It’s getting close to grilling season here in Cleveland. Which means most of you have already been cooking out for a couple of months … but I’m not jealous.
So I figured it would be a good idea to put together some of the best cookout food I’ve done here.
Main course
Indoor kabobs.
Maybe you made plans, prepped everything, and you’re all set … and it rains. No reason to call out for pizza, just do it inside.
Grilled London Broil
Which is kind of a contradiction in terms, since “London broil” isn’t a cut but a method of cooking. Yeah, it’s confusing, but I explain it in there.
Onion burgers
Moist and flavorful, and super easy.
The perfect steak
It starts with the right cut, and it’s thinner than you thought.
BBQ pork spareribs
Oh my goodness these are good.
Sorghum glazed ribs
An excellent change of pace, if you can get it.
Rotisserie pork loin
Simply the best-tasting pork I’ve ever had.
Rotisserie turkey breast
Why wait for Thanksgiving when it tastes this good?
Rotisserie chicken
Yup, I’m loving the rotisserie, why do you ask?
Side dishes
Broccoli salad
I could live on this for a week.
Potato salad with bacon and egg
Another one that can be a meal in itself.
Macaroni salad
I think it’s actually a law in Ohio that you have to have this if you’re grilling burgers.
Tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
This is best late in the season when the tomatoes are still warm from the vine in your garden.
Grilled asparagus
If you haven’t done it on the grill, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Grilled potatoes
Yes, you can do them on the grill. No, they don’t take forever.
Grilled corn on the cob
I said grilled, not burned. There’s a difference.
Deviled eggs
It’s not a picnic without them.
Techniques
Peeling hard-boiled eggs
Can’t have the deviled eggs without peeling them.
Corn off the cob
Because sometimes your kid is missing her two front teeth.
Coring cabbage
You’ll need to do this if you’re making cole slaw. Wait … I haven’t done cole slaw on the blog yet? Stay tuned.
Coring lettuce
Whether it’s for salad or putting it on your burger, start this way.
Peeling cucumbers
Another treat from the garden that’s great all summer.
Home-made grill seasoning
Make some up now, and use it all summer.
Stainless steel vs. non-stick
Stainless wins.
Drinks
The Kegmobile
The greatest thing to happen to beer since ice.
Frozen drinks
I don’t have the recipes in that post, but it’s so simple with the Ninja: ice + juice + liquor = win!
Dessert
Peach cobbler
Okay, technically this has nothing to do with grilling. But you need something for desert, don’t you?
Want more like this? For more recipes like this, that you can hold right in your hands, and write on, take notes, tear pages out if you want (Gosh, you're tough on books, aren't you?) you might be interested in How To Cook Like Your Grandmother, 2nd edition, Illustrated. Or to learn your way around the kitchen, check out Starting From Scratch: The Owner's Manual for Your Kitchen.
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8 Comments
Hi, Drew – I followed you over here from Tom Naughton’s Fat Head blog.
I’m just about 45 minutes south of you, but was born and raised in Texas (the spouse is from Ohio). We’ve already broken out the grill and smoker – coming from a place where you can barbeuce/grill just about every day of the year, I get a bit impatient when the weather warms up.
If the weather cooperates, we’ll be smoking a turkey breast and a brisket this weekend.
Jan, nice to meet you. I’m actually planning to do a meetup this weekend. Check back tomorrow for details.
Peach Cobbler… why don’t you grill the peach halves and then continue with your recipe??? Sounds good to me!
Hey look! It’s my grandma’s macaroni salad!
For this past Mother’s Day, my husband so kindly smoked chicken breasts with cherry wood. Which is my favorite wood for chicken. And not wanting to waste that yummy smoke, we smoked a tray of corn lime (corn kernels with lime juice, salt & pepper) and some peaches. My 7 year old wants his peaches like that every single time now. You get that smoky sweet flavor.
What – no sausages?? No grilled onions? Aussie standards.
Stephanie, that’s the danger with making something extra-special. Now the kids want it every time.
Masoka, the page was getting too long already. Besides, I have to have something new to post this summer, don’t I?
Ever make grilled apples? I halve and core big Fuji or Pink Lady apples, brush them with a mixture of honey, lemon and cinnamon, and put them on the top rack of the grill. They will get soft after about a half an hour, and the smokey flavor is awesome with the cinnamon.
Yes, but down here in Texas, smoking food is like breathing. Everyone does it. I have a feeling we’ll be doing it a few more times before the end of the year. I mean, how else are we going to cook the corn that I’ve got growing in the garden?