A backyard BBQ gets repetitive fast when the same burgers and plain grilled meat show up every time. These 17 recipes bring more range to the grill and smoker with sweet-spicy wings, juicy drumsticks, steak cuts, skewers, chicken, pulled pork, shrimp, and burgers. Some cook hot and fast, while others take the low-and-slow route for deeper smoke and bigger flavor. The lineup works for casual weekends, family cookouts, or any day you want more than the usual few choices coming off the grill.
Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Sweet smoke and a sticky glaze give Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings a lot more character than a basic tray of wings. The recipe uses two pounds of chicken wings with peach jam, chipotle in adobo, adobo sauce, and apple cider vinegar, then smokes them for an hour before a high-heat crisping finish. It makes four servings and works well as a first plate while the larger cuts of meat are still cooking.
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Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter
Rich, herb-flecked butter melts over Grilled Steaks with Cowboy Butter as soon as the meat comes off the grill. Four steaks are paired with a compound butter made from garlic, parsley, chives, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and Dijon mustard. The listed total time is 52 minutes, including 37 minutes of cooking. Serve these when you want a steakhouse-style main without adding another sauce or complicated side to the grill.
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Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Smoky seasoning and a sticky finish give Grilled Chicken Drumsticks the kind of charred edges that belong at a backyard cookout. Two pounds of drumsticks are coated with avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper, then finished with BBQ sauce. The recipe takes 50 minutes total and serves four. Cook them when you want an easy chicken option that works with slaw, baked beans, grilled vegetables, or corn.
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Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp
Bright herbs and lemon keep Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp lighter than the beef-heavy plates elsewhere in the spread. Two pounds of shrimp marinate with olive oil, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, and oregano before going onto skewers. The recipe takes 30 minutes total and makes four servings. Grill them when you want a seafood option that can share the table with steak, burgers, or chicken without adding another long cooking project.
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Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak
Fast searing keeps Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak focused on the beef instead of burying it under a long ingredient list. Two ribeye cap steaks are seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, grilled for about 10 minutes, then finished with butter or compound butter. The recipe serves two, making it a smaller-batch option for a steak-centered BBQ. Pair it with potato salad or grilled vegetables when the meat is meant to be the main event.
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Smoked Beef Kabobs
Smoke works its way around every piece of Smoked Beef Kabobs, with beef and vegetables sharing the same skewer. The recipe uses sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin with zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and red bell pepper, plus a soy, Worcestershire, balsamic, honey, and garlic marinade. It makes four servings, with 45 minutes of cooking after an hour of marinating. These are useful when you want meat and vegetables portioned together instead of managing separate grill baskets.
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Smoked Tomahawk Steak
Slow smoke gives Smoked Tomahawk Steak time to build flavor before the meat is sliced and topped with mustard-seed chimichurri. A two-pound tomahawk is seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning, while the sauce combines lime, shallot, garlic, mustard seeds, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. The card lists two hours of cooking and serves two people. This is the one to bring out when the BBQ calls for a centerpiece cut rather than several smaller mains.
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Grilled Steak and Veggie Skewers
Thin ribbons of zucchini make Grilled Steak and Veggie Skewers look a little different from the usual chunky kabob. Sirloin cubes marinate with garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and olive oil, then share skewers with zucchini and cherry tomatoes. The recipe serves six and lists a two-hour marinade with just a few minutes on the grill. They fit a cookout where most of the work can happen before guests arrive.
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Smoked Jalapenos
Softened by an hour in the smoker, Smoked Jalapenos bring heat without requiring a stuffed filling or extra wrapping. Eight whole jalapeños are coated with oil, coarse salt, and black pepper, then smoked at 250°F until tender. The recipe takes 1 hour 5 minutes total and makes four servings. Set them out beside grilled meats, chop them for sandwiches or burgers, or serve them with a cool dip when the BBQ needs something smoky between bites.
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Grilled Beef Finger Meat
Hot, direct grilling keeps Grilled Beef Finger Meat simple and lets the cut do most of the work. Two pounds of trimmed beef finger meat need only Montreal steak seasoning before they hit a medium-high grill for about 10 minutes. The full recipe takes 20 minutes and serves four. This is a strong choice when you want a beef option that cooks much faster than brisket or pulled pork but still belongs squarely on a barbecue plate.
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Smoked Pork & Pineapple Skewers
Sweet fruit against smoky pork makes Smoked Pork & Pineapple Skewers stand apart from the beef kabobs in the same lineup. Pork loin is paired with pineapple, bell pepper, and red onion, then marinated with brown sugar, cider vinegar, fish sauce, and garlic. The recipe makes four servings and takes 1 hour 40 minutes including marinating time. Serve these with corn, rice, or a simple salad when you want a BBQ main that already brings plenty of contrast.
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Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Fresh tomato topping keeps Grilled Bruschetta Chicken from eating like another plain grilled chicken breast. Four chicken breasts are marinated with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and Italian seasoning, then topped with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, balsamic syrup, and Parmesan. The card lists 25 minutes for prep and cooking, plus a separate 4 to 6 hour marinade. It works especially well when the BBQ spread needs something fresh besides heavier smoked meats.
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Smoked Pulled Pork
Low and slow is the whole point of Smoked Pulled Pork, a five-pound pork butt that spends about 12 hours on the smoker. Yellow mustard helps the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper stick to the meat, while apple juice is used during smoking. The recipe makes 12 servings. Pile it onto buns with coleslaw, serve it by the plate, or use it when one large cut needs to feed the crowd.
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Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts
Smoky bacon adds both flavor and protection around Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts while the chicken cooks on the grill. Four breasts are seasoned with garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika, then wrapped with two slices of bacon each. The recipe takes 25 minutes total and serves four. This is a straightforward BBQ main for anyone who wants chicken with more richness than a plain breast, and it pairs easily with grilled vegetables, salad, potatoes, or slaw.
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Blackstone Smash Burger
Crisp, lacy edges are the reason Blackstone Smash Burger earns a different spot from a standard grilled burger. One pound of 80/20 ground beef is divided into eight small balls, smashed on a hot griddle, and seasoned with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. The recipe takes 15 minutes total and makes four double-patty servings. Add buns and the toppings you like, then serve these when speed matters but plain patties sound too ordinary.
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Smoked Shotgun Shells
Wrapped in bacon and filled all the way through, Smoked Shotgun Shells land somewhere between BBQ appetizer and full-on meat snack. Oven-ready cannelloni tubes are stuffed with ground beef, cheddar, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then wrapped in bacon and brushed with BBQ sauce. The recipe takes 1 hour 50 minutes and serves four. Put these out when the cookout needs a substantial starter that can hold its own before the burgers or steaks.
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Easy Grilled Beef Burgers
Classic cookout structure keeps Easy Grilled Beef Burgers easy to build around when the rest of the table is already busy. Ground beef is mixed with BBQ sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, shaped into eight patties, then grilled over direct heat with optional cheese added near the end. The recipe takes 27 minutes total and makes eight burgers. Serve with pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, potato salad, or baked beans for the familiar BBQ plate.
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