Kick off summer with our tasty takes on grilled chicken, meats, fish, shellfish, veggies, and more.
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken
The perfect picnic chicken! Soak chicken in a buttermilk brine for extra moist and tender results, and add subtle Indian-inspired spices for a go-anywhere feast that's miles from boring.
Recipe:
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 6 chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lb. total)
- 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 3/4 lb. total)
- In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper.
- Rinse chicken thighs and drumsticks and pat dry. Trim off excess fat. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day (see notes).
- Lift chicken from brine; discard brine. Wipe excess from chicken with paper towels.
- Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone (cut to test), 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
- Note: Brine the chicken up to 1 day before grilling; grill up to 1 day before serving (chill airtight). Transport in brine when grilling on-site. Keep the meat well chilled in an ice chest until ready to serve or grill.
Honey-Sesame Grilled Chicken Wings
Finger-lickin' sweet replaces blazing buffalo as the flavorings for these tasty wings. We like to serve them as a fun hors d'oeuvre for an outdoor party or as the main course for a family dinner.
> Get the recipe
Related: 22 grilled chicken recipes
Grilled Grass-fed Rib-eyes with Herb Lemon Butter
The clean, natural flavor of grass-fed beef shines in this thick steak topped with a decadent lemon-herb butter.
> Get the recipe
Grilled Baby Back Ribs 3 Ways
Throw a backyard ribfest! Pick a summery glaze--sweet, seeded, or lemony herbal--or do all three.
> Get the recipe
Related: 19 recipes for grilled steaks, ribs, and chops
Grilled Trout Fillets with Crunchy Pine-nut Lemon Topping
Firm, meaty rainbow trout is one of our most sustainably raised fish. This grilled version is finished with a crispy, crunchy nut-studded topping with lots of lemony zip.
> Get the recipe
Halibut Kebabs with Grilled Bread and Pancetta
This one is an absolute favorite in Sunset's test kitchen. We just can't get enough of the simple combination of crusty grilled bread, fresh rosemary, and succulent halibut.
> Get the recipe
Related: 19 seafood recipes for the grill
Honey-Chipotle Grilled Corn
Golden honey brings out corn's natural sweetness, while chipotle chiles keep things spicy and interesting.
> Get the recipe
Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Salad
While some wines are a hard match for vegetables, Syrah works well with earthy and herbal veggies like eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers―especially when they're grilled.
> Get the recipe
Related: 18 ways with grilled veggies and fruits
More:
23 mouth-watering burger recipes
13 crowd-pleasing BBQ sides
