Grilling, BBQ, Cookout Recipes and Side Dishes
Food always tastes great when it’s cooked outside! You’ll find grilling recipes, side dishes, desserts to make, and more in this jam-packed post.
Make grilling fun with some new ideas and recipes and feel free to leave me a comment about your favorite item to grill!
I most often use a gas grill, but we’ve had a smoker previously and I utilize a cast iron skillet on the stove and in the oven to create recipes that have that “grilled” flavor.
Whatever works for you to get meals on the table easily… make that happen!
- Cooking chicken for the week– can be done inside on cast iron or out on the grill (you’ll find lots of meals to put it in too.
- Tri Tip in the Oven -you can certainly use the same method on the grill (temperature to preheat, timing, and meat temp from oven to grill work equally well adjust as needed)
- Marinated Tri-Tip- a nice marinade for dinner, tacos, nachos, and more.
- Oven Grilled Chicken in Spicy Mustard Sauce– is great on the outdoor grill as well.
- Tortilla Empanadas– these could easily go on the grill.
When I want to feed a crowd I love making Sausage Potatoes Cabbage and Onions-serve with mustard and sour kraut.
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs- tender and Juicy!
- Brown Sugar Soy Glazed Chicken– the most requested chicken recipe I get asked to make again and again.
- Taco Marinated Chicken– a recipe you’ll make for tacos, nachos, taco salad, and more.
- Make a whole meal out of Hot Dogs– these Italian hot dogs are so tasty.
- Buttermilk Ranch Chicken-wow, it’s yummy!
Now this is my number one tip on cooking ribs… I like to prep and cook them in the Instant Pot, then put them on the grill (or oven) to crisp them, they are full of flavor, tender, and juicy! They fall off the bone, and no one will guess that fun little hack, but it ensures perfectly tender pork ribs with very little effort.
- Avocado Stuffed Burgers along with some popular side dishes
- Lemon Chicken Kabobs are always a fun item to enjoy
Grilled hot wings are always delicious. Grill them up and make sure they’re crispy. Add some buffalo sauce on the side or slather the wings if sauce if you prefer.
If you want a fun sandwich, you can toast the bread or place the sandwich on the grill for a few minutes to toast the bread. Grilled Goat Cheese, Avocado, and Jam.
POTATO SALADS
- The best potato salad
- Avocado potato salad
- Lemon dill potato salad
- Warm German potato salad
- Rosemary Garlic Potato Salad
- Low-Carb Cauli Potato Salad
And never underestimate the power of Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Version.
Pasta Salads
- Pepperoni Pizza Macaroni Salad – a pizza lover dream pasta salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad – a party favorite
- BLT Macaroni Salad – brighten up any day with this one
- Mexican Corn Macaroni Salad – SO fantastic you’ll be sure to make it often
- Feta Basil Balsamic Pasta Salad – one of my all-time favorites
- Lemon Dill Tuna Pasta Salad – a veggie-filled pasta salad
- Thai Peanut Noodles – my road trip favorite
- Lemon Pasta Salad with Asparagus – lemony and yummy
- BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad – my kids love this one, and it’s just about the most perfect dish for a BBQ
As soon as the weather turns warm, it’s time to get outside and light the grill (unless you live in a warm climate area… because grilling goes on all year long).
Thermometer
To ensure whatever you cook be sure to have a great thermometer, it will help you cook items perfectly. This is my favorite thermometer and I have two of them, and I buy them for gifts often, and everyone gives them rave reviews too. It reads the temperature super quick, is waterproof, and comes in fun colors to spot easily on a crowded kitchen counter.
Outdoor cooking is often synonymous with summer, everyone has their favorites to grill or BBQ. Steak, burgers, hot dogs, sausage, chicken, beef, pork, ribs, shrimp, and fish.
But don’t let the fun stop there. You can grill more items than you’ve probably considered. From Brownie, Pie, Pizza, Salad, and so much more…
- Grilling items on a pizza screen works well for more than just pizza. And works great in the oven too.
- Grilled Romaine Salad-with peaches and blue cheese
- A favorite… Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Grilled Apple Sausage with grilled apples
- Grilled Romaine BLT– YUM!
Now onto some sweets… You can use cast iron on the grill, so prep your dessert and cook it outside.
Grilled Desserts
- Grilled Pina Colada Pie skillet pie or hand pies
- Grilled S’more Brownie- fun and yummy
- Grilled Cake– super simple
- Grilled Apple Tacos- really irresistible
- Grilled apricots with honey ricotta- fruit with more fun added
And this no-bake apple cinnamon cheesecake is a true winner!
Outdoor cooking
It’s time to light the grill
Time for a cookout? what kind of a term is that… maybe in the South you’ve heard it, they even have a fast food restaurant called it, but for the rest of us it’s a barbeque… it involves grilling or smoking. No matter where you live or what you call it… it’s usually full of delicious food. Maybe you’ll find some new favorites.
My all-time favorite grilling side dishes
It doesn’t matter what you are serving… these side dishes will be devoured!
Try these great Spiral sliced hot dogs fun with Corn and BLT Cole Slaw.
don’t forget these items to make your outdoor gatherings complete:
- Chairs: Lawn chairs, gravity chairs, sturdy outdoor cot
- Lawn games: corn hole, big Jenga, 4 in a row, yard Yahtzee
- water fun ideas: water guns, water balloons, water play fountain
- sun items: sunscreen, sunhat, chair umbrella
- night time: bug spray, lantern
Be sure to check out my Summer No-Cook Snacks
Don’t show up empty-handed, a quick item to bring is a fruit platter, pick up some berries and cherries or other fruit in season to make the fruit platter look more custom and give more flavor options everyone will enjoy.
Wishing you a delicious summer and beyond!
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