Fire up the grill and dive headfirst into the delicious world of sweet, savory, and spicy barbecue with these mouthwatering recipes.
From pulled pork sandwiches to baby back ribs, barbecue is an all-American favorite for family dinner nights and neighborhood potlucks. If you’ve always dreamed of being a grillmaster but aren’t sure where to start, you’re in the right place.
Achieve smoky, tangy, barbecued heaven with these essential barbecue recipes:
Smoked Pork Ribs
This is the ultimate recipe when you crave a smoky, hearty rack of ribs. It involves coating the ribs in a dry spice rub before smoking them for hours until full of flavor. The delicious contrast between the sweet pork and the peppery spices will instantly elevate your next backyard gathering.
BBQ Chicken Wings
Throw some chicken wings on the grill at the next block party to impress all your guests. Handheld wings are always a hit, and this recipe perfectly balances hints of sweetness and tang. After your first bite of this juicy, meaty barbecue chicken, you’ll never want to order takeout wings again.
Authentic Texas Style Smoked Brisket
Smoking brisket can be intimidating, but it’s much more straightforward than you realize. This authentic Texas recipe suggests injecting the brisket with beef broth and heavily seasoning it to keep the meat tender while locking in the flavors. After a few hours on the grill, you’ll have a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth brisket that tastes restaurant quality.
Authentic Texas Style Smoked Brisket Recipe
Bulgogi Korean Beef BBQ
Bring a taste of Korea home with this bulgogi Korean beef BBQ recipe. Bulgogi consists of high-quality steak marinated and thinly cut before being grilled over charcoal.
Thanks to ingredients like soy sauce and sesame oil, bulgogi is usually saltier and spicier than traditional American barbecue. This Korean-inspired BBQ is a fun way to switch up your dinner routine.
Bulgogi Korean Beef BBQ Recipe
BBQ Lamb Chops
Barbecued lamb chops feel like a five-star meal but are surprisingly easy to make. Lamb is a fantastic option for trying something different than your typical pork, beef, or chicken. Fresh herbs and citrus elevate the chops, which are made even better by the smokiness from grilling.
Memphis Style Ribs
Convince everyone you’re a BBQ legend with these Memphis-style ribs. Dry rubs prevent extra mess caused by sticky sauce while locking in the meat’s smokiness. Cover the ribs in a rub of essential barbecue spices before smoking for three hours and prepare for fall-off-the-bone BBQ heaven.
Easy Pulled Pork
Cooking barbecue from scratch can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Pulled pork is a beginner-friendly option that will trick all your friends into thinking you’re a barbecue expert. Tastes Better from Scratch has a fantastic recipe using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
BBQ Chicken
Never worry about making dry chicken again with these BBQ chicken breasts. They’re deceptively easy to make and always come out juicy and cooked to perfection. The best part is that you can prepare the chicken on the grill or in the oven for ultimate convenience.
Citrus and Spice-Brined Baby Back Ribs
These citrus and spice-brined baby back ribs give traditional barbecue a hint of Asian flair. Orange, ginger, and soy sauce may sound strange for a BBQ sauce recipe. However, the combination works surprisingly well, infusing the ribs with a fresh and zesty twist.
Citrus and Spice-Brined Baby Back Ribs Recipe
Brisket Burnt Ends
Shake up your go-to barbecue routine by making brisket burnt ends. These delicious morsels require time and patience, but the one-of-a-kind flavor makes the effort worthwhile. This recipe incorporates unexpected ingredients like Dr. Pepper and honey to create a finger-licking good glaze.
Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs
Moist chicken thighs are an excellent base for this tasty hot honey BBQ sauce. The thick sauce coats the chicken in a spicy sweetness you’ll instantly be obsessed with. How Sweet Eats recommends serving the chicken atop a crisp citrus slaw to contrast the rich barbecue glaze.
Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs with Citrus Slaw Recipe
BBQ Smoked Pork Belly
Every bite of this BBQ smoked pork belly will transport your tastebuds to heaven. Smoke the pork belly low and slow to enhance the flavors while keeping each piece of meat moist and tender. It’s worth the wait to taste the divine combination of salt and sweetness.
Carolina Gold BBQ
Carolina-style barbecue offers a tangy twist on traditional barbecued meats. Vinegar and mustard are popular choices for this preparation method, giving your barbecue a distinct sharpness. This Carolina gold BBQ recipe goes the extra mile with a dry rub and a wet sauce to coat the ribs in sweet yet zesty flavors.
Beer Can Chicken
Beer can chicken is a fun take on old-fashioned barbecue. Grilling the chicken atop a beer can keeps the meat moist and tender. Coat the chicken in your go-to barbecue dry rub before cooking so the skin gets lightly browned and crispy.
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Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
