81 Best Grilled Meat Recipes
For many, grilled meat is the classic example of what's so great about outdoor cooking—but the word's gotten out, and folks are finding all sorts of foods that benefit from some time over the coals (or the gas flames). There's grilled salad, grilled pizza, grilled cheese (no but like: grilled cheese), grilled cake, grilled seafood, grilled beer-can cabbage. But even though it's sharing the spotlight, grilled meat still has a role to play. Whether it's pork, beef, or lamb, we've rounded up our favorite grilled meat recipes for you to check back in on all summer long.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews1/81Country-Style Ribs With Quick-Pickled Watermelon
Grilled meat—in this case, country-style ribs or bone-in pork chops—gets a summery twist in this recipe from Chicago chef Paul Kahan, who pairs the protein with tangy pickled watermelon and a refreshing tomato and cilantro salad.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce2/81
Chipotle-Grilled Pork Shoulder Steaks with Corn Salsa
Cut into steaks, pork shoulder is a well-marbled, quick-cooking cut that's terrific for grilling—especially when seasoned with a barbacoa-style rub.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou3/81
Jalapeño-Marinated Grilled Pork Chops
Sometimes the best grilled meat recipes are all about what else is grilled, too. Along with adding some extra smoky-char flavor to the dish, grilling the jalapeños here mellows their spiciness.
- Photo by Peden & Munk4/81
Grilled Kielbasa Tacos
The ingredients you'll need for this summery dinner are few but they're flavorful: grilled peppers, scallions, and sausages, served on tortillas with hot sauce and cilantro.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson5/81
Lamb Chops with Polenta and Grilled Scallion Sauce
Toss grilled scallions and jalapeños with fresh basil and lemon juice to make a zesty, smoky sauce to accompany lamb chops and rounds of store-bought polenta.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich6/81
Pork Shoulder Steaks with Grilled Mustard Greens
Like rib eye, pork shoulder has lots of intramuscular fat, and like strip steak, it has satisfying chew. Slicing it thickly and grilling it swiftly maximizes the enjoyment of both.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/81
Make-Ahead Instant Pot Grilled Ribs
Use your Instant Pot to prep these cumin-spiced ribs over the weekend, then save them (and their flavorful juices!) to grill for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews8/81
Grilled Leg of Lamb With Garlic and Lemon
The uniform thickness of a butterflied boneless leg of lamb makes it extremely simple to cook and serve. This cut of meat shouldn't be hard to find, but if you get one that is boned and tied, ask your butcher to butterfly it.
- Peden + Munk9/81
Sweet-and-Spicy Ribs
The secret to this grilled ribs recipe is that they're cooked low and slow in the oven until fork-tender, then dressed in buttery, vinegary barbecue sauce and finished on the grill.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou10/81
Grilled Pork Chops with Plums, Halloumi, and Lemon
The mozzarella-like Cypriot cheese Halloumi was made for the grill: Crunchy and smoky on the outside, gooey and creamy on the inside, it pairs wonderfully with fruit, as in this herby appetizer or these plummy pork chops.
- Photo by Peden + Munk11/81
Italian Sausage with Grilled Broccolini, Kale, and Lemon
Grilled lemon slices add bright, sweet, and smoky flavor to a salad of charred broccolini and kale—the perfect complement to rich, juicy Italian sausage.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich12/81
Grilled Rosemary Lamb with Juicy Tomatoes
Lamb shoulder: not just for braising! For this grilled lamb recipe, separating the shoulder into a few smaller-size pieces before marinating makes it less unwieldy on the grill and allows you to monitor the internal temperature more easily.
- John Kernick13/81
Grilled Yogurt-Marinated Leg of Lamb
Let the yogurt work its marinade magic overnight in this stunning grilled meat recipe. Look for a small butterflied boneless leg of lamb at your supermarket, or ask your butcher to butterfly one for you.
- Photo by Peden + Munk14/81
Baby Back Ribs with Tamarind Glaze
A tamarind glaze gives these grilled ribs an intoxicatingly sweet, spicy, and sour flavor.
- Photo by Peden & Munk15/81
Lamb Chops Scottadito with Charred Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic- and rosemary-marinated lamb chops are grilled and then topped with cherry tomatoes in this summery Italian dish.
- Photo by Ted Cavanaugh16/81
Cumin-Chile Lamb Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt
Cubed lamb is coated in cumin and other aromatics in this straightforward kebab recipe. Serve the kebabs with a lemony garlic yogurt for a cooling contrast.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, and Ali Nardi17/81
Brown Sugar BBQ Pork Butt
As far as grilled pork recipes go, you could do worse than to use this one as the base for bo ssäm, banh mi, or this chef's salad with chimichurri ranch dressing. Or you could just douse the meat with a little vinegar and have yourself a mighty fine BBQ sandwich.
- 18/81
Seven-Spice Grilled Lamb Chops with Parsley Salad
The Lebanese-inspired spice blend—featuring warm flavors of cumin, cardamom, and more—is lovely on these grilled lamb chops, but it's terrific on chicken and pork chops as well.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich19/81
Sticky-Sweet Grilled Pork Shoulder with Hoisin and Molasses
Inspired by the classic Cantonese barbecued pork dish known as char siu and gloriously shellacked with a molasses glaze, the pork in this recipe should be fridge-cold when you roast it, so take it straight from the refrigerator to the grill.
- Photo by Peden + Munk20/81
Soy-Basted Pork Chops with Herbs and Jalapeños
Brush thin cuts of meat with a sweet and spicy marinade for a powerfully flavorful grilled dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Photo by Peden + Munk, Prop Styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky, Food Styling by Sue Li21/81
Pork Tenderloin with Peach-Mustard Sauce
The key with tenderloin is making sure it’s not overcooked, which is when it gets dry. The riper the peaches, the more delicious and nuanced the sauce will be.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones22/81
Market Suya (Nigerian Skewers)
In this version of a traditional Nigerian street food, skewers of shrimp, beef, and chicken are rubbed with a mix of ground peanuts, cayenne, and ginger; a tomato-cream dipping sauce quells some of the heat.
- Peden and Munk Taylor and Jen23/81
Mint and Cumin–Spiced Lamb Chops
A minty spice rub perfumes these succulent lamb chops with tons of flavor.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich24/81
Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Turmeric Glaze
The sweet-and-sour glaze on these pork chops gets them good and dark, coating them with rich flavor—don’t be afraid to let them get a little black.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich25/81
Grilled Pork Ribs with Gochujang Barbecue Sauce
These grilled pork ribs are all about the sauce, whose ingredients are few but mighty: You'll amp up the already-intense Korean chile paste gochujang with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and a bit of spicy adobo sauce.
- Photo by Ted Cavanaugh26/81
Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile–Pumpkin Seed Salsa
For these grilled pork kebabs, boneless pork shoulder is sliced 1/4" thick, then flavored with brown sugar, mustard powder, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne before being grilled over direct heat for a few minutes. They'll finish on the cooler side of the grill.
- Photo by Alex Lau27/81
Pork Chops with Radishes and Charred Scallions
A crisp, assertive salad of shaved radishes and parsley provides an addictive counterpoint to these fennel-rubbed, fire-kissed pork chops.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kendra Smoot28/81
Grilled Lamb Chops and Peppers
Lamb chops need enough time on the grill to let the fat render. You’ll get flare-ups as the fat melts onto the coals—that’s inevitable—but instead of letting the chops char, just move them to a new spot as needed and keep going.
- David Malosh29/81
Lemongrass Pork Patties With Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
Wrap slider-sized pork patties in tender lettuce leaves and serve with plenty of spicy sauce on the side for dipping.
- Photo by Peden + Munk30/81
Spice-Marinated and Grilled Lamb Chops
You don’t need a roaring-hot grill for this lamb chops recipe. Grilling them over moderate heat will allow some of the fat to soften and render.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton31/81
Grilled Steak Panzanella Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
Make the most of ripe summer tomatoes by turning their juices into a dressing for this grilled bread and hanger steak salad.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich32/81
Grilled Strip Steak with Blistered Tomatoes and Green Beans
Grill cherry tomatoes in a skillet alongside strip steaks until charred and saucy, then toss them with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and red chile for a sweet, tangy, perfect summer sauce.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani33/81
Grilled Bistecca with Herby Fish Sauce
Why baste your steak with fish sauce? It's called umami. Get into it.
- Marcus Nilsson34/81
Burger Deluxe
For the best grilled burger, don't press on the patties while they char—the technique may be great for smashburgers, but here it will result in a dry, lifeless burger.
- Photo by Alex Lau35/81
Vietnamese-Style Pork Chops with Fresh Herb Salad
A heavy-hitting marinade and a refreshing, herby plum salad transform bone-in pork chops into an easy, irresistible summer meal.
- Marcus Nilsson36/81
Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde
The age-old combo of lamb and mint gets a smart upgrade in this summer grilling recipe, where the herb is folded into a tangy yogurt sauce and the meat cooks luxuriantly over smoky, indirect heat.
- Photo by Evan Sung © 201637/81
Grilled Beef Skirt Steak With Onion Marinade
You put in very little effort and come out looking like a terribly accomplished chef: This is one of those recipes. One of its secrets? Skirt steak, whose relatively loose grain soaks up a marinade incredibly well.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/81
Cold Beef Tenderloin with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
This recipe asks you to create two temperature zones on your grill, which is 1) really easy and 2) well worth doing for this amazing beef tenderloin, which you'll sear first over high heat before finishing it on the cooler side. The result? A perfect medium-rare cut.
- Francesco Tonelli39/81
Kalbi
Kalbi—marinated short ribs—are a classic at Korean barbecue restaurants, but they're eminently achievable at home. For dishes to serve them with, take a spin through some of our other Korean faves.
- Photo by Alex Lau40/81
Pork Cutlets with Cantaloupe Salad
Grilled pork cutlets meet grated cantaloupe in this intoxicating summer recipe. Top it all off with crunchy peanuts and eat outside if you can.
- Photo by Nicole Franzen41/81
Habanero-Marinated Pork Chops with Mustard Greens Slaw
This marinade packs sweet citrus flavor and extra spice into pork chops both before, and after, they hit the grill.
- Marcus Nilsson42/81
Grilled Fennel-Rubbed Triple-Cut Pork Chops
To get a true reading on the chops, make sure the thermometer is dead in the center and not too close to the bones, where the temperature will be higher.
- Roland Bello43/81
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Herb Salt
Save time (and stress) by grilling the lamb a few hours ahead of time and slicing it at room temperature.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Dawn Perry44/81
Steakburger with Tangy Caramelized Onions and Herb Butter
This luxe burger gets its umami-packed richness from dry-aged steak. One bite of the juicy patty, steak sauce–flavored onions, and rich herb butter and you'll know it's worth every penny.
- Marcus Nilsson45/81
Chi Spacca's Bistecca Fiorentina
Sometimes your grilled steaks don't need anything more than a generous shake of salt and freshly ground pepper, and in this recipe that's all they get.
- Photo by Jennifer Davick46/81
Grilled Lamb Chops with Kefir Verde Sauce
Step up your marinade game by soaking lamb chops in tart pomegranate juice and tenderizing kefir. The chops will develop a beautiful caramelization during grilling, thanks to the natural sugars in the marinade.
- Photo by Kristin Perers47/81
Turkish Kebabs
This recipe is for classic Turkish lamb kebabs, with a marinade that includes tomato paste and a mix of spices for an intense flavor.
- Tara Donne48/81
Grilled Sichuan Cumin Lamb Chops with Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Quick pickled cucumbers tame the heat of this otherwise fiery dish, which calls for lamb shoulder blade chops—an underrated cut, and an Epi fave, that's flavorful and inexpensive.
- Hirsheimer & Hamilton49/81
Vietnamese Pork Chops
Go light on the salt when seasoning these chops; the marinade is fairly salty, especially after it reduces.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Michelle Gatton, prop styling by Alyssa Pagano50/81
All-Purpose Barbecue Ribs
Turn your favorite ribs into the ultimate barbecue dinner with this all-purpose recipe.
- Photo by Peden & Munk51/81
Spiced and Grilled Steaks With Citrus Chutney
Sugar in the dry spice mix (the real-deal secret to more flavorful steak) will help these steaks take on color quickly, so keep a close eye on them.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell52/81
Grilled Steak, Vegetable, and Quinoa Salad with Yogurt-Tahini Dressing
Grilled fennel, tomatoes, and scallions, plus cumin-rubbed grilled steak, turn this quinoa salad into a one-dish dinner you'll want to keep serving all summer long.
- Photo by Christina Holmes53/81
Grilled Flatiron Steak with Toasted Spice Vinaigrette
Plenty of grilled steak recipes ask you to let the meat rest for a few minutes after cooking, but this one features a special trick: Resting that steak on top of the sliced tomato will allow their juices to meld together spectacularly.
- Tara Donne54/81
Grilled Moroccan Spiced Pork Tenderloin
Serve this flavorful tenderloin with warm grilled naan, grilled Halloumi, and plain yogurt to make it a meal.
- Peden + Munk55/81
Grilled Saffron Rack of Lamb
This vibrant grilled lamb recipe from Samin Nosrat calls for the meat to be marinated overnight in a flavorful mix of yogurt, garlic, lemon, and saffron.
- Hirsheimer & Hamilton56/81
Strip Steak with Japanese Dipping Sauce
Give steaks a boost with a homemade herb rub and a citrusy ponzu dipping sauce.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson57/81
3-Ingredient Grilled Steak, Pineapple, and Avocado Salad
A fresh, bright pineapple dressing ties together this irresistible three-ingredient steak dinner.
- Photo by Gentl & Hyers58/81
Tri-Tip with Chimichurri
This grilled steak recipe calls for tri-tip—a tender, triangular cut of beef tucked near the sirloin—but plain old sirloin steaks are great too. It won't taste plain, particularly with garlicky, herby chimichurri spooned on top.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell59/81
Grilled Short Ribs and Lettuces with Mustard-Orange Dressing
Flanken-style short ribs are an affordable, quick-cooking cut that benefits from a bittersweet, mustardy orange-marmalade marinade. Char some lettuces while you've got that grill going and call it dinner.
- Austin Bush60/81
Curry-and-Coconut-Milk-Grilled Pork Skewers
The little bits of fatback on the pork shoulder add an extra layer of deliciousness.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes61/81
Grilled Marinated Sirloin Flap Steaks
This simple marinade—a combination of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup—is one you'll turn to over and over again.
- Photo by Ditte Isager.62/81
Flank Steak with Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
For the best flavor, prepare the salad a few hours ahead of the time to let the juices marry.
- Alex Farnum63/81
Grilled Meatball Sandwich
Grilled meatballs, grilled bread, and a peppery arugula-walnut pesto make this sandwich one to remember.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich64/81
Grilled Brisket with Scallion-Peanut Salsa
It may seem like blasphemy to toss brisket onto a hot grill; but this method for thinly sliced, marinated meat results in flavorful, juicy steak strips for everyone.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege65/81
Grain Bowls with Grilled Corn, Steak, and Avocado
This Tex-Mex-inspired grain bowl is good at any temp, so the components—including the steak—can be made ahead and assembled on the fly. Ten minutes later? Dinner.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou66/81
Soy Sauce–Marinated Grilled Flank Steak and Scallions
We're flipping the script and marinating after grilling. In this case, the meat in question is flank steak, and the flavor comes from a spicy-sweet mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha. You can marinate it up to an hour before serving.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews67/81
Grilled Steak With Peas and Eggplant Over Whipped Ricotta
No pots or pans needed for this easy summertime recipe. Just fire up the grill!
- Peden and Munk Taylor and Jen68/81
Grilled Steak with Parsley-Parmesan Salad
The rich and beefy flatiron is also known as a top blade steak, but you can use any cut.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich69/81
Grilled Chile-Lemongrass Short Ribs with Pickled Daikon
If you've ever had kalbi at a Korean barbecue restaurant, you've had grilled flanken-style short ribs. Look for them prepackaged in the meat case, or ask your butcher. This concentrated, aromatic, spicy-sweet chile paste seasons the ribs robustly in as little as 15 minutes.
- Christopher Testani70/81
Grilled Short Ribs with Lemon and Parsley
Short ribs aren’t just for slow braising—they’re great on the grill, tenderized with a citrus marinade.
- Gentl & Hyers71/81
Grilled Sliced Brisket
Edward Kim, of Mott St in Chicago, grills brisket with no seasoning at all. Freezing this brisket will help you get the easiest, most even slices.
- Photo by Jim Henkens72/81
Chuck Eye with Carrot Top Salsa Verde
Grill tender, inexpensive chuck eye steaks and top with a salsa verde made with carrot tops instead of parsley—it's gorgeous on pretty much anything!
- Randy Harris73/81
Grilled Skirt Steak with Herb Salsa Verde
Only spoon half of the salsa verde over the steak before serving—let everyone spoon the remainder over their serving themselves.
- Photo by Lennart Weibull.74/81
Dry-Rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa
A spicy and sweet powerhouse seasoning blend packs layers of flavor onto grilled flank steak topped with a salad of tomatoes and corn.
- Photo by Ted Cavanaugh75/81
Coconut-Marinated Short Rib Kebabs with Peanut-Chile Oil
Braising gets all the glory, but there's more than one way to cook short ribs. The gorgeous marbling encourages crispy bits when these kebabs hit the open flame, and the umami-forward marinade—redolent of lemongrass, garlic and ginger, and fish sauce—is one you'll find yourself returning to.
- Linda Xiao76/81
Grilled Short Ribs with Sesame-Chipotle Mole
Grilled meat recipes don't get more straightforward than this one: Simply blitz together an easy, vibrantly red mole sauce, season your short ribs, then cook them over a fairly hot flame. That's all there is to it.
- Photo by Cedric Angeles77/81
Slate-Grilled Porterhouse, Summer Vegetables, and Sourdough Bread
This mixed-grill recipe, from French chef Eric Ripert, yields a summery feast, the tender steaks at the center of the meal complemented by a bounty of eggplant, tomato, and zucchini, and grilled bread for sopping up the various juices.
- Tara Donne78/81
Grilled Soy-Tamarind Denver Steaks
A tender, well-marbled cut from the shoulder, the Denver steak is a relatively new name for an old butchers' favorite steak.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott79/81
Ember-Grilled Steak with Bay Leaf Browned Butter
In grilled steak recipes as in roast turkey recipes, it often helps to salt the meat and refrigerate it, uncovered, for a while before you plan to cook it—that concentrates the flavors and ensures maximum juiciness.
- Photo by Eva Kolenko80/81
Hawaiian Rib-Eye Steak
A Hawaiian-inspired mixture of pineapple juice, soy sauce, and vinegar adds an intense jolt of flavor to this juicy rib eye, which you'll want to marinate in the fridge for at least a day.
- Photo by Peden + Munk81/81
Grilled Bone-In Rib Eye
Let it rain with the kosher salt—for the best flavor, you want to season these simple steaks really well before they get grilled.
Tiffany Hopkins
Amiel Stanek
Emily Johnson
Wilder Davies