Today is National Brisket AND National Burger Day. So, if you really needed a reason to fire up the smoker on a Thursday, there it is. Drop this week's cook (hopefully it’s on theme) in the Dead Meat Society Facebook group or tag us on Instagram.

Here’s what we’ve been cooking up all week…

First up, Tasting Table gave us a list of regional American burgers that deserve to be on your grill this National Burger Day. Also, Heath Riles BBQ won Memphis in May back-to-back for the first time in 42 years. And Serious Eats says it’s time to bake on your grill.

Every week, we crown the DMS champion of BBQ. And there are only two ways to enter: 1) Submit a pic to the Dead Meat Society Facebook Group 2) Tag us on Instagram. If you aren’t sharing (and competing), what the hell are you waiting for?

And remember, the stakes have never been higher!

This week’s Smoke Show Champ is Brandon Moon for bringing all the smoke. Shared via the Dead Meat Society Facebook Group.

Honorable mention to Tim Vaughan for his juicy brisket. Shared via the Dead Meat Society Facebook Group.

Honorable mention to Nick Dart for his surf and turf on the Weber. Shared via the Dead Meat Society Facebook Group.

Have a Smoke Show submission? Stop wasting your time posting on all those other sites and share it with the Facebook group that gives a damn: Dead Meat Society. Or just tag us on Instagram.

That one story that will make you infinitely more interesting than your know-it-all brother-in-law. Seriously, wtf is that guy’s deal?

It might be a shared meat holiday (with National Brisket Day and National Burger Day battling it out for 1st place in your heart), but today we are deep diving on burgers across the country.

What we’re not going to do on this holy day is tell you to fire up some 80/20 and call it a celebration. We're going deeper today because the most interesting burger in America is probably one you've never ordered, from a region you hadn’t thought about.

Tasting Table just ran a breakdown of American burgers that deserve more attention. And a few of them really caught our attention today…

Every real regional burger was built around a constraint of some kind. Like Depression-era economics, immigrant ingredient preferences, or keeping a short-order line moving fast. Seriously.

A regional burger is about some type of shared history rather than some gimmick.

Ultra-thin fries tucked between the patty and the top bun, seasoned beef on a soft Cuban roll, with mojo sauce, cheese, or plantains if you want them. The frita has been a Havana street food since the 1930s and landed in Miami in the 1960s.

(And just look how delicious this bad boy is…)

Bison is leaner than beef, which means the standard burger approach with bison meat would leave you dry and disappointed. The fix is in: add onions, shallots, or garlic to the mix, and do NOT overcook it.

The meat itself is richer and more flavorful than beef. Some Wyoming ranches will sell you one straight from the source.

Locally grown green chiles have been hitting New Mexico’s burgers since the 1930s. The Owl Bar in San Antonio (New Mexico), population 42, has been using the same recipe since 1945.

Fun fact: That town also happens to sit next to the Trinity Test Site, where the atomic bomb was developed… so scientists from the Manhattan Project were regulars. The recipe hasn't changed since.

A cheeseburger covered in chile sauce. Open-faced, fork-and-knife required. It’s going to be red or green chile, depending on who's making it, with raw onions and extra cheese.

This burger dates to the 1950s and has barely spread beyond Pueblo, which is a d*mn shame because a goopy chile-smothered cheeseburger should not be this regional.

Beef and cheese are both steamed separately, not grilled, if you can believe it. The patty comes out gray and juicy instead of seared. (Gotta be worth a try once, right?)

Ted's Restaurant in Meriden has been packing ground beef into steam cabinet molds since 1959. If crispy crust is your whole thing, this one may not be for you…

Most people cook the same burger every time. Same patty, same toppings, same result. The regional burger tradition in this country is a reminder that technique and context should inspire your dead meat projects.

What do you think, Dead Meat Society? Is there a regional burger that your area does better than anywhere else?

Last week, we asked: Are you buying a new grill this Memorial Day weekend?

42.86% of you answered: “Thinking about it but probably won't.”

This week, we want to know:

*Check back next week for the results*

Like the memes you send back and forth in your group chat, except these won’t get you canceled. Oh, and lots more grill marks.

🥩 42 YEARS: Heath Riles BBQ won Memphis in May back-to-back. Grand Champion two years running, 1st Place Ribs for the fourth time in five years. The last team to do this was John Willingham in 1983 and 1984. That's the company he's keeping now…

🥩 CALIFORNIA BBQ: 14 California BBQ spots got ranked among the best in the country (and Texas is big mad). Pick sides.

🥩 BAKING ON THE GRILL: Serious Eats has the guide to baking on the grill. Bread, cakes, cobblers. If you've never used your grill as an oven, this is the rabbit hole.

Did we miss something? Share it in the Dead Meat Society Facebook group or tag us on Instagram for a chance to be featured.

Dead Meat Society is all about community. We’re here to support and uplift the pursuit of delicious meats and the people and brands who are doing it right.

Today, let’s Meat and Greet…

Nick Dart, aka @grumpyfuckersbbq, is a backyard BBQ-er and whisky-drinking dude out of Ottawa, Canada. His words: "Not even gonna pretend this was about the steaks. Just needed an excuse to break in the new Dead Meat Society tongs."

That's our kind of guy.

Give him a follow @grumpyfuckersbbq

Want to be featured? Post your merch and let us see you cooking in style!

Tips, tech & gear that’ll help you beat your friend’s meat. Wait, that came out wrong…

🥓 SYMON'S PICK: Michael Symon said the small Gateway drum smoker is the one for beginners chasing pro-level flavor. No babysitting required.

🥓 BEST STEAK STORE: Food & Wine ranked the best grocery stores for steak. Worth knowing before the next big cook, especially with beef prices where they are.

🥓 BRISKET IN THE OVEN: The right oven temp for brisket, for when the smoker isn't an option. Not ideal. But it works. Anyone doing this today for National Brisket Day?

🥓 BRUSH UPGRADE: Serious Eats tested the GrillArt bristle-free brush, and it held up. No wire bristles ending up in your food. Definitely worth the swap.

🥓 MEAT BEANS: Malcolm style baked beans with twice the meat 👇

Did we miss something? Share it in the Dead Meat Society Facebook group or tag us on Instagram for a chance to be featured.

A happy ending just for you.

That’s it for this week. If you make any of the recipes above, you’re legally obligated to share pics on the DMS Facebook Group or tag us on Instagram so we can feature them next week (sorry, we don’t make the rules).

And since the only thing that is better than grill marks and ice-cold beer is grill marks and ice-cold beer with a side of dad jokes, we’ll leave this right here…

Dead Meat Society Merch in the wild.

If you’re going to grill veggies, this is how to do it 💀 Thanks for the share @insta_chef_bbq

DEAD MEAT REMINDER: Father’s Day is right around the corner…

So if you need a gift idea for the Dad in your life… (or maybe YOU’RE the Dad who is looking for a better Father’s Day gift), we’ve made it really easy this year.

Just forward this email to the main Father’s Day gift-buyer to make the hint obvious that you need a badass grilling tool bundle.

One Day. Three Bundles. Zero Boring Gifts.

As part of our commitment to community, we will donate 10% of net profits to charities that matter.