It's summer and the temperatures are rising, so what better time to get outside and get cooking? If you're like me, you probably have your go-to recipes when it comes to grilling: steaks, burgers, ribs, or franks, you know your stuff. But why not try something new this year and surprise your friends and loved ones with some new and delicious variations on the classics! No matter what you love to grill - Cookpad has you covered.

The Basics 🥩

BBQ is mainly about meats (although vegetarian and vegan options are more numerous than ever), so we'll start off with the four basic food groups of grilling: beef, pork, chicken, and sausages!

Want a change to your usual steak cuts? Try this recipe for Tomahawk ribeye:

Smoked Tomahawk Ribeye Recipe by Mrs . Carpenter
My children and husband all love steak so what better way to do it than to smoke it rite!? And there is minimal mess inside #america
CookpadMrs . Carpenter

Ribs are always a winner - this author made them for Mother's day but they'd be perfect for your outdoor grill this summer!

Mother’s Day Ribs 2024 Recipe by skunkmonkey101
Happy Mother’s Day!!!
Cookpadskunkmonkey101

Fancy more bite-size mains? Kebabs and hotdogs are quick and easy on the grill, and great for feeding hungry kids!

Left: Add some color to your grill with Catherine Njoki's Chicken kebabs - Right: Can't get more classic than hotdogs! Try these Grilled Red Hots by swimmerjs

Fire and water 🐟🦞

On a grill they DO go together! While fish can be tricky, as it tends to flake on a grill, a little bit of care (and choosing the right fish to grill) can go a long way! As for other seafood, long time favorites in America's backyards are shrimp, prawns, and lobster tails.

Left: Scrumptious Blackened Cod, courtesy of B's Messy Kitchen – Right: a taste of the exotic! Jess's Grilled Honey Prawn Skewers, Bali style

Talk about surf and turf! This author does it all with steak, shrimp, and lobster tails on a Ninja Foodie Grill - perfect if you want the summer taste of grilled food but don't have a backyard.

Steak, lobster, shrimp (date night series) Recipe by 🌈NinjaMommaKitchen🌈
All made on the ninja foodie grill. I started making date night series/ Dinner for two. I prefer to stay home , and not hit up overpriced restaurants. This was a surprise dinner, my kids had pizza that night , you know sometimes you just want some adult food and not kid food lol! Because my steaks w…
Cookpad🌈NinjaMommaKitchen🌈

Burgers & Buns 🍔

Would you be happy at a BBQ without burgers? Neither would we! So, we searched our Cookpad database to find some juicy, plump, delicious patties sandwiched in the most enticing buns. What we found left our mouths watering!

The Smokehouse Bacon Burger Recipe by CoolJewel
Guaranteed to be THE BEST burger you’ll ever have! GUARANTEED!
CookpadCoolJewel
BBQ Pork n’ Cheddar Burger Recipe by The Cast Iron Soulé
With Chipotle Aioli and Potato Wedges I’m trying out new recipes through a third party and figured I share some of the ones worth repeating. Hope you enjoy this quick, easy, and delicious meal!
CookpadThe Cast Iron Soulé
Left: Go fish! with these delightful Salmon Burgers, by Kitchen Sounds – Right: Batch it up with these Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders, by Taustin Kaste

Veggie Options 🌿

Don't eat meat? There's quite a collection of vegetarian and vegan burgers as well! Just take a look:

Grillable Veggie Burger Recipe by Elaine Fujimura
When I am at a cookout, I sometimes find myself with a plate of potato chips and carrot sticks. This bothers me for a couple of reasons, 1) I am hungry and 2) people think that being plant-strong is no fun. Now I can bring these veggie burgers to the party, and be super happy! Note: bring extras bec…
CookpadElaine Fujimura
Quinoa and cannellini bean burgers Recipe by Claudia Sanders Good Intentions Culinary Services
Needing new vegan recipes and wanting a bean burger that delivered on both texture and flavor I experimented till I got it right !
CookpadClaudia Sanders Good Intentions Culinary Services
Vegan Mushroom Barley Burger Recipe by Erik Ritter
The best part about this is it sears like beef!
CookpadErik Ritter

These are just a few ideas to get you fired up as the grilling season gets under way. What do you put on your BBQ? Let us know by sharing your favorite grilling recipes & Cooksnaps! 📸

Looking for a sweet treat to cool down? Check out our blog post for homemade ice cream 🍨

⚠️ Matters of safety ⚠️

When grilling, please remember that, in a way, you're playing with fire. So, keep the following common sense safety tips in mind:

  • Lighter fluid, propane, and charcoal SHOULD NOT be stored inside buildings.
  • When grilling, ensure that the grill is positioned safely away from nearby buildings (unless you want to set off your smoke alarms)
  • When grilling with charcoal, pour lighter fluid on the coals a few minutes before lighting the grill, to allow the coals to soak up the fluid.
  • Once the charcoal has been ignited, never pour lighter fluid on the hot coals to get more flame: fire can follow the lighter fluid stream back to the bottle causing it to burst into flames, causing severe injuries.
  • Flare-ups can be controlled by gently spraying water, e.g. with a water bottle.  Always have a water source nearby when grilling.
  • If grease drippings cause the fire to get out of hand, you may need to use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. Pouring water on a grease fire will only spread the fire and make things worse.