Lazy Summer Dinner Ideas

There’s nothing better than relaxing on the patio or in your backyard with  your  favorite beverage in hand on a lazy summer day. Enhance the experience even more, this summer by grilling up some classic barbecue meals with minimal effort. Casually bask in the sun, chatting with neighbors, friends, and family while peeking under the hood of your grill every so often to keep tabs on your lazy summer dinner.

We pulled a couple of our favorite go-to summer recipes to get your summer barbecue season started with a sizzle. Keep the mess out of the kitchen and take it to the grill with these simple grilling recipes.

Follow these quick steps for a deliciously grilled steak!

2. Season your Steaks

Prepare your steaks by brushing both sides with oil and seasoning liberally with salt and pepper. We recommend doing this at least 1 hour in advance, but if you don't have the time right before will still provide you with a flavorful meal.

3. Heat Up the Grill

Light your grill and turn up the heat to high, giving it a few minutes to heat up fully.

4. Grill Your Steaks

Once the grill is hot, place the steaks on the grill and cook until they're lightly charred – around 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them over and continue to grill for approximately 3 to 5 minutes for a perfect medium-rare finish. Or, if you prefer medium, cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or 8 to 10 for medium-well.

5. Rest

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter. Cover with a loosely tented foil and let them rest for 5 minutes before cutting. Letting your steak rest is crucial for obtaining optimum flavor!

Grill up some Burgers!

Burgers are always a quick and easy option as there are tons of ways to spice up ground beef for the perfect burger. Making the perfect burger on the grill is not as difficult as you may think; they're incredibly easy to make for the family, especially when you are short on time. 

First, make sure your patty is cold. If you are using Pre's ground beef pack and hand-making your patty, make sure to put it in the fridge before cooking. Otherwise, the patty will stick to your hands before you place them onto the grill and can make quite the mess. When making your patty, get creative with spices! You can stick to good old salt and pepper, but we recommend adding spices like garlic powder, cayenne, chipotle powder, oregano, and the list goes on. Check out these quick lazy summer recipes to elevate your simple burger!

Burger Bites

After you decide what recipe you want to go with, follow these steps for a perfectly grilled burger. 

1. Heat Up the Grill

Prepare your grill by lighting it up to a medium-high temperature of 375 °F.

2. Prepare Your Burgers

Gather your ingredients to form delicious homemade burgers and begin adding to a large bowl. We recommend using quality grass-fed and finished 80% lean ground beef from Pre for the most flavorful burger. Once combined, divide and shape the mixture into patties about ¾ inch thick. You can also use Pre's 92% Lean 1/3 lb. Burger Patties to make your cooking experience even quicker. 

3. Take Them to the grill

Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip and continue to cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the burgers have reached your desired level of doneness.

4. Finishing Touches

If you want to make your burgers into cheeseburgers:

Place a slice of cheese on each patty about a minute before removing it from the grill so it can melt to perfection. Once you've removed the burgers, place them on lightly toasted buns and top them off with your favorite toppings. Add fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion for a crisp summer crunch.

More quick and easy recipes for you to enjoy on those lazy summer nights!

Keep it light with a layered salad