When the sun is shining, it's time to fire up the grill for outdoor cooking and eating. Here are our favourite barbecue recipes, packed with tips and tricks. From juicy burgers, tender ribs and mouthwatering meaty mains, to simple, super-tasty fish ideas. Plus some great new BBQ sides to take your meal to the next level and plenty of inspiration for veggies and vegans, too. There's something for everyone.
Alabama sauce is a punchy mayo-based condiment flavoured with horseradish, black pepper and chilli. Use half the sauce to baste the chicken legs and cook them over indirect heat, otherwise, you'll end up with chicken cooked on the outside, raw in the centre. The chicken is served with a crispy crouton, garlic, rosemary and tomato salad, and the rest of the sauce. You'll need a barbecue pan for the bird, such as a cast-iron grill plate.
Here's a riff on the Mexican street food favourite, elote. Instead of serving the cobs with the traditional cheese, Cotija, here they're spread with a garlic and herb cream cheese. You could also crumble over feta instead. Once the corn is cooked, smother with a flavoured butter, made with lime, fresh coriander, garlic and chilli, before adding the cheese.
Cooking large prawns on the barbecue adds a wonderful smokiness, which you just don't get from cooking them on the hob. They take just a few minutes each side and if you have a fish grill, it makes them easier to flip. Once cooked, they are drenched in a fiery butter, laced with Scotch bonnet chillies (which are super hot, so adjust according to taste), garlic, spring onions and thyme. Serve with crusty bread to dunk in the juices.
A smash burger is exactly that – balls of the patty mixture are smashed on to a cast-iron grill plate (or heavy baking sheet) so you get lots of crunchy edges. Irresistible! Make beef balls, put them on the plate, flatten with a spatula, cook one side, then top it with a sweetcorn, shallot and chilli mixture, followed by slices of cheese. Build up the burger with some crisp bacon, not forgetting to scrape up all the crunchy bits from the pan.
Chunks of pork are marinated in cloves, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, soy and honey – overnight if you can. Thread on to skewers with pieces of red pepper, tomato and onion, and you're ready to cook. You do need to soak the skewers in water first, to prevent them burning. The combination of the spices and the sweet, sticky glaze will make these a real favourite. Serve with rice or in flatbreads.
Add flavours of the Middle East to your barbecue spread – the spices pair perfectly with the char of the grill. In this recipe, lamb chops are marinated for at least two hours in yogurt, cumin, onion, oil and lemon. Then they're dredged in a sweet, spicy cumin rub, before being cooked over direct heat. You want them to be crisp and charred on the outside, while still pink and tender in the centre. They're served with an anchovy and lemon butter, which isn't fishy, but sharp and savoury.
This isn't any old mushroom burger! Thick slices of tomato are marinated in soy, rice vinegar, sugar, onion, chilli and ginger; the mushrooms are cooked with a fresh herb butter; and the spinach in garlic and chilli. Then all the elements are piled high in toasted burger buns. It's amazing how you have such a taste sensation from simple ingredients.
These chicken kebabs are incredibly moreish. Strips of chicken breast fillet are marinated in yogurt, garlic, honey, lime and grated fresh turmeric, which gives an earthy, almost sweet flavour. You could use 2–3tsp of powdered turmeric instead. Once the chicken has marinated, thread on to skewers. They will cook quickly, but grill them just away from direct heat so the spice doesn't burn and become bitter.
You just can't beat a spankingly fresh mackerel cooked over coals. They are inexpensive, take little time to cook and this recipe explains how straightforward they are to prepare. You can serve the fish simply with a squeeze of lemon, or add a little chilli and soy sauce once it's cooked. If you love grilled fish and seafood, it's worth investing in a fish grill, to make cooking quick and easy.
If the grill is ready to go, why not try this really quick side dish. Firm varieties of lettuce, such as romaine, hold together well, and you could use baby gem, endive or radicchio too. It just takes a couple of minutes to grill, then drizzle over a buttermilk dressing with garlic, yogurt, and lemon. Add toasted almonds and slices of avocado for a salad with a difference.
Get the recipe for grilled lettuce with buttermilk dressing here
You can't beat a big plate of ribs: sticky on the outside, meltingly tender in the middle. The barbecue sauce in this recipe is made from store cupboard ingredients and is very quick to whip up. Firstly, make a rub to marinate the meat – overnight if you can – then slow-cook in the oven to achieve that fall-apart texture. Finish the ribs off on the grill, basting regularly to build up the lovely, caramelised layer. Cook over indirect heat so they don't burn.
This winning dish of marinated chicken served with a peanut sauce is a must for the barbecue. It's straightforward to prepare, but allow time to marinate overnight. The fragrant marinade base of lemongrass, ginger, chilli, garlic and spice can be made in the food processor, and the peanut and coconut sauce with sour tamarind is all cooked in one pan. Don't cook the skewers too close to the heat or they may burn.
Cooking sweet potatoes over coals takes them to new heights. Make sure your barbecue is hot and wrap the spuds in foil with seasoning and extra-virgin olive oil. You can tell when they're cooked by pressing down with your tongs – if they feel soft, they're ready. Then it's time to stuff the sweet, smoky flesh with cheese, sour cream, chives, cooked bacon and smoked paprika.
Grilling just-blanched shop-bought gnocchi over coals turns them crunchy and crisp, meaning they're a great addition to a vegetable skewer. The gnocchi are mixed with chunks of red and yellow pepper, olive oil and pesto. Once charred, they're smothered with a pesto and lemon dressing. You can make this dish your own by mixing and matching the vegetables and dressing – the tips are in the recipe.
Thick tuna steaks are perfect for the grill, as their high oil content means they don't dry out like small fish fillets. Swordfish would be great here too. Grill the tuna just for a few minutes each side over direct heat, so it's still pink in the centre and retains its flavour. There's smokiness in the vinaigrette too – barbecued fennel, red onion and radicchio are chopped small and mixed with fresh herbs, chilli, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar.
It may not win prizes for looks, but cooking a whole chicken on a half-full beer can gives you a tender, moist, evenly-cooked bird with lovely crisp skin. The can acts as a tripod and the beer adds steam. You can season the skin with salt and pepper, or add your favourite rub. Depending on size, the chicken will be ready in around 45 minutes.
Lamb is an underrated barbecue meat, but is actually great for grilling because it's high in fat so won't dry out, and crisps up beautifully. It can also take on as much flavour and heat as you want. Don't be afraid to go big on the spicing for these lamb koftas. They're laced with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, garlic, ras el hanout (a Middle Eastern spice mix), lemon and mint sauce.
Add spice to a vegetable kebab with a simple and quick marinade of yogurt, tandoori masala powder, chilli and salt. The vegetables in our recipe are sweet potato, courgette and red onion, but play around with what you have to hand. The skewers are served with a yogurt and cumin dressing, and a bowl of lemony bulgur wheat salad.
A Caribbean classic – spicy chicken with a big kick of chilli – which is perfect barbecue food. This recipe uses a whole chicken which is spatchcocked. To do this, cut out the backbone of the chicken with poultry shears or a knife, then put it skin side up and flatten with your hand. The marinade, with signature flavours of chilli, allspice and ginger, is simply whizzed up in a blender. Marinate the chicken overnight if you can.
Here's a really quick and simple light meal which is ready in just 20 minutes. Cubes of salmon are threaded on to skewers with ribbons of courgette and slices of lemon. Grilling fresh lemon really intensifies the flavour. The kebabs are served with a fresh herb and garlic yogurt sauce. Try it with a potato salad and green leaves.
If your memory of okra is something a little slimy, think again. When cooked on the grill, it's sweet, grassy, crisp and crunchy – you'll need a barbecue basket or solid plate to cook it on. A seasoning mixture of sea salt, fresh herbs, onion and garlic powder, chilli, crushed fennel seeds and oil completes the dish. Serve with dips as a side or snack.
Try a burger with a difference using minced lamb and cooking chorizo. The chorizo cuts through the richness of the lamb to add heat and spice. It's served with a lovely fresh salsa, made from apricots, mint, onion, lemon and chilli. You could also use peaches if apricots are hard to track down.
Get the recipe for lamb and chorizo burger with apricot salsa here
Barbecuing a whole side of salmon is quick and easy. There's a simple marinade to make with soy sauce, mirin and chilli, and it cooks quickly, resulting in tender flesh and crisp skin. Once cooked, the fish is dressed with sesame, soy and fresh lime.
A side that will steal the show, these veggie skewers are a must for any barbecue. Halloumi is a great choice for cooking over coals because it caramelises and chars wonderfully on the outside, but doesn't melt. The salty flavour pairs perfectly with courgettes, and threading onto two skewers will make the kebabs more stable on the grill. Once cooked, they're finished off with a chilli and mint dressing.
Porchetta is the term for a large piece of boned and rolled pork stuffed with herbs and slow-cooked. This is a speedier version which emulates those fabulous herby flavours, with chunks of pork tenderloin briefly marinated then skewered on rosemary sprigs. The result is meltingly tender meat, crisp on the outside and infused with the herbs. They're served with cannellini beans and halves of chargrilled lemon.
To achieve sticky, glazed and charred ribs, first marinate in garlic, ginger, various store cupboard ingredients such as tomato ketchup, and a Chinese beer. You can use any lager which is quite hoppy, though. The ribs are slow-cooked in the oven until meltingly tender, then finished on the grill. You can cook them in the oven a few hours in advance, then just grill over direct heat when you're ready to serve.
Your vegan friends don't need to miss out with this burger! The patty is a mix of mushrooms, kidney beans, oats, rice, herbs, balsamic vinegar, miso paste and garlic. You can even make vegan "bacon", with a really smart trick using baked rice paper and whip up a plant-based mayo whizzed in the blender.
A spatchcocked chicken, with the backbone removed, gives a butterflied effect and the bird cooks much more quickly and evenly. There's a 30-minute marinade in olive oil and thyme before grilling, to infuse it with flavour. It's served with grilled green beans, spring onions, and charred lemons which have a fabulously smoky citrus flavour.
Get the recipe for spatchcocked chicken with green beans here
Here's an easy recipe for barbecued corn with an Indian twist. If you buy corn still in the husk, peel it back and use it for turning the cob while it's on the grill. The corn is charred on its own, then smothered in butter. Serve with wedges of lemon and a mix of chaat masala and chilli powder – dip the lemon into the spice, then rub and squeeze over the corn. You can also use garam masala.
Recreate the taste of the Middle East with this great recipe. Chunks of chicken thighs are marinated in buttermilk, spices, garlic, hot pepper paste, lemon and onion. It's best to leave it overnight in the fridge for maximum flavour. The chicken is threaded on skewers with vegetables before grilling. Go all out and make the accompanying condiments – garlic sauce, a slaw and lemon pickle – or just use shop-bought.
Yes, you really can bake banana bread over fire! You just need a pizza stone to sit the cake tin on. This simple recipe which uses walnuts and rum-soaked sultanas is made in just the same way as if you were using the oven. Once baked, cut thick slices, toast over the fire, sprinkle with sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Grilling avocado is a good trick if they are a little underripe. Here the avocado is combined with grilled baby carrots and broccoli, and roasted tomatoes which you could cook on a barbecue plate or heavy baking sheet. Add some cooked wild rice, lemon, basil and mint, and serve with a creamy tahini dressing on the side.
Get the recipe for grilled avocado salad with tahini dressing here
If you've fired up the barbecue, why not make dessert on it too! Grilled pineapple is a summer taste sensation. Slices of pineapple are marinated in maple syrup and cinnamon, grilled, then served with a salted caramel sauce and ice cream. The recipe is completely vegan, but you could make the sauce with dairy butter and cream if it doesn't need to be plant-based. It will taste fabulous whichever way.
Get the recipe for grilled pineapple with salted caramel here
Smoky and spicy, these vegan burgers really pack a punch. Mushrooms, black beans and peanut butter make the base, which is spiced up with cumin, chipotle, lime and garlic. Simply whizz up the ingredients in a food processor, make into patties, then bake them in the oven and finish on the barbecue to get that smoky taste. Serve with lime wedges, chopped salted peanuts and fresh coriander.
Get the recipe for chipotle, mushroom and black bean burgers here
If you fancy a lighter burger, this fresh and flavoursome salmon one is it. The fish is mixed with Greek yogurt, horseradish, mustard, anchovies, capers, chilli and fresh herbs. The patties need to be chilled for around an hour before cooking, then they're served with a herby yogurt sauce. Use burger buns or toasted pitta, adding salad for extra crunch.
Cooking potatoes on the grill gives them a wonderfully crisp skin, while retaining a soft, fluffy centre. The stunning dressing turns this into one of the best potato salads ever. It's made with chopped peanuts, fresh tarragon, chipotle chilli flakes, fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oill and would be great served with grilled mushrooms too.
Get the recipe for barbecued potatoes with tarragon and peanuts here
Make this succulent Middle Eastern street food at home with ease. Minced beef is mixed with spices, garlic, onion, parsley and pine nuts, threaded on skewers, then grilled for around 10 minutes until charred and juicy. So good! The skewers are topped with marinated onion slices, sumac and parsley, then served on a slick of hummus with grilled flatbreads.
Here's a great way to serve big, juicy tiger prawns. First marinate them for 30 minutes in a punchy mixture of lime, chilli, garlic, fish sauce and olive oil. Thread on skewers, then grill over direct heat for a few minutes until pink and cooked through, brushing with melted butter. Serve with lime wedges and sweet chilli sauce to dip.
The key to making these fragrant pork ribs tender is an initial salt brine, then they're cooked in a sweet and sour marinade which handily doubles up as the basting sauce. The marinade is soy-based, with sugar, mirin, citrus, garlic, ginger and chilli. Finish the ribs off on the grill and baste frequently to achieve the sticky result everyone loves.
Skirt (or hanger) steak is a cheap cut but it's packed with flavour. It needs fast cooking over high, direct heat and should be eaten rare. Any more cooking and it becomes tough. Here it's served with chimichurri, an Argentinian herb sauce with chilli, garlic, olive oil, lemon and red wine vinegar. Make it a few hours ahead so the flavours have a chance to develop; store in the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
If you're lucky enough to source fat, juicy, diver-caught scallops, try cooking them in their shells on the grill for added smokiness. Add a dollop of chipotle butter while they're cooking for added punch and to dip bread into. Mix softened butter with chipotle, fresh coriander, crushed garlic and salt. It's all ready in just 15 minutes.
A couple of useful tips to ensure a perfect cheeseburger. Don't use lean minced beef – you need the fat for flavour – so a minimum of 20% fat is ideal. When forming the patties, don't squish them too neatly or too flat, as you want the fat to render all around so the burger isn't dry. If the meat sticks to the grill, don't try to move it. When it's done on that side, you'll be able to flip it. Then pile high with cheese, shredded lettuce, red onion, pickles – whatever you like!
Get the recipe for classic cheeseburger here
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