19 BBQ recipes, the whole crowd hovered around until every last piece was gone

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Big BBQ spreads work better when the grill has more than one thing going. This lineup covers the heavy hitters people expect, including steak, ribs, burgers, wings, chicken, shrimp, skewers, corn, and grilled salads. Some recipes cook fast over direct heat, while others need a longer marinating window or indirect setup. The range gives the crowd enough variety without turning the whole cookout into a dozen unrelated side projects.

Close-up of Grilled ribs covered in sauce, garnished with chopped parsley, served on a white plate.
Grilled Ribs on a Charcoal Grill. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

A plate of sliced Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri, served on a white rectangular dish.
Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Rubbed with cumin, oregano, paprika, onion, and garlic, Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri turns 2 pounds of hanger steak into 4 servings after a 2-hour marinade window. The recipe grills the steaks over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then rests them before slicing. Chimichurri brings parsley, cilantro, shallot, and garlic to the plate. Serve this when the BBQ needs sliced steak that can land on a platter fast.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hanger Steaks with Chimichurri

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken on a white plate.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated in olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, Grilled Bruschetta Chicken gives 4 chicken breasts a 25-minute total cook-and-prep time once the marinade is handled. Roma tomatoes, basil, shallots, sundried tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, Parmesan, and balsamic syrup build the topping. The grilled chicken stays practical for a BBQ because each breast gets its own topping. Serve it with salad, grilled bread, or a simple pasta side.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes

A plate with Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes.
Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Built around 2 to 3 grilled peaches, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, mint, parsley, and pickled red onion, Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes brings a lighter plate to a meat-heavy BBQ. The recipe makes 6 servings in 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of grill time for the peaches. A white balsamic, olive oil, mustard, and honey dressing ties the fruit and vegetables together. Serve it beside steak or chicken when the table needs something fresh off the grill.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Peach Salad with Tomatoes

Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce on a white square plate.
Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Tossed in a sauce made from Frank’s RedHot, butter, white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder, Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce makes 4 servings in 20 minutes. The wings grill over medium-high heat, then get coated with warmed sauce after cooking. That keeps the sauce from burning while still giving the platter a clear Buffalo wing finish. Serve with celery, carrot sticks, and blue cheese dip when the BBQ needs a spicy hand-held option.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce

Easy Grilled Beef Burgers

A close-up of a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, ketchup, and a beef patty in a bun, served on a white plate.
Easy Grilled Beef Burgers. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Mixed with BBQ sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, Easy Grilled Beef Burgers turns 24 ounces of ground beef into 8 burgers. The total time is 27 minutes, including shaping the patties and grilling them over direct heat. Buns, cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles are listed as optional assembly items. Use this when the crowd needs a familiar main that works with nearly any BBQ side on the table.
Get the Recipe: Easy Grilled Beef Burgers

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

A plate of grilled chicken drumsticks garnished with chopped herbs, served with lemon slices.
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and high-heat oil, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks makes 4 servings in 50 minutes. The method starts the drumsticks on the cooler side of the grill, then moves them to the hot zone before brushing with BBQ sauce. That setup helps the chicken cook through without burning the glaze. Serve with coleslaw, potato salad, rice, or corn ribs for a full backyard plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

Grilled Corn Guacamole

Corn guacamole with tortilla chips on a plate.
Grilled Corn Guacamole. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Folded with grilled corn, avocado, red onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and optional cotija, Grilled Corn Guacamole gives the snack table 6 servings in 15 minutes. The corn grills for 3 to 4 minutes per side before the kernels go into the mashed avocado. It works as a dip with chips or as a topping for tacos, burgers, or grilled chicken. Use it when the BBQ needs something people can scoop while the mains finish.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Corn Guacamole

Grilled Dijon Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Grilled Dijon rosemary chicken thighs are arranged on a rectangular black slate platter, garnished with fresh rosemary, next to a white floral napkin on a wooden surface.
Grilled Dijon Rosemary Chicken Thighs. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Glazed with grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, and fresh rosemary, Grilled Dijon Rosemary Chicken Thighs makes 4 servings in 25 minutes, including a 5-minute rest. Boneless skinless chicken thighs cook over direct and indirect heat, then get brushed with glaze near the end so the honey does not burn. The short ingredient list keeps the prep simple. Serve with grilled vegetables, rice, or potatoes when the BBQ needs chicken that stays easy to plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Dijon Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Grilled Elote Corn Ribs

Grilled corn on the cob pieces topped with cheese, chili powder, and cilantro, served on a black slate plate with lime wedges on the side.
Grilled Elote Corn Ribs. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Cut from 4 corn cobs and finished with sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle powder, lime juice, cotija, and cilantro, Grilled Elote Corn Ribs makes 4 servings in 20 minutes. The corn grills for 2 to 3 minutes per side before the sauce goes on. The rib shape makes the side easy to pick up from a platter. Serve hot or at room temperature next to wings, burgers, or grilled steak.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Elote Corn Ribs

Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

A plate of chicken wings on a white plate with a slice of mango.
Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Coated in a rub of brown sugar, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, mustard powder, salt, and pepper, Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings makes 6 servings in 40 minutes. The glaze blends grilled mango with apple cider and brown sugar after the fruit caramelizes on the grill. The wings marinate in the rub for 1 to 2 hours before cooking. Put these out when the BBQ needs wings with fruit, smoke, and heat in one platter.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Mango-Chipotle Chicken Wings

Grilled Beef Finger Meat

Grilled Beef Finger Meat on a wooden cutting board.
Grilled Beef Finger Meat. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning and cooked hot over direct heat, Grilled Beef Finger Meat turns 2 pounds of trimmed beef finger meat into 4 servings in 20 minutes. The recipe keeps the ingredient list short because the cut is rich enough without a heavy sauce. It cooks for about 2 to 3 minutes per side and rests after reaching 125 F. Serve sliced or whole with corn ribs, potato salad, or grilled vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Beef Finger Meat

Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp

Mediterranean Grilled Shrimps on a white plate with lemon wedges.
Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated with olive oil, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, fresh thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper, Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp makes 4 servings in 30 minutes. The recipe uses 2 pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp, threaded onto skewers after a 20 to 30-minute rest in the marinade. The shrimp grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side until opaque. Serve over rice, orzo, or salad when the BBQ needs seafood that cooks quickly.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp

Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

A grilled steak with cowboy butter on a white plate.
Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Finished with a compound butter made from garlic, parsley, chives, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, Dijon mustard, and black pepper, Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter makes 4 servings in 52 minutes. The recipe uses 4 steaks of your choice, seasoned simply with salt and pepper before grilling. The butter can be made ahead and chilled into a log. Serve each steak with a slice of melting cheese on top and grilled vegetables or corn alongside.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter

Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

A rectangular white plate with four Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers garnished with chopped herbs.
Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated with harissa paste, honey, lemon juice, and sliced red onion, Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers turns 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs into 4 servings. The total time is 50 minutes, including a 30-minute marinade. The chicken is cut into strips, threaded onto skewers, and grilled for about 6 to 8 minutes while the onions soften alongside. Serve with couscous, salad, or grilled vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Sweet & Spicy Grilled Harissa-Honey Chicken Skewers

Texas-Style Carne Asada

A sliced and grilled Carne asada on a wooden cutting board.
Texas-Style Carne Asada. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated in lime juice, olive oil, charred garlic, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt, and pepper, Texas-Style Carne Asada turns 1 1/2 pounds of skirt steak into 4 servings. The total time is 6 hours 15 minutes because the steak needs a long marinade. Once the grill is hot, the steak cooks 3 to 4 minutes per side and rests before slicing. Serve with warm tortillas, beans, rice, pico de gallo, or guacamole.
Get the Recipe: Texas-Style Carne Asada

Korean Galbi Ribs

Korean Galbi Ribs on a slate platter with red chopsticks beside them.
Korean Galbi Ribs. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated with brown sugar, soy sauce, water, mirin, onion, Asian pear, garlic, and sesame oil, Korean Galbi Ribs uses 4 to 5 pounds of Korean short ribs for 4 servings. The ribs need at least 4 hours in the marinade, with overnight listed as an option. Once the grill is ready, they cook fast, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with steamed rice, kimchi, pickled radish, or a simple cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Korean Galbi Ribs

Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad

Close-up shot of Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad on a white plate.
Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Made with baby potatoes, asparagus, red bell pepper, red onion, chives, parsley, and a mayo-mustard dressing, Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad gives the BBQ table 6 servings in 30 minutes. The potatoes are parboiled first, then grilled with the vegetables until tender and lightly charred. White wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, garlic, and lemon juice keep the dressing from feeling too heavy. Serve warm or chilled beside chicken, steak, or fish.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad

Grilled Steak & Veggie Skewers

A wooden round serving board is covered with white parchment paper, displaying numerous grilled steak and veggie skewers arranged horizontally across it.
Grilled Steak & Veggie Skewers. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Marinated in soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, sugar, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and olive oil, Grilled Steak & Veggie Skewers make 6 servings with sirloin, zucchini ribbons, and cherry tomatoes. The total time is 2 hours 30 minutes, mostly from the marinade. The skewers grill for about 3 minutes per side, then rest before serving. Pair them with rice pilaf, grilled flatbread, pasta salad, tzatziki, or chimichurri.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Steak & Veggie Skewers

Grilled Ribs on a Charcoal Grill

Close-up of Grilled ribs covered in sauce, garnished with chopped parsley, served on a white plate.
Grilled Ribs on a Charcoal Grill. Photo credit: Grill What You Love.

Rubbed with brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil, Grilled Ribs on a Charcoal Grill turns 1 rack of pork ribs into 4 servings. The total time is 1 hour 40 minutes, with most of it spent cooking over indirect heat. BBQ sauce is optional during the final few minutes so it can glaze without burning. Serve with cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, or mac and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Ribs on a Charcoal Grill

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