33 Simple BBQ Recipes Perfect For Cookouts

One of the most enjoyable ways to cook is to cook for groups of appreciating people.

Making dishes which can be enjoyed by a large group is a great feeling which can not be beat.

One of the most common scenarios when people are cooking for large groups is backyard cookouts.

The way food cooks when it is char grilled on a barbecue is delicious and if you have never tried it, this is definitely an excuse to throw a cookout.

However, it has almost become a cliché that some people tend to always bring the same foods to cookouts, and if you are hosting, sometimes you want to serve some mains or sides which are less expected, or maybe you have never tried before.

If you feel like you are always serving the same food at cookouts, this guide is for you!

This guide includes a wide variety of recipes which are all suitable for a cookout and are nearly all simple and easy to prepare, so you do not have to worry about buying too many ingredients, or having to try any difficult techniques.

There are some recipes which can be prepared or even completely cooked in a standard kitchen beforehand, but most of these recipes will give you the best results if you cook them on a grill.

There are all different types of recipes here, so if you have been tasked with preparing a specific part of the barbecue, like sides, appetizers, salads, or something akin to this, you will find something fitting in this list! 

If you are thinking of hosting a cookout and want something new to make, or if you are attending and want something new to bring, this guide will have something which will be perfect for you.

Make sure to check all the recipes included, so you can be sure that you are happy with your choice of what to make!

1.BBQ Baked Beans

This is an amazingly simple recipe which makes some of the best baked beans perfect for a barbecue that you have ever tasted.

These make a perfect side and go great with almost everything which is served at a barbecue.

2.Grilled BBQ Chicken

This is one of the best and easiest ways to make grilled chicken at a barbecue and the results are sure to be popular with the succulent char grilled flavors which you get from this chicken when it is cooked properly.

3.Teriyaki Grilled Shrimp And Pineapple

This combination of teriyaki shrimp as well as pineapple is perfect for summer and is unique enough that you will not have to worry about anyone else bringing it.

If you love fresh flavors and grilled seafood, this is a great choice to make!

4.Grilled Pork Chops With BBQ Rub

These are some of the best grilled pork chops, and they are absolutely packed with flavor because of the delicious BBQ rub they are seasoned with!

5.BBQ Rub

If you have never made your own BBQ rub, this is the best one to try first.

Once you have made it you can use this to season any meat or even veggies you want to try cooking at a barbecue.

6.Grilled Bacon Wrapped Chicken

The combination of bacon and chicken being char grilled on a barbecue is amazing, and this recipe makes this delicious dish easy to make with simple instructions.

7.Barbecued Burgers

This classic for a BBQ can not be missed and if you want a simple but effective way to make burgers for a grill, this is the way to go!

8.Marinated Pork Ribs

If you love ribs and want an easy way to make them for a grill, you need to try making this recipe as soon as possible!

9.Chicken Marinade Recipe

If you are tired of seasoning your chicken the same way, you have to make this homemade chicken marinade that will pack any chicken you make with it full of flavor!

10.Honey BBQ Chicken Kebabs

These sweet and savory honey BBQ kebabs can not be missed and are sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next event! 

11.BBQ Pork (Char Siu)

Making Chinese Char Siu yourself is not actually that hard, and making it for a barbecue is the way to ensure the best results once the meat is cooked!

12.Sausage And Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

The combination of sausage and shrimp works surprisingly well, and it will make it, so these kebabs will be eaten super quickly as soon as they are off the grill!

13.BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Chicken sandwiches (see also ‘Want Great Sandwich Wraps? Try These 28 Recipes!‘) are always popular at barbecues and this recipe makes some of the best!

14.Fall Off The Bone Ribs

If you want some of the best most tender ribs available, you have to try making this recipe!

The meat is delicious once grilled and is not even that hard to make yourself!

15.Fireball Whiskey Glazed Chicken

This whiskey glazed chicken has an amazing flavor everyone has to try, and it is really easy to make as well!

16.Beer Can Chicken

This famous seasoning for chicken which includes a can of beer is super easy to make and has a great summery flavor when grilled.

17.Marinated BBQ Vegetables

These grilled vegetables are full of flavor and will be just as popular as the meat dishes with how flavorful they are!

18.Juicy Grilled Chicken Kebabs

These chicken kebabs are super juicy and if you are ever worried about drying your chicken out on the grill, this recipe makes that almost impossible.

19.Grilled Pineapple Barbecue Chicken

This pineapple chicken is full of fresh flavor and is a delicious choice to make if you are tired of standard BBQ flavors (see also ‘25 Delicious Appetizers For Your Next BBQ‘).

20.Texas Pulled Pork

If you have never grilled pulled pork, this is the way to go! This recipe makes this difficult style meat, easy to make!

21.Chicken Satay And Easy Thai Peanut Sauce

If you have never made chicken satay yourself, this is a perfect choice to make since the flavor of the chicken with the sauce is delicious!

22.Grilled Steak

If you need direction on how to grill steak, this recipe makes the process easy.

23.Grilled Mushroom Burgers

Mushroom burgers are a great vegetarian option to serve, and when seasoned properly, these are delicious.

24.Smoked Sausage Chicken And Potato Kebabs

These super filling kebabs meld the sausage, chicken, and potato flavors perfectly!

25.Grilled Chicken And Pineapple Skewers

These skewers are full of flavor and a great summer choice!

26.Grilled Pork Banh Mi

If you have never made grilled banh mi, this is a great recipe to follow for this delicious dish.

27.Bacon Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Skewers

These bacon bourbon skewers are delicious and easy to make!

28.Grilled Corn On The Cob

Grilling corn has to be done at every BBQ!

29.Grilled Peppers

These peppers are delicious grilled and are a great side to make!

30.Marinated Steak Skewers With Korean BBQ Sauce

The Korean BBQ sauce makes these steak skewers delicious!

31.Marinated Grilled Salmon

Salmon is delicious when char grilled and worth making!

32.Grilled Zucchini

Zucchini is at its best when it is grilled!

33.Grilled Steak Tacos

These tacos are full of flavor and the meaty steak flavor is delicious!

Takeaway

Hopefully this guide has given you the inspiration you need for your next cookout, so you can prepare some new sides and mains to go alongside the classics.

The best recipes are the ones which use up ingredients you already have in, but if you want to splurge try something a bit more out there which might require buying new ingredients.

Whatever you try, if you are confident in the recipes which you have chosen from this guide, you are sure to have an amazing cookout!

frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Easiest Food To Barbecue?

Some of the easiest foods to barbecue are those which do not need much effort and have a shape which is easy to work with on the grill.

This also means that you should be able to easily tell if it is properly cooked if you are working with meat as undercooking meat, especially on a barbecue can be quite dangerous and should be avoided at all cost.

Part of the reason why vegetables like peppers and corn are such popular choices for grilling are that they visually show when they are properly cooked and also require very little effort or preparation to cook.

If you are on the lookout for foods which are specifically easy to cook on grills, buy something which is prepared, so you can throw it on the grill as soon as it is up to heat.

But what will be easiest for each person will be different, and it will usually be the food which you are most used to working with.

For example, if you fry burgers quite often, grilling burgers should be easier since you are accustomed to cooking them.

Whatever you choose, as long as it is fully cooked, will be delicious after benign char grilled!

How To Barbecue?

If you own a barbecue, but you do not know how to use it yet, just the question of how to barbecue might need answering.

There are some important tips and tricks that are worth following when it comes to making sure that you get the most out of your barbecuing!

One of the most important pieces of advice to follow is to ensure you are setting your grill up in an open space far away from garden equipment and trees or anything similar which a fire could spread to.

You also want to make sure you have a fire extinguisher or some method of quickly extinguishing a fire close to hand just in case.

You will want to ensure you are working with high quality charcoal as this will have a better taste when cooked and will usually burn better (this does not mean burn quicker).

Also, if you own a chimney starter, these will help your coals light significantly quicker!

If you do not own one, arrange your coals in a stack as this will help them stay alight as well as light quicker.

You also want to work out how your food will need cooking since some recipes need direct heat while others require indirect heat.

These will require your coals to be in a specific location as well as burnt to a certain level, so make sure to check what you need for what you are cooking. 

Finally, if your grill does not come with a thermometer built in, these are worth investing in as they will make it a lot easier to tell when your grill is at a certain temperature and when it is best to cook with, missing the best point to grill on is incredibly frustrating and should be avoided if possible.

Also getting a food thermometer will also help with making sure you know when the meat is properly cooked just to avoid any worry!

Best Weather To Barbecue?

As you can probably guess, since barbecuing is done outdoors, the weather conditions when you are barbecuing will affect how easy it is to barbecue, so how easy is it to barbecue in different weather conditions?

As you can expect it is incredibly difficult to barbecue in the rain but if you can get some safe cover like a tarpaulin at a safe height, or a raise porch area, it can be done, but you will need to ensure that there is enough ventilation just so you are not trapped with the fumes.

If you are just in cold conditions, it is possible to barbecue, you will just need to make sure to keep the heat of the grill high enough using the methods available with your grill, and perhaps extra charcoal, to combat the colder outdoor temperature.

If you want to barbecue in windy conditions it may be hard to get the charcoal lit properly and to keep your grill sheltered from the wind, and you may need to use extra charcoal, but otherwise it should work. 

Of course the best weather to barbecue in is hot sunny conditions as this will encourage the charcoal to light and will not need any extra charcoal to reach an adequate temperature. 

Different Types Of Barbecue Coals?

Depending on the style of grill you want and the results affecting your food, you can use different types of charcoal.

Lump charcoal is a good choice for barbecuing as it burns quickly and at a high temperature, however you may need to account for it burning out quite fast as well.

Charcoal briquettes have been used for a long time, and they are quite common to find. They are a good choice for longer barbecues since they burn so slowly.

There is a big variety of briquettes available so make sure to choose high quality ones if possible.

Hardwood briquettes are similar to standard briquettes except the main difference is they burn more slowly making theme usually more expensive.

They are great if you do not want to constantly have to refill your charcoal and will be grilling for a long time.

How To Dispose Of Barbecue Coals?

You will want to let the ash of your barbecue cool completely over the course of 48 hours and if you want this to go faster you can pour cold water over it and stir it carefully.

Once this has been done you should wrap the leftover ash in foil and then dispose of it in an outdoor trash can which is non-combustible.