BBQ Recipes for Beginners
The word barbeque originated from the French term “barbe à queue,” which means “from beard to tail.” Though there are many types of BBQ sauces and various styles of BBQ, it always means slow cooking in low temperatures using a grill or a smoker.
If you are new to the BBQ game and looking for delicious recipes to cook, this article is all you need. Head on to Dickson Barbeque Centre for the best BBQ grills and other accessories to amplify your summer cookouts.
Eight of the best BBQ recipes for beginners
You don’t need to be a master chef to make a great barbeque! The best part about the recipes below is that they’re simple, so you can focus on perfecting the flavours of each dish rather than getting caught up in complex techniques. With these recipes, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the go-to barbeque host among your friends and family! Here are eight great picks:
Hamburger
If you’re more of a red-meat person, consider making “The Ultimate Hamburger” instead. Grill up a thick patty of your favourite burger meat topped with bacon and cheese, tomato slices, lettuce leaves, pickles, guacamole or avocado slices, mustard or mayonnaise (or both!), ketchup – basically whatever you like best on a burger!
You can even serve it wrapped in iceberg lettuce instead of between two buns if you are a little health conscious.
If you’re looking for a vegetarian option instead, try making grilled vegetables with BBQ sauce. This recipe combines crispy veggies with a sweet and smokey sauce that will delight every palette at your table!
BBQ chicken pizza with caramelized onions and bacon
Take a store-bought crust, add your favourite BBQ sauce, and top with shredded chicken, caramelized onions, cooked bacon, mozzarella cheese, and fresh parsley. Bake at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Bonus points if you make your crust! Nothing says “barbeque” quite like a homemade pizza topped with caramelized onions, bacon, and tangy barbeque sauce.
Grilled vegetables with BBQ sauce
There’s no reason to limit your barbequing to meat. This grilled veggie option brings a smoky flavour with the help of a classic sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.
Even meat lovers will enjoy these grilled vegetables with barbeque sauce as a healthier alternative to traditional sides like potato salad or coleslaw.
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Lightly brush eggplant and peppers with oil. Place them on the grill and cook until lightly charred on both sides. Remove them from the grill and set them aside.
Lightly brush squash and zucchini with oil. Follow the previous method for grilling. Remove from the grill, place in a bowl, and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta to bowl with vegetables; drizzle barbeque sauce over the mixture and toss well to combine.
Grilled marinated barbeque wings
These marinated wings make a perfect side dish or appetizer, and they pair well with any barbeque-themed meal. Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub over chicken wings.
Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for four hours (or overnight). Set your barbeque to medium-high heat. Grill wings until cooked thoroughly with a golden brown hue, occasionally turning for about 25 minutes. Transfer to a platter; serve with barbeque sauce, hot sauce or Buffalo sauce if desired.
Spicy grilled chicken salad
Whisk together ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, liquid smoke (if using), garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Thread chicken pieces onto skewers and brush with about 1/4 of the barbeque sauce; reserve the remaining sauce.
Grill vegetables until tender with visible grill marks. Brush with additional barbeque sauce and chili powder when you flip the vegetables. If it’s too thick to brush on easily, thin it out with more water or vinegar. Serve immediately with complimentary barbeque sauce on the side.
Dry-rubbed pork tenderloin
This simple recipe produces a flavorful dish that’s perfect with a potato salad and a glass of sweet tea. You’ll need pork tenderloin, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Preheat your charcoal grills, rub the meat with the seasoning mix and get grilling — it’s that easy!
Chicken marinated in coke
This recipe is an excellent option for those who like to experiment with new flavours. It uses Coke as the base for its marinade and is best cooked on a grill or smoker. You can serve it with coleslaw or potato salad and some homemade cornbread for an all-Canadian meal that celebrates the deep south’s love of barbeque.
Grilled chicken and broccoli
Summer barbeque doesn’t have to be all about meat—this grilled chicken and broccoli recipe is great for those who want to eat healthy. It uses soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, and sesame oil; apply evenly over the chicken to savour the taste!
Barbeque mistakes to avoid
Some common barbeque mistakes can ruin your food if you’re new to the grilling game. So, read these ten mistakes which you need to avoid:
- Not prepping your grill properly: Take the time to clean it before each cookout and wipe it down with vegetable oil. You don’t need a lot — just enough to keep the food from sticking.
- Avoid using canned ingredients: This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget or ignore how important fresh ingredients are when cooking a delicious meal. Using canned tomatoes instead of whole ones won’t be as flavourful and might even give off an off-putting smell while cooking, which could ruin your meal altogether!
- Using too high of heat: No matter what you’re cooking, it’s best to start at lower heat for about 20 mins before turning it up and finishing your meal.
- Reusing the old charcoal: Another common mistake is reusing old charcoal that has already been used for a previous grilling session. This will cause smoke and ash to build upon your grill, which will make it harder to clean up after cooking your meat.
- Not flipping your meat often enough: Turn your meat every ten minutes, even if you’re using indirect heat instead of grilling directly over the flame. Not flipping your food can lead to unevenly-cooked meat that’s too dry and not cooked enough on the other side!
- Cutting into the meat too soon: Don’t cut into the meat until it’s done cooking (and be sure to let it cool for some time) to retain the juice and the taste.
Wrapping up
Barbeque is the obvious choice for anyone who loves food. It’s not just about the delicacies: it’s also about the experience, and that’s a big part of what makes barbeque so appealing. There’s nothing quite like gathering your close friends and loved ones around a fire and spending hours creating delicious flavours.
Aside from being an experience that everyone can enjoy, barbeque is also an excellent way to connect with nature. We hope this article helps you find your next BBQ dish, and yes, without making any mistakes!
