Grilled Tailgating Recipes

Here’s your blueprint for a crowd-pleasing backyard barbecue burger complete with special sauce. The sauce is no secret here: Crunchy iceberg lettuce and pickles provide crunch and tang, all mixed in with ketchup, mustard, and a little hot sauce for kick. We like the texture whole-grain mustard adds to the sauce, but creamy Dijon will work just as well. Don’t overwork the beef as you form the patties so the burgers stay moist and juicy.

The rich and creamy combination of bacon, cream cheese, and cheddar nicely contrasts the muted spice of grilled jalapeño peppers. This appetizer recipe is a healthy, fresh alternative to the popular breaded and fried version.

Look for shishito peppers at Asian markets and gourmet grocers. They're mostly mild, but bear in mind that roughly 1 in 10 is about as hot as a jalapeño.

If you don't have barley on hand, serve with brown rice, quinoa, or farro. You can also cook the tofu on a stovetop grill pan—just be sure to turn your oven vent on high, as the honey-based glaze is sure to create some smoke.

The can method keeps the bird moist while it grills because liquid in the can forms steam inside the cavity. Any canned beverage will work, since it won't really impart any noticeable flavor to the chicken. We like the bright, tangy flavor of good old-fashioned yellow mustard here.

Cubes of grass-fed sirloin can be a little tough and chewy—but thin slices stay tender and cook quickly. Feel free to prep the sauce and skewer the beef ahead of time.

This classic Middle Eastern eggplant dip is known for its smoky flavor and creamy texture. The smoke here comes from four components: charred eggplant, green onions, garlic, and a dash of smoked paprika. To grill the garlic, pull the cloves off in a clump from the bulb so the bundle won’t fall through the grates. Don’t worry if the clump contains more than 4 cloves—you’ll surely find a use for the roasty-toasty extras. Serve with pita bread wedges, pita chips, or crudités.

We took the finger-licking beauty of a Buffalo wing experience and wrapped it in a tortilla—because that's how you win a weeknight.

Sometimes we want our grilled beef patties to have a just a little more oomph. These burgers deliver exactly that and more. Caramelized onions and garlic go into the ground sirloin mixture to keep the burgers moist, followed by a bold hit of ground cumin and smoked paprika for a jolt of flavor.

This chicken is wonderfully moist, with a smoky sauce that will have you firing up the grill year-round. In our ultimate BBQ makeover, we remove the skin just before the chicken finishes grilling (saving 128 calories and 2.7g sat fat per breast), then baste with a spicy-sweet sauce. The best part? You'll save 183 calories, 3g sat fat, 26g sugar, and 854mg sodium over the traditional recipe, without losing any of the flavor.

With just five ingredients, this protein-packed meal comes together in a flash. Soy sauce amps up the flavor of beef tenderloin fillets, which pineapple lends tropical flavor to brown rice.

Pickled veggies, jalapeño, and cilantro top these Vietnamese-inspired dogs.

This is a riff on elote, Mexican street corn. We love how sweet dill plays on the richly caramelized corn and briny cheese.

You can indulge your fast-food craving with a healthier sandwich that packs the same irresistible meaty-creamy combo you get from a street cart.

You can play with tradition in the South, but best not mess with it. There's no quinoa or fish sauce in this burger. It starts with caramelized onions, cooked low and slow. Some of the onions then get folded into the beef, keeping the patty moist and juicy. Next come salutes to barbecue and bourbon. Bacon adds savory crunch, while a shot of bourbon keeps the made-from-scratch sauce smoky and sweet.

Cut the red bell peppers from top to bottom into four panels; then simply discard the core. The wide pepper pieces will take on more char and be easier to maneuver on the grill.

A kicking dipping sauce adds amped up fun and flavor. Serve with Orzo with Snap Peas, Cilantro, and Peanuts for a complete meal with 46g of protein. If you use wood skewers on the outdoor grill, be sure to soak them in water before grilling to avoid burning. Make a few extra skewers to add chicken to lunches and salads the next day. The wasabi mayo adds bold flavor to simply seasoned grilled chicken and pairs well with the sweetness of honey and tang of rice vinegar. The mayo can be saved and served alongside roasted vegetables, skirt steak, or fresh grilled fish.

We were wowed by the flavors of this luscious dessert. Grilling the fruit caramelizes its sugars and concentrates its flavor, while the creamy tang of crème fraîche perfectly complements the nutty, buttery topping.

If you can't find Indian eggplants, as we used here, go for small, slender Japanese eggplants instead.

The dough develops a yeastier, more complex flavor from a 24-hour resting period in the refrigerator. You can also use store-bought dough and begin with step 3.

Grilling alone gives meat a smoky flavor, and adding coffee to the concoction only makes this tender, melt-in-your-mouth brisket that much better.

This attractive, summery barbecue dish combines the vegetables of the famous Provençal stew with meaty grilled tofu. If you don't care to use the wine, use an additional 1/2 cup of vegetable broth.