Grilling Season Guide: The Best BBQ Recipes for Summer 2026

The best grilling is simple. Great ingredients, correct heat management, and patience. These 8 recipes cover the full grill session from smash burgers to cedar plank salmon to grilled corn, with the technique notes that make each one work reliably.

Two zones on your grill are the foundation of good outdoor cooking: high direct heat for searing and crust formation, lower indirect heat for cooking through without burning. Whether gas or charcoal, setting up these two zones before any food touches the grate gives you control over every recipe.

The Technique Foundation: Two-Zone Cooking

On a charcoal grill: Bank all the coals to one side. That is your direct heat zone. The empty side is your indirect zone. Food can move between zones as needed.

On a gas grill: Turn one or two burners to high, leave the others off or on low. The burners on high are direct heat. The cooler side is indirect.

The lid rule: Closed lid = oven effect for indirect cooking and faster cooking overall. Open lid = direct grilling control with more hands-on management.

The 8 Recipes

1. Smash Burgers (The One That Converts Thick Patty People)

Form 80g balls of 80/20 beef mince (do not compact them). Get your grill grate or a cast iron flat plate over high direct heat until visibly very hot. Place the beef ball on the heat. Press firmly with a heavy spatula until very thin, about 1cm. The patty will stick and sear. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are brown and crispy. Flip once. Add a slice of American cheese. Cook 30 seconds. The thin patty means more surface area in contact with the heat, more Maillard reaction crust, and more flavour per gram than any thick patty achieves. Build with a toasted brioche bun, special sauce (mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice), diced white onion, shredded iceberg, and pickles.

2. Spatchcock Chicken (The Whole Bird That Actually Cooks Evenly)

Spatchcocking removes the backbone and flattens the bird. Use kitchen scissors along both sides of the backbone to remove it, then press the breastbone flat. Season generously with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil. For a bird around 1.5 kg, grill bone-side down over indirect medium heat (175 to 190C) for 35 minutes with the lid closed. Move to direct heat, skin-side down, for 8 to 10 minutes to crisp the skin. Internal temperature should reach 74C at the thickest part of the thigh. Resting for 8 minutes before carving is essential.

3. Cedar Plank Salmon

Soak a cedar plank in water for at least 1 hour (it floats, so weigh it down). Season salmon fillets with brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic, salt, and a small amount of chilli flakes. Place on the soaked cedar plank skin-side down. Grill over medium direct heat with the lid closed for 12 to 15 minutes. The plank smokes gently, imparting a distinctive cedar flavour. The fish will not overcook easily because the wet plank regulates heat. Serve with grilled lemon halves.

4. Grilled Corn Three Ways

Corn on the cob over direct medium-high heat, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, total 12 to 15 minutes until charred in spots. Version 1 (Classic): butter, salt, lime zest. Version 2 (Mexican Elote style): smear with mayonnaise immediately off the grill, roll in crumbled cotija or feta, dust with chilli powder, squeeze lime. Version 3 (Miso butter): mix 2 tablespoons white miso with 60g softened butter; apply while hot. The elote version is consistently the most requested at any gathering.

5. Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers

Thread blocks of halloumi alternating with courgette rounds, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and red pepper onto metal skewers (or pre-soaked wooden ones). Brush with olive oil, dried oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper. Grill over direct medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Halloumi needs high heat to get those grill marks and a slightly firm exterior. Finish with fresh lemon juice and fresh mint. These are the best vegetarian option on any grill and do not disappear the way most veggie options do.

6. Dry-Rubbed Ribs (Low, Slow, Then Glaze)

The rub: 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon cayenne. Remove the membrane from the back of the rack (use kitchen paper for grip). Apply the rub generously. Cook over indirect low heat (120 to 135C) for 3 to 3.5 hours, lid closed, with wood chips for smoke if using charcoal. In the final 20 minutes, brush with BBQ sauce and move to medium direct heat for 5 minutes per side to caramelise the glaze. The meat should pull away from the bone when twisted.

7. Grilled Peaches with Honey and Ricotta

Halve ripe peaches and remove the stone. Brush cut sides with neutral oil. Grill cut-side down over medium direct heat for 3 to 4 minutes until grill marks appear and fruit is slightly softened. Do not move them during the searing time. Serve warm with a generous spoonful of ricotta, a drizzle of good honey, a few fresh thyme leaves, and a pinch of sea salt. This 8-minute dessert consistently surprises people who did not expect a grill dessert to be remarkable.

8. Grilled Flatbreads

A simple flatbread dough (300g plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 200g Greek yoghurt, pinch salt) is mixed, divided into 6 pieces, and rolled to about 5mm thick. Grill directly on the hot grate over medium-high heat for 2 minutes per side until charred in spots and puffed. Brush immediately with garlic butter (softened butter, minced garlic, parsley). These use up the residual grill heat and work as both a side and the base for the halloumi and veg. Make double the batch.

What is the most common grilling mistake?

Not using two heat zones. Single-temperature grilling produces either raw centres (rushing over high heat) or grey, overcooked food (slow cooking over low heat alone). Set up a high-heat direct zone and a lower-heat indirect zone before any food goes on. Move food between zones to control cooking.

What temperature should a BBQ grill be for most foods?

Direct heat for searing: 230 to 260C. Indirect heat for cooking through: 150 to 190C. For low and slow items like ribs and pulled pork: 110 to 135C indirect. A grill thermometer in the lid is the most practical way to monitor these temperatures reliably.

How do you prevent food sticking to the grill?

Ensure the grill grate is properly preheated before food touches it, clean the grate while hot with a stiff brush, and oil food rather than the grate (oil on a hot grate burns before food arrives). Cold food placed on a cold grate sticks most consistently.

What wood chips are best for BBQ smoking?

Fruit woods (apple, cherry) are mild and sweet, pairing well with chicken, fish, and pork. Hickory is stronger and classic for ribs and brisket. Mesquite is very strong and best used sparingly for beef. Avoid resinous woods like pine which produce acrid smoke.

Can you grill vegetables successfully?

Yes. The key is uniform cut size for even cooking, sufficient oil to prevent sticking, high direct heat for caramelisation, and not crowding the grate. Halloumi skewers, courgette, corn, aubergine, peppers, and asparagus all grill exceptionally well.

How long do you need to rest meat after grilling?

Minimum 5 minutes for smaller cuts like burgers and chicken pieces, 8 to 10 minutes for a spatchcock chicken, and 15 to 20 minutes for larger cuts like brisket and thick steaks. Resting allows muscle fibres to relax and juices to redistribute, reducing moisture loss when the meat is cut.

Get the Zones Right, the Food Follows

Every recipe above becomes more reliable once two-zone grilling is your default. It is not a technique for advanced grillers. It is the single setup decision that gives you control over every piece of food on the grill simultaneously.

Start your grill 15 minutes early. Get it fully up to temperature. Set up your zones before the first thing goes on. The rest is timing.