11 Best Grilling Recipes for Spring and Summer

Backyard grilling: there’s nothing better in the spring and summer in the South. As for what to grill, I’ve got a roundup of 11 favorite grilling recipes for you below.

Montage of Stacy Lyn's Favorite Grilling Recipes - BBQ ribs, burgers, quail, smoked chicken

Here’s a new one on me: some of my husband’s dental patients have been telling him that they plan to grill out for Easter this year. And why not take advantage of beautiful spring weather to gather outdoors? The most important thing is to celebrate with family and friends.

What are some examples of grilling food?

Grilling doesn’t have to be limited to a beef patty with a slice of cheese. You can get creative and grill just about anything. My grilling recipes include chicken breasts or thighs, ground turkey burgers, venison burger sliders, and quail.

With skewers, aluminum foil packets, or a grill basket, you also can grill up shrimp, corn, potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, cherry tomato, pearl onion, and bell peppers.

One of my best general cooking tips for grilling is to use an all-purpose dry rub on your meat. It will add tenderness as well as flavor.

What are the types of grills?

The difference among grills is mainly the heat source. For many folks, nothing beats traditional open flame charcoal grilling. Charcoal grills sear meats and vegetables beautifully. At the same time, charcoal and aromatic wood chips imbue foods with those wonderful smoky flavors.

Gas / propane grills, on the other hand, are quick and easy. They let you start cooking right off the bat, and some let you set different temperatures for sections of the grill. That means you can grill steak or seafood at high temperatures on one side of the grill while you BBQ (smoking or otherwise slow cooking) chicken or venison in another.

Electric grills are a convenient, smokeless option with the flexibility of indoor use. You can use them wherever you have an outlet. Without an open flame, they provide extra safe grilling.

For grilling recipes that involve smoking, you don’t need a smoker. You can smoke meat in any grill by lowering the temperature and putting the cover on. Charcoal grills will give you the smokiest flavor.