The final cookout of summer is one of the few times a little extra kitchen or smoker time can feel justified. These 17 Labor Day recipes balance long-smoked centerpieces with faster grilled mains, make-ahead sides, fresh salads, snack-board bites, and desserts that still fit the season. Some take patience, while others fill the gaps when the smoker is busy. Together, they cover the full cookout from the first snack to the last slice of cake.
Smoked Shotgun Shells
A little patience pays off with Smoked Shotgun Shells, where cannelloni tubes are packed with seasoned ground beef and cheddar, wrapped in bacon, then brushed with BBQ sauce as they smoke. The recipe takes 1 hour 50 minutes total and makes four servings. They bring a hearty, hands-on appetizer to a Labor Day cookout, especially when the smoker is already running. Serve them hot while the bacon is crisp and the pasta is tender.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Shotgun Shells
Pesto Orzo Salad
Cool and creamy without being heavy, Pesto Orzo Salad brings a fresh counterpoint to the smoky dishes on a Labor Day table. Orzo is tossed with basil pesto, mayonnaise, Parmesan, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes, then chilled before serving. It takes 20 minutes and makes six servings. This is a useful side when the grill is crowded because it can be finished earlier and brought out cold alongside steak, chicken, or pork.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad
Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Bright enough to close out a late-summer cookout, Strawberry Upside Down Cake bakes halved strawberries beneath a soft sour cream cake so the fruit becomes the glossy top once flipped. The recipe uses three cups of strawberries and takes 1 hour from start to finish, yielding 10 servings. It gives the dessert table something seasonal without adding another grill task. Cut it into wedges and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Upside Down Cake
Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Sweet heat makes Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings a strong choice when plain wings would feel too familiar for the last holiday cookout. Two pounds of wings smoke before getting a quick high-heat finish, then they are tossed with peach jam, chipotle in adobo, and apple cider vinegar. The recipe serves four. Set extra sauce on the side for dipping, and keep napkins close because the sticky glaze is part of the appeal.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Guacamole Snack Board
Built for grazing before the main food is ready, Guacamole Snack Board surrounds fresh guacamole with two kinds of chips, salsa, pico de gallo, pineapple salsa, and a corn dip. Optional mix-ins include bacon, cotija, jalapeños, bell pepper, mango, and shrimp, so guests can customize each scoop. Several components can be prepared a day ahead, while the guacamole should be made close to serving. It works well as the opening spread for a relaxed Labor Day cookout.
Get the Recipe: Guacamole Snack Board
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Fresh tomatoes and smoky grill marks meet in Grilled Bruschetta Chicken, a 25-minute main that serves four once the chicken has finished marinating. Boneless chicken breasts cook on the grill, with mozzarella optional, while the topping combines Roma tomatoes, basil, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. It brings a lighter main to a cookout filled with richer smoked meats. Finish with balsamic syrup and Parmesan before bringing the platter to the table.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Smoked Peaches with Spiced Rum Whipped Cream
Smoke carries all the way to dessert with Smoked Peaches with Spiced Rum Whipped Cream, a 40-minute recipe that serves four. Peach halves are sprinkled with turbinado sugar and smoked for 30 minutes, while heavy cream is whipped with sugar, vanilla, and spiced rum. The result fits a Labor Day menu without moving dessert back into the kitchen. Serve the peaches warm with a spoonful of the chilled cream over each half.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Peaches with Spiced Rum Whipped Cream
Shirazi Salad
Crisp and cool beside heavier barbecue, Shirazi Salad takes just 10 minutes and makes eight servings. Finely diced Roma tomatoes, English cucumber, red onion, mint, parsley, and dill are tossed with fresh lime juice and olive oil. There is no cooking step, which helps when every burner and grill grate already has a job. Bring it out with smoked beef or pulled pork for a fresh side that cuts through a meat-heavy Labor Day plate.
Get the Recipe: Shirazi Salad
Smoked Tomahawk Steak
For the cookout centerpiece, Smoked Tomahawk Steak gives a two-pound steak a long smoke before resting and slicing it across the grain. The recipe serves two and uses Montreal steak seasoning, while a mustard-seed chimichurri combines lime, shallot, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil for the finish. The steak cooks for about two hours, so it suits a final Labor Day cookout where one impressive main is worth planning around. Spoon the chimichurri over the sliced beef at serving.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomahawk Steak
Birria Pizza
A cookout does not have to stay traditional, and Birria Pizza proves it with beef birria, consommé, mozzarella, cotija, radishes, onion, cilantro, and hot sauce on a pizza crust. The recipe takes 25 minutes once the birria is ready and makes three servings. It is a practical way to use prepared birria while giving the table something different from burgers and hot dogs. Slice it hot and serve extra consommé nearby for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Birria Pizza
Texas Corn Succotash
Colorful and quick from one skillet, Texas Corn Succotash gives the cookout table a warm side made with corn, bacon, jalapeño, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and butter. It takes 25 minutes and makes eight servings, so it can cover a larger table without much extra work. Fresh or frozen corn both work, which keeps prep flexible. Serve it beside smoked pork, beef kabobs, or grilled chicken while the vegetables are still hot.
Get the Recipe: Texas Corn Succotash
Smoked Beef Kabobs
Skewers make the smoker easy to share, and Smoked Beef Kabobs pair sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin with zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. The beef marinates in soy sauce, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and olive oil before cooking. The recipe makes four servings, with about 45 minutes of cook time plus an hour for marinating. They are a solid Labor Day main when guests want a little beef and vegetables on the same plate.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Kabobs
Mexican Black Beans
Fast enough to handle while the main dishes rest, Mexican Black Beans take 15 minutes and make four servings. Canned black beans simmer with onion, garlic, cumin, chipotle powder, lime juice, and cilantro, creating a savory side with gentle smoke and acidity. Because the recipe uses pantry-friendly beans and one pan, it does not compete for much cookout space. Spoon them beside birria pizza, grilled chicken, or corn succotash for an easy extra side.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Black Beans
Smoked Pulled Pork
Long, slow cooking earns its place on Labor Day with Smoked Pulled Pork, built around a five-pound pork butt rubbed with mustard, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. The smoker does most of the work over 12 hours, and the recipe serves 12. It is the big-batch main for a cookout where the effort happens earlier. Pile the shredded pork onto buns or plates and let the sides fill in around it.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pulled Pork
Lemon-Dill Salmon Foil Packets
Neat foil parcels keep Lemon-Dill Salmon Foil Packets simple on a busy grill, with four salmon fillets seasoned with olive oil, lemon, fresh dill, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper. The packets cook in about 24 minutes total and serve four, giving the menu a seafood option without adding a messy pan. They work especially well when heavier smoked meats already cover the table. Open each packet carefully and serve the salmon straight from the foil or transfer it to plates.
Get the Recipe: Lemon-Dill Salmon Foil Packets
Fried Green Tomatoes
Golden and crisp at the edges, Fried Green Tomatoes bring a Southern-style side to the cookout in 25 minutes. Green tomato slices move through flour, egg, then a cornmeal and panko coating seasoned with paprika before a quick pan-fry. The recipe makes four servings and is best served warm while the coating still has crunch. Put them out as an appetizer or side while the smoker finishes its longer jobs.
Get the Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Creamy but still fresh enough for late summer, Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad combines bowtie pasta, diced rotisserie chicken, roasted red peppers, red onion, basil, parsley, and garlic with a Greek yogurt dressing. The recipe takes 30 minutes and makes six servings. It can work as a substantial side or a lighter main for guests skipping the smoker-heavy options. Chill it before serving, then set it out when the rest of the Labor Day spread is ready.
Get the Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad