The Red, White & Blue Burger

Memorial Day is more than just the unofficial start of summer—it’s a day of deep reflection and gratitude. A day to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. At FOGO Charcoal, we believe that cooking over fire is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together. It’s about more than just food—it’s about connection, memory, and meaning.

This year, we took our Memorial Day celebration to the beach, using built-in public grills to cook up a burger that’s as bold in flavor as it is in symbolism—our Red, White, and Blue Burger.

Grilling at the Beach: Making the Most of What You’ve Got

Cooking on a public grill? No problem. With the right tools and charcoal, you can turn any cookout into a flavor-packed celebration.

We fired things up using All Natural FOGO Fire Starters inside a Blazaball, lit with a grill torch and surrounded by a pile of FOGO All Natural Briquets. These dense briquets offer long-lasting heat and consistent performance—especially useful when you’re cooking away from your usual setup.

Once the coals ash over, spread them evenly across the grill. **Pro tip:** Use a grill brush—or even better, a ball of crumpled aluminum foil—to scrape those public grates clean while they’re hot.

The Red, White, and Blue Burger: A Memorial Day Classic

This burger is a celebration of freedom—and flavor. Here’s a quick overview of how we built it:

• Red: Flame-charred roasted red peppers, grilled until blackened, peeled, and sliced.
• White: A melting layer of white American cheese over a juicy, flame-grilled patty.
• Blue: Crumbled blue cheese, mixed into the beef and melted on top for a double hit of tangy goodness.

We also grilled thick-cut onions and toasted the buns directly on the grate (no oil needed). Pro tip: add lettuce underneath the burger patty to protect that bottom bun from getting soggy.

Each bite is smoky, savory, melty—and a messy, glorious reminder of why we grill: to celebrate life, freedom, and those who gave all to protect it.

Why This Recipe Matters

This isn’t just another burger. It’s a Memorial Day tribute, built with intention. From the red, white, and blue theme to the communal setting at the beach, this recipe is about honoring those who served and sharing that experience with others.

We didn’t film this at home on the Big Green Egg—we took it to the people. Cooking on public grills with FOGO Charcoal shows that you don’t need fancy gear to make meaningful meals. Just good fuel, fresh ingredients, and a reason to gather.

Watch It, Grill It, Share It

This Memorial Day, we invite you to fire it up with purpose. Whether you're at the beach, the park, or your own backyard, take a moment to reflect—and then gather around the grill to celebrate the freedoms we’re fortunate to enjoy.

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel and join us in honoring those who gave everything. And when you cook it, tag us—we love seeing how you BBQ the right way with FOGO.  Whatever you do on Memorial Day, make sure to get out and grill!  We will see you the next time on The FOGO Life.  Captain Ron……OUT!

Directions:

1. Place 2 FOGO All Natural Fire Starters in a Blazaball and set it on the charcoal grate of the grill.  Use your grill torch to light them and once burning, Pour a pile of FOGO All Natural Briquets over it.  Pile the charcoal in a pyramid around and over the Blazaball.  Once the coals have begun to ash over and turn grey, spread them out evenly across the grill.  If using a public grill, be sure to scrape the cooking grates well with a grill brush or, even better, a ball of crumpled up aluminum foil.  This works best when the grill is heated. Just before cooking, sprinkle the coals with some FOGO Smoking Chips for that hint of smoky flavor.
2. Place the red peppers on the grill close to the fire so that the skin can easily char.  Continue turning the peppers until they are completely charred, and the skin has turned black.  Place them in the BBQ Prep Tub and seal them shut for 10-15 minutes.  After they have rested, peel the charred skin off and remove the seeds.  Using your boning/filet knife, slice into pieces that will cover a burger.
3. Slice your onion into ½” slices.  You can put a skewer in the side of them to hold them together if you find that easier.  Grill the onions until they have good color and remove them from the grill. 
4. Take your ground beef and sprinkle it with salt & pepper.  Place some of the blue cheese crumbles on the meat and now mix it all together.  Once combined, make 4 ½ lbs. patties, push your thumb into the center of the patty to make an indentation.  This will help the burgers hold their shape and not blow up in the middle.  Sprinkle the coals with more smoking chips and place the burgers on the cooking grates.
5. Cook until the burger has good color, and juices are starting to form on the top.  Flip the burger over and continue to cook.  The FDA recommends cooking ground beef to a minimum of 160°.  This will give you a pretty well-done burger.  If the patties are getting too well done outside, simply keep flipping it.  On your final flip, add the white American cheese and some more blue cheese crumbles.  Once melted, remove them from the grill and get ready to assemble your Red White and Blue Burger.
6. Start with toasting the buns.  No need for oil or butter or anything.  Simply place the buns face down on the grill and cook until golden brown.      
7. Place the bottom bun down on your work surface.  Now add lettuce, a burger patty, a slice of the onion, a piece of red pepper and the top bun.  Now, dig in.  Take a huge bite of this gloriously messy burger and remember those who gave all so that we could have our freedom.