The Best Grilling Recipes for Beginner Cooks

By Carl Hanson

We love the grill for making simple seasonal meals. Grilling is such a quick and easy way to cook, with little mess, and the 'que adds flavor and texture to so many dishes we love. Here are some top-rated grilling recipes, ideal for beginners and old grillmasters alike. They're quick and easy recipes that keep things simple, with no hard-to-find ingredients or elaborate techniques. You may learn a few basic grilling techniques along the way. For more on how to grill properly, check out our tips to make the best grilled meats.

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BBQ Sausage and Peppers

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Sausages marinate in beer with red bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and red onions. String disks of sausage and pieces of veggies onto skewers and grill, melting provolone cheese over the top during the final few minutes of cooking. Bd.weld rates it 5 stars: "Spicy good. I use shredded provolone hot Italian sausage and different colored peppers along with the jalapeno. These are really good with or without the provolone."

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Charbroiled Salmon

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Here's a very simple salmon recipe that starts with a marinade of soy sauce, red wine, ginger, and black pepper. Grill over hot coals for about 5 minutes per side, basting frequently with extra marinade. "This seafood treat is best prepared over a charcoal fire, but in bad weather the oven broiler will do," says Alan Harasimowicz. "The secret is in the marinade."

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Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs

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You'll start with a simple rub of cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. You'll brush the ribs with barbecue sauce toward the end of cooking. "A foolproof, simple recipe for the most tender, delectable ribs you've ever had. Follow the directions exactly, and success is guaranteed!" says BONNIE Q.

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Turkish Chicken Kebabs

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Tasty, juicy, and tender Turkish chicken kebabs start with a flavorful, Greek yogurt-based marinade. With this recipe, "Even inexperienced grillers can produce impressive results," says Chef John. "I'm not sure how 'Turkish' this is--it's loosely based on a lamb marinade I've used for a long time."

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Teriyaki Onion Burgers

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Form patties from a mixture of ground beef, teriyaki marinade, and a secret ingredient: French-fried onions. "I can't say enough about these burgers," raves 2girlsand1boy. "If you love teriyaki then you will LOVE these burgers! I am not even a big teriyaki fan and I love them. My hubby says they are one of the best burgers he's ever had!"

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Drunken Chicken

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Here's a simple beer-can grilled chicken that adds Italian dressing to the mix. Give the cook half of the beer, then fill the can back up with Italian dressing. The can will be the stand for the chicken, keeping the bird upright so it cooks uniformly. "Oh wow! What a super chicken!" raves Linda McLean. "No fuss, no muss. After coating the chicken with the mustard, I also seasoned the outside and inside with garlic and onion powder and some black pepper. We stood it on the pan threw it on the grill and two hours later we had a golden juicey bird just begging to be enjoyed. Try it you can't go wrong!"

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Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops

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You'll marinate pork chops in lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. "Simple, quick and deeelicious," says Mrs. Fink. "My chops came out perfectly juicy on the grill w direct medium heat about 5 minutes per side."

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Grilled Shrimp Scampi

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You'll marinate shrimp in lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and parsley for about 30 minutes, then hit the grill. "Can be used as an appetizer or main dish. This recipe also works well with scallops," says Holly Murphy.

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Grilled Mexican Steak

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Add toasted cumin seeds, jalapenos, garlic, pepper, lime juice, and salt to a blender, along with oil and cilantro, and pulse until smooth. "It was awesome on the steak and chicken too," says ptwoosley. "I used ground cumin instead of seeds for convenience and it was still great. I also love it hot so I added a little cayenne to the marinade."

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Barbeque Halibut Steaks

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Brush your fish with a brown sugar and butter sauce, and grill, basting with the sauce, until the fish easily flakes with a fork (about 5 minutes per side). "This was quick and easy, yet tasted like I spent hours on it!" raves MVICK. "The sauce is also great on grilled pork chops!"

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Lemon Grilled Chicken Thighs

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Here's a simple marinade for juicy grilled chicken thighs. "Whip up this easy lemony-garlic marinade before you head out to work in the morning, and come home to chicken thighs that will grill up to perfection," says Bren.

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Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers

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A simple homemade teriyaki sauce is the key here. "These savory-sweet shrimp skewers are easy to make and cook in just a few minutes," says France C. "They are perfect for summer weeknights or weekend dinner parties. Prep the sauce ahead of time for an even faster dinner. I prefer to use jumbo shrimp (21-25 per pound), however use what you have on hand."

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The Perfect Basic Burger

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"Nothing beats a simple hamburger on a warm summer evening!" says Lindsay Perejma. "Ground beef is blended with an easy to prepare bread crumb mixture. Pile these burgers with your favorite condiments, pop open a cool drink and enjoy."

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Greek Style Garlic Chicken Breast

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Give chicken breasts a soak in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. "Great on the grill and used to top a Greek salad (lettuce, cucs, red onion, feta, cheese, pepperoncini peppers, black olives, tomatoes, Greek dressing)," says klee. "Very tender and juicy chicken. Quick sear, then cook slow and turn so sides down burn and it's no longer pink."

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Tex-Mex Grilled Flank Steak

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"Three ingredients are all you need for this melt in your mouth tender flank steak," says Soup Loving Nicole. "This can be eaten on its own, but I like to use it for tacos or grilled steak salads.

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More BBQ Recipes and Inspiration

Chef John

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