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Potato Salad Dressing: The Creamy, Tangy Kick That Brings It All Together

6/3/2025

You grilled the potatoes. You mixed the radishes, celery, and eggs. Now it’s time to pull it all together with the one thing that makes good potato salad legendary: the dressing.
This isn’t your store-bought, one-note mayo. This is a creamy, tangy, herb-packed, backyard-tested blend of zesty brilliance. It’s the finishing touch that makes your Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad go from “nice” to “is there more of this?

🥄 Ingredients:

2 cups Miracle Whip – yes, we said Miracle Whip. Trust the tang.

1 container Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt – for creamy balance and bonus protein
4 tablespoons Sugar – sweet contrast to that smoky grill flavor
White Vinegar – just enough to get your taste buds dancing (about 2–3 tbsp or to taste)
¼ cup Basil – fresh if you can, dried if you must
2 tablespoons Grilling Magic Seasoning – our signature blend (you know where to get it)
2 tablespoons Garlic Pepper – flavor that smacks

Mix everything together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the vinegar/sugar levels to hit that perfect tangy-sweet note.

Toss It Right:

Add to your Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad just before serving
Gently fold to coat without smashing the goods
Serve warm, room temp, or chilled—it’s a winner at any temp
Optional: garnish with fresh herbs or extra cracked pepper for flair

Sponsor Support:

🥔 Wisconsin Potatoes – the foundation of greatness
🌿 Grilling Magic – flavor in every shake
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – grilling those taters to perfection
🌱 Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association – connecting great grilling to great growing

Final Thoughts:
If a good salad dressing brings harmony, this one brings a full-blown backyard concert. Creamy, zingy, herb-packed, and grill-ready—this is how Mad Dog & Merrill® do potato salad dressing.

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Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad: A Midwest Classic with a Smoky Twist

6/3/2025

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You can’t host a true backyard bash without a solid potato salad—and this one’s got firepower.

We took two of Wisconsin’s finest spuds, tossed them on the grill, and loaded them up with everything that makes a Midwestern side dish sing: eggs, crunch, flavor, and a whole lotta love. If you’ve only ever had potato salad from a plastic tub, prepare to rethink your life.

🥔 What You’ll Need:

2 lbs Baby Red Potatoes – washed, oiled, grilled, and cubed
2 lbs Wisconsin Gold Potatoes – same treatment: grill first, cube second

2 cups Boiled Eggs, cubed – the more yolk the better
2 cups Chopped Radish – for that crisp little kick
2 cups Celery, chopped – it’s not potato salad without it
1 cup Diced Onion – adds bite, crunch, and flavor depth

Toss it all into a large mixing bowl. Add your dressing (we’re working on that recipe next!). Mix gently but thoroughly.

Pro tip: Don’t mash it into oblivion. We want chunks, not mash.

Grill First, Mix Second
Grilling the potatoes brings a smoky, crispy edge that sets this recipe apart from every mayo-drenched party bowl you’ve ever avoided.
Use a Pit Boss Grill (as always!) for maximum char and control.

🔥 Oiled potatoes + direct heat = caramelized, crispy magic
🔥 Let them cool slightly before cubing so they hold shape
🔥 Mix when warm to help the flavors mingle

Sponsor Love:

🥔 Wisconsin Potatoes – because flavor starts in the soil
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – for that perfect potato char
🔪 Rebex Cutlery – cutting clean, every time
🌱 Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association – supporting farm-fresh ingredients from root to radish

Coming Next: The Potato Salad Dressing That Brings It All Together
We’ve got the mix. We’ve got the method.
Now we just need the magic glue: that creamy, tangy, slightly smoky dressing that holds it all together.

Final Thoughts:
It’s hearty. It’s flavorful. It’s grilled.
This is Wisconsin Potato Salad, Mad Dog & Merrill® style—and it’s about to be the most-requested side dish at every cookout you attend.

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Sausage Brine Recipe: The Secret Weapon for Ultimate Grilled Flavor

6/3/2025

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If you thought our Sausage & Peppers recipe was a flavor bomb, wait ‘til you pour this beauty on top. This Sausage Brine is the secret sauce that turns grilled sausage from "pretty good" to “WHAT DID YOU PUT IN THIS?!”

Bold. Buttery. Saucy. A little boozy. And fully ready for flame.

Let’s stir it up.

🧂 Ingredients:

1 cup Garlic – minced, mashed, or unapologetically chunky
1 glass Red Wine – yes, for the brine. No, not for sipping (okay fine, maybe a little)
¼ cup Basil – fresh if you’ve got it, dried if you must
¼ cup Thyme – because we believe in herb layers
2 tsp Grilling Magic – our signature seasoning blend (available on our site!)
2 tbsp Olive Oil – the classic
Juice of 1 Lemon – to brighten that meat party
1 bottle Hickory BBQ Sauce – thick, rich, and smoky (also available online!)
2 sticks of Butter – yes, you read that right. Butter. Two whole sticks. We don’t do things halfway.

Mix it all together in a big bowl or saucepan and watch it transform into something that could brine a shoe and still taste incredible.

🔥 Grilling Directions:

Pour this glorious brine over your Sausage & Peppers mixture (from our last blog—go read it if you missed it!)
Place everything in a grill-safe pan
Fire up your Pit Boss Grill to 350°F
Grill with the lid down, stirring occasionally as the butter melts, the sauce bubbles, and the aroma turns neighbors into uninvited guests
Cook until sausage is juicy, veggies are tender, and the whole thing is swimming in that rich, smoky, garlicky, herby goodness

🔥 Sponsor Highlights:

Pit Boss Grills – The smoke behind the sizzle
Mad Dog & Merrill® Hickory BBQ Sauce – Because bottled brilliance exists
Grilling Magic Seasoning – The secret weapon in every shake
Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – Shout-out for supporting flavorful farms and fresh ingredients!

Final Thoughts:
This isn’t just a brine—it’s an experience. It’s the kind of blend that makes sausages sing, peppers dance, and guests ask for seconds before they’ve finished firsts. Try it once, and you’ll never grill sausages naked again. (We mean without brine. Keep your pants on, please.)

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Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

6/3/2025

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Fire up that Pit Boss, friends—it’s time to make your backyard smell like a tailgate party collided with a pepper patch in the best way possible.

This Sausage & Peppers recipe is one of our go-tos when we’re feeding a hungry crowd, testing the limits of our spice tolerance, or just want to hear someone yell “WHAT SMELLS AMAZING?!” from across the block.
You bring the sausage—we’ll bring the swagger.

What You’ll Need:

2 lbs Spicy Italian Sausage – get ‘em sizzling
2 cups Sweet Yellow Peppers – color + contrast
2 cups Spanish Onions – thick slices for big flavor
2 cups Red Peppers – for that sweet heat balance
4 Green Peppers – because we’re not here to mess around
1 cup Banana Peppers – tangy, spicy, and just enough chaos
1 cup Ripe Green Olives – salty little surprises
1 cup Sliced Pepperoni – yep, double meat. We said what we said.
1 Lemon, squeezed – for a citrus kick that wakes it all up

Mix everything together like a mad scientist of meat and veggies. Pour in a generous splash of our Sausage Brine (recipe here) and get that pan grill-ready.

Grilling Directions:

Preheat your Pit Boss Grill to 350°F
Place your mixed masterpiece in a grill-safe pan
Set it on the grill, lid closed, and let the magic happen
Stir occasionally while you breathe in that glorious steam cloud of spicy perfection
Cook until the sausages are juicy, the veggies are soft, and everything’s swimming in flavor

Sponsor Shout-Outs:
🔥 Pit Boss Grills – The firepower behind every sizzle
🔪 Rebex Cutlery – Slicing peppers like a pro
🌶️ Wisconsin State Agricultural Tourism Association – Bringing the freshest produce to your plate
🥤 Sun Drop – Sip it while you grill it—extra citrus, always welcome

Want to Level It Up?
Serve your Sausage & Peppers over a toasted hoagie roll.
Or spoon it over Wisconsin Potatoes (yes, those potatoes).
Or just eat it straight out of the pan with your best grillin’ fork like a true Midwest warrior.
No judgment. Just flavor.

Sausage Brine Recipe Coming Soon!
We’ll be posting the full brine breakdown in the next blog—stay tuned. Spoiler alert: it’s tangy, savory, and secretly magical.

Final Thoughts:
Whether you’re cooking for the crew, the family, or just yourself on a Saturday (no shame), this recipe brings serious heat, bold flavor, and peak grill master energy. It’s sausage. It’s peppers. It’s sizzling.
It’s Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n

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Pork Hors d’Oeuvres: The One-Bite Wonder That Puts Meat on a Pedestal

5/7/2025

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Here at Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n, we take our snacks seriously. Because why settle for boring when you can slap pork on a cracker and make everyone at the party lose their minds?

These Pork Hors d’Oeuvres are not just fancy—they’re dangerously snackable. We’re talking layers of horseradish cheese, cold grilled pork tenderloin (leftovers never had it so good), and a generous spoonful of Gooseberry Pork Marmalade—aka that sweet-savory spread we cooked up with a bit of culinary chaos and a whole lot of love.

Toss on a caper or two, and you’ve got a snack that says, “I’m sophisticated, but also kinda spicy.”

Your Oeuvre of Hors d’Oeuvre Ingredients:

Breton crackers – a sturdy, buttery base for pork greatness.
Horseradish cheese – cold, creamy, and a little bit snarky.
Sliced grilled pork tenderloin – chilled and sliced thin. If you made our Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, this is its glorious encore.
Gooseberry Pork Marmalade – sweet, tangy, and suspiciously addictive. Cranberry preserves from the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers would also make a berry fine substitute.
Capers – the salty little pop that ties it all together and makes you feel like you're eating something served on a silver tray.

Assembly Instructions: AKA Pork Stackin’ Time

Lay out your Breton crackers on a platter like you’re about to host the classiest BBQ in town.
Add a slice of horseradish cheese to each one. Cold is fine—it’s snacky sophistication.
Place a slice of pork tenderloin on each cracker. Make sure it’s tender and grilled to perfection (bonus points if it came off your Pit Boss earlier in the week).
Spoon on a dollop of Gooseberry Pork Marmalade. If you’re out, cranberry preserves will do the trick—especially if they’re homegrown Wisconsin cranberries.
Top with one or two capers. Because if you’re not adding briny drama, are you even hors d’oeuvre-ing?

Not All Crackers Wear Capes (But These Ones Might)
If these hors d’oeuvres were people:

The Overachiever: Double pork, excessive marmalade, three capers stacked like a tiny edible snowman.
The Minimalist: One slice of cheese, one slice of pork. That's it. Wears turtlenecks.
The Daredevil: Replaces marmalade with jalapeño jelly and pretends not to notice the tears.
The Midwesterner: Quietly adds a dill pickle slice and says, “This is how Nana did it.”

Unsolicited Substitution Suggestions:
No horseradish cheese?
Try cream cheese with a horseradish swirl, or a whisper of sharp cheddar and a dream.
No crackers?
Thick-cut potato chips. Slices of baguette. The sturdy part of a romaine leaf if you’re pretending to be healthy.
No pork?
Use cold meatloaf and don’t tell anyone. It’s rustic. It's mysterious. It's Midwestern sushi.
No marmalade?
Enter: cranberry preserves from the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers, here to rescue your flavor with a tart little hug.

Let’s Be Clear: This Is Not an Hors d’Oeuvre
(Just so we're all on the same tray)
❌ A brat on a Ritz
❌ Ketchup on a saltine
❌ That one pretzel you found in your hoodie pocket
❌ A hot dog cut into slices and stabbed with uncooked spaghetti
If it doesn’t require just a little effort and a touch of presentation? It’s just a snack. This? This is a moment.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a. Oeuvres of Wisdom):
Let’s be real—some people bring chips to the party. You bring Pork Hors d’Oeuvres. These bite-sized beauties are stacked, sauced, and flavor-packed thanks to grilled tenderloin, cheesy kick, and the kind of sweet-savory marmalade that should have its own fan club.

So next time you’re hosting, skip the tray of mystery meat cubes and give your guests something to talk about. Because when pork shows up on a cracker, everybody wins.

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Potato Salad Dressing: The Creamy, Tangy Kick That Brings It All Together

Grilled Wisconsin Potato Salad: A Midwest Classic with a Smoky Twist

Sausage Brine Recipe: The Secret Weapon for Ultimate Grilled Flavor

Sausage & Peppers on the Grill: A Spicy, Sizzling Crowd-Pleaser

Pork Hors d’Oeuvres: The One-Bite Wonder That Puts Meat on a Pedestal

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