BBQ Favorites: 17 Delicious Dishes Served Best under the Cool Shade, Accompanied by a Dose of Summer Sweat
Get ready for a summer filled with delicious smoky flavors and interesting textures! Here are some BBQ recipe ideas that will elevate your backyard gatherings or casual cookouts.
Sweet and Smoky Delights
Maple Bourbon Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Cornbread Crunch
Indulge in sweet, sticky, smoky pork belly pieces glazed in a maple bourbon sauce. This recipe is smoked low and slow to develop rich flavors and a tender texture, and is paired with crispy, buttery cornbread slices for a contrasting crunch. Optional chili butter can add a spicy kick, making this dish a well-rounded eating experience.
Reverse Seared Smoked Steaks with Smoked Garlic Butter
For tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat with a smoky aroma, try reverse seared smoked steaks with smoked garlic butter. This dish offers a combination of rich smoke, sweetness, and savory notes that will leave your guests craving for more.
Smoked Cream Cheese
An unusual sharing plate that quickly disappears with crackers and chips, smoked cream cheese features an extra kick from smoke. It's the perfect appetizer to get your guests started.
Tangy and Smoky Options
Tamarind BBQ Beef Sandwich with Homemade Slaw
For a tangy and smoky option, a ground beef BBQ sandwich with a tamarind-based BBQ sauce brings in smoky spices and sweet-sour tang from tamarind. The crunchy, fresh homemade slaw adds a crisp texture contrast to the rich, smoky beef.
Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce (No Ketchup)
This thick, smoky, and spicy BBQ sauce made with chipotle peppers, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, cumin, and molasses can accompany any grilled meat or vegetables to add deep smoky flavors and a spicy kick. Its thick texture clings well to foods, enhancing mouthfeel and flavor layers.
Unique Textures and Smoky Flavors
Smoked Chuck Roast Burnt Ends (Poor Man’s Burnt Ends)
Using budget-friendly chuck roast, this dish is cut into cubes and smoked to create tender bites with a crusty bark on the outside and buttery tenderness inside. The rub—containing smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder—and a glaze of butter, honey, and BBQ sauce balance smoky, sweet, and savory notes.
Redneck Burnt Ends: Smoked Hot Dog Bites
An inventive twist on classic hot dogs, this recipe involves spiral-cutting hot dogs, seasoning, smoking them to build a smoky bark, and then glazing with a sticky BBQ sauce. The smoky flavor paired with the juicy, soft interior and slight bite from the spiral cuts creates a unique texture.
Smoked Pork Shots
Small, bacon-wrapped favorites with a punch of flavor and just enough kick, smoked pork shots are a new vegetable option for BBQ gatherings. They grab attention next to grilled meats, and are a good break from heavier food.
Grilled Ratatouille
Offering a mix of textures with a smoky bite, grilled ratatouille is a great addition to any BBQ spread.
Grilled Radishes With Jalapeño Dipping Sauce
A crunchy and bold side dish, grilled radishes with jalapeño dipping sauce is perfect for munching outdoors with friends in the shade.
Grilled Asparagus and Potato Salad
This smoky twist on classic veggies, grilled asparagus and potato salad, is a surprise at any BBQ.
Grilled California Chicken Burger
With a smoky flavor and a crunchy bite, grilled California chicken burger offers fresh toppings that help balance it.
Blackstone Griddle Texas BLT
Bold flavors stacked together on toasted bread, Blackstone Griddle Texas BLT is perfect for sharing outside. Most guests will grab a second sandwich.
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
A charred and fresh combination, grilled bruschetta chicken is perfect for sharing, and offers a light but full smoky kick.
Big Mac Tacos
Offering a fun twist on BBQ favorites, Big Mac Tacos feature familiar flavors that make it easy for picky eaters to enjoy.
Smoked Eye of Round
Tender slices that work as a sandwich or on their own, smoked eye of round is a classic BBQ option that's easy to serve for crowds.
Pulled Pork Stuffed Cornbread
Pulled pork stuffed cornbread offers a surprise inside, with pulled pork inside cornbread that stands out without needing extras.
Smoked Spaghetti Squash
For a smoky alternative to traditional noodles, try smoked spaghetti squash. Its strands pick up barbecue flavor well.
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Beef Tips
Rich BBQ taste with tender bites, robust flavors that linger past dinner, and guests often asking for seconds, Copycat Texas Roadhouse Beef Tips is a must-try at your next BBQ.
Smoked Cauliflower
Smoked cauliflower offers a new vegetable option for BBQ gatherings, grabbing attention next to grilled meats, and a good break from heavier food.
These recipes provide a spectrum of smoky flavors—from sweet maple bourbon and chipotle heat to tangy tamarind and classic smoked bark—paired with textures ranging from sticky-glazed burnt ends, crunchy cornbread, and fresh slaw, to spiral-cut smoky hot dog bites. Such variety can cater well to diverse tastes at a casual backyard BBQ or cookout. Enjoy the smoky summer ahead!
- The maple bourbon pork belly burnt ends with cornbread crunch, a dish from the summer BBQ menu, offers delicious sweet, sticky, and smoky flavors, complemented by a contrasting crunch from the crispy cornbread.
- For an appealing combination of rich smoke, sweetness, and savory notes, consider serving reverse seared smoked steaks with smoked garlic butter as part of your food-and-drink offerings during outdoor-living events like dinner parties or casual cookouts.
- Transform your home-and-garden gatherings with a unique appetizer like smoked cream cheese, which features an extra kick from smoke and pairs perfectly with crackers and chips.
- Tamarind BBQ beef sandwich with homemade slaw offers a tangy and smoky option, providing mouthwatering, smoky spices, sweet-sour tang from tamarind, and a crisp texture contrast to the rich, smoky beef.
- Expand your grilling repertoire with smoked Chuck roast burnt ends (Poor Man’s Burnt Ends), budget-friendly tender bites flavored with a rub that delivers smoky, sweet, and savory notes.
