It's Memorial Day Weekend, when we solemnly remember the troops and haha, no I'm just kidding, nobody does that anymore. No, Memorial Day Weekend is when Los Angeles declares that summer is officially on like Chaka Khan. Citywide we get together with friends and family and indulge in the closest thing L.A. has to a national sport, grilling the hell out of some food y'all, preferably while drunk.

“But wait!,” we can hear you screaming. “My BBQ skills are weak and pathetic! I can't even cook a veggie burger without burning up my back yard!” Yeahyeahyeah, stop whining. If we know anything by now, it's that anything can be learned by imitating popular musicians. They don't just know how to have unprotected sex in expensive cars, they also like to eat. And they like to talk about it too, almost as much as they like talking about having unprotected sex in expensive cars.

So we've dug down deep in our record crates to find 6 songs to help you rock the perfect Memorial Day BBQ. Bonus? Recipes! Ready? Errybody in the place grab your tongs.

6) Chicken Shack Boogie by Amos Milburn

What You're Grillin': Grilled Chicken with black beans and rice

Reference: “They only serve warm beer rice and beans/But it feels just like it's down in New Orleans”

Amos Milburn loved writing songs about drinking, dancing and eating. And no wonder, when you're helping to create rock-n-roll you tend to work up an appetite. Sure, he eventually died fairly young after several strokes and the amputation of a leg, but as long as you don't drink like a fish and eat unhealthy food all the time, that won't happen to you. Now let's talk about the unhealthy food you're going to make to go with all that beer you'll be drinking on Sunday!

The Recipe:

(Source).

Step one: Ingredients:

4 to 6 boneless chicken breast halves; Light balsamic vinaigrette; 1 tablespoon honey; Dash cayenne pepper; Juice of 1 lime.

Step two: Marinate chicken in ingredients for 2 hours.

Step three: Grill on high heat (coals recommended) for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness).

Step four: Serve hot with rice/beans recipe of your choice.

Step five: Remember to help lay the musical foundations of Rock n Roll while cooking, and be sure to get checked for diabetes regularly.

5) Know your Chicken by Cibo Matto

What You're Grillin': Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers

Reference: “Then I met a lover/one night she made me dinner/licking fingers I wondered/where she got the chicken.”

We don't pretend to know what the hell is going on in Cibo Matto's mind. We're just happy they're reuniting this June for a Hollywood Bowl show with Yellow Magic Orchestra. Since the show is a benefit for survivors of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, we suggest making Japanese chicken skewers in solidarity. It's the perfect way to pretend your BBQ is socially conscious without having to do anything other than shop.

The Recipe:

(Source)

Step one: Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg chicken breast (cubed); 4 green onions, cut into 1 inch sizes.

Yakitori sauce – 6 fluid ounces soy sauce; 3 fluid ounces chicken stock; 3 fluid ounces sake; 2 ounces sugar; 2 fluid ounces mirin

Step two: Bring yakitori sauce to a boil for 5 min, set aside.

Step three: Alternate chicken cubes and green onions on skewers.

Step four: Baste with yakitori sauce, grill on high heat, turning periodically and re-basting.

Step five: Serve with leftover sauce.

Step six: Know your chicken, really get to know it. Ask about hobbies, exchange emails. Also date Sean Lennon.

4) Slob On My Knob by Three 6 Mafia

What You're Grillin': Grilled corn on the cob.

Reference: “Slob on my knob/like corn on the cob.”

Nothing says romance like comparing your genitalia to maize and then generously offering to “run a train” on your special lady. But we have a sneaking suspicion she'd rather BBQ instead and maybe you learn to say please first. And so would we! While we wait for you to finish “polishing your Oscar,” hehe, here's a good way to make delicious, non-penile corn on the cob every time.

The Recipe:

(Original but you can find similar information everywhere.)

Step One: Do NOT remove from the husk. Instead, soak the husk for about half an hour or so to soften it up.

Step two: Sufficiently softened, peel back but do NOT remove the husk. Brush the kernels with whatever you'd like – garlic butter or basil-infused olive oil are our particular favorites, plus sea salt and whatever seasonings you prefer. Put the husk back down.

Step three: Grill on med or med-high heat, rotating frequently to prevent overcooking/burning. You'll know you're done once the husk begins to get the impression of the kernels burned into it but it's more a matter of when you're ready to take it off.

Step four: Remove and enjoy.

Step five: Win an undeserved Oscar with a terrible song.

3) Pork Chops & Mustard Greens by Ernie Andrews

What You're Grillin': Pizza. No, just kidding, it's honey grilled pork cops and mustard greens

Reference: “Bring me some pork chops and mustard greens.” Doy.

Ernie Andrews knows what the hell he likes, and it's apparently identical to our grandmother's holiday cooking. He also seems to like a LOT of it, this song is basically the “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” of southern cooking. With a heart attack here and a stroke stroke there and all that. Anyway, on Memorial Day we'll ignore the health risks and impress our friends by imitating art, and our grandparents.

The Recipe:

(Source)

Step one: Ingredients:

8-10 extra thin sliced pork chops; as much honey as you want to use; soy sauce.

Step two: Mix together the soy sauce and honey until you have the consistency you want. Marinate chops in half the sauce overnight.

Step three: Grill on med. heat, brushing the chops with remaining sauce as needed. Cook as desired, serve hot.

Step four: Remain fairly obscure and unknown for the bulk of your career.

2) The New Style by Beastie Boys

What You're Grillin': Veggie Burgers with sliced peaches and grilled apple.

Reference: “Like the bun to the burger/like the burger to the bun/Like the cherry to the apple/like the peach to the plum.”

The Recipe:

(Also original, but the internet contains many versions.)

Step one: Ingredients:

Veggie burger of your choice; 1 granny smith apple; 1 peach; approx. 2 tbsp butter; assorted seasoning by preference; Swiss cheese; olive oil.

Step two: Cut the apple into thin slices. lightly butter the slices on both sides and add a dash of spice if you selected some.

Step three: Cut peach into thin slices. Set aside.

Step four: Lightly oil each side of your veggie burger, and season as desired.

Step five: Grill veggie patty as you normally would; place foil on grill and place apple slices on foil. Let apple slices slightly brown/blacken and remove.

Step six: Mmmmm DROP.

Step seven: Once veggie burger is grilled to satisfaction add to bun, add cheese, put hot apple slices above cheese and peach slices below patty.

1) Big poppa by Notorious BIG

What You're Grillin': T-Bone Steak with cheese and eggs.

Reference: “Go fill my belly/ a t-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch's grape.”

Biggie's 1995 hit was the ultimate tribute to the good life, and for good reason! Biggie knew that eating cheese, eggs and steak was the perfect way to get ready for sex with a willing lady. After all, what better way to celebrate the “good life” than cramming down super decadent, crazy-fattening food guaranteed to make you forget you even knew there was such a thing as regular bowel movements. If Biggie can do it, so can you. Fire up your grill.

The Recipe:

(source)

Step one: Ingredients:

1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon steak seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 2 -3 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 beef t-bone steaks (1 in thick)

Step two: Marinate the steaks in ingredients overnight.

Step three: Grill steaks on high heat until meat is cooked to desired specifications (medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees, medium, 160 degrees, well-done 170 degrees).

Step four: Prepare eggs however you like but we recommend scrambled with cayanne pepper, sea salt and feta cheese.

Step five: If possible, get P. Diddy to stand next to you and whisper “Bad Boy, aw yeah, take that, take that” every 5 minutes while you're cooking.

Step six: Serve fresh off the grill with cheese and eggs on side. Love it when people call you big poppa.

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