Chillin’ and Grillin’ Recipes to Kick Up Your Summer BBQ Fare

 

If you start to feel all grilled out a couple of weeks into summer, it’s time to step up your grilling game with some creative new recipes. By thinking outside the burger, you can elevate your normal summer BBQ fare to new culinary heights.

Here are some unique grill recipes to add to your backyard dining rotation.

A backyard pizza night. Homemade pizza on your grill is one of the simplest, and quickest ways to please your entire family. Just roll out the dough, rub on some olive oil and seasoning, and grill for a couple of minutes on one side. Then, flip over and sprinkle on your pre-grilled meats and veggies, your favorite cheese, and let the goodness melt together. Some must-try combinations: sausage and broccoli rabe; buffalo chicken with bacon and ranch; shrimp and arugula with pesto sauce; and Philly cheesesteak. Try experimenting with crust alternatives, too, such as ones made from cauliflower or polenta.

Meatless masterpieces. There’s nothing like an open flame to add a bold layer of flavor to your vegetarian meals and sides. Some ideas to get into rotation: Mexican street corn with garlic infused butter; chickpea burgers with feta cheese and grilled pita bread; veggie quesadillas with grilled squash, peppers, and avocados; ricotta and fire roasted tomato-filled Portobello mushrooms; or stuffed peppers with dirty rice.

Burgers with a twist. Sometimes you just want a burger, but there’s no reason you can’t change things up. Try making lamb burgers with tzatziki sauce, black bean burgers with chipotle jalapeno mayo and pepper jack cheese, or crab cake burgers with coleslaw. You can also have some bun fun, swapping in English muffins, flatbread, or tortillas, or go completely bunless by using grilled sweet potato or eggplant slices.

Salad on the grill. You might have had warm grilled vegetables salads before, but did you ever try grilling romaine lettuce? Just slice the romaine head in half length-wise and grill for about five minutes on each side. When you add some crunchy croutons (cube up some bread and grill your own) and grated parmesan, it will change the way you eat Caesar salad forever. Other salad ideas: grilled bok choy wedge salad with ginger dressing; grilled potato salad with bleu cheese and bacon; and grilled panzanella (bread) salad with eggplant and tomatoes.

Kick up your kabobs. There are other things that cook up great on a stick besides chicken, beef, or shrimp. Try skewering tofu squares, pork tenderloin, or cubes of tuna steak. Or, experiment with fun mix-and-match kabob ideas like ham and pineapple, turkey meatballs and sweet potato, or sausage and peppers. Bonus tip: During the last few minutes of grilling, brush on some take-out-inspired sauces and marinades like sriracha BBQ, honey garlic, peanut sauce, chimichurri, or teriyaki.

And for dessert... Fruit on the grill is definitely an overlooked delicacy. From peaches and pineapple to watermelon and apricots, the possibilities are endless. Just add a scoop of ice cream or whip cream. If you’re feeling more creative, try a dessert pizza with hazelnut spread, strawberries, and bananas; grill slices of pound cake or angel food cake and serve with berry compote; or grill any of your favorite cobbler, pie, or tart recipes using a cast iron pan.

Once you start adding these grilling recipes and your own variations to your everyday and entertaining menus, you’ll want to fire up the grill every night.

Now that you’ve cooked up some outdoor dining ideas, it’s time to get to work on your outdoor living space.  Visit our backyard design inspiration gallery.