
  • balsamic vinegar,  about a tablespoon
  • brown sugar or honey, your choice
  • light olive oil
  • 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped, optional
  • ice cream, optional finish
  1. Preheat grill
  2. Drizzle peaches with balsamic vinegar and then, sprinkle with brown sugar. (Do this an hour before grilling, so the flavors soak in. No time? Still delicious.)
  3. Brush grill lightly with oil. Place peach halves face-down on grill. Turn after 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle flat side (now facing up) with more brown sugar. Remove after another couple of minutes, when soft all the way through.
  4. Garnish with basil on and around peaches. Serve with ice cream or solo.