People often ask me which BBQ recipes they should try first. With more than 570 recipes on Girls Can Grill, I know it can be hard to decide where to begin.
These five are some of my favorites because they’re approachable, packed with flavor and each teaches you a useful grilling technique. You’ll learn how to set up a grill for two-zone cooking, smoke meat low and slow, reverse sear a roast and cook food to the right internal temperature.
You don’t need a fancy smoker or years of experience. Pick the recipe that sounds best, fire up your grill and start cooking.
How to smoke dino ribs (beef plate ribs)
Smoked Dino Bones (Beef Plate Ribs)
These are the ribs I make on episode 1 of Food Network Pitmasters, and they’re the meatiest, beefiest ribs you can get. I call them brisket on a stick.
Don’t let the size intimidate you. Dino ribs are one of the most forgiving cuts to smoke. All that marbling from the plate primal keeps them moist, so you don’t even need to wrap them.
Smoke them at 250-275F degrees for 5-6 hours until they hit around 205F degrees internal. If your grocery store doesn’t carry them, ask your butcher to order cut 123A.
Smoked mac and cheese
Smoked Mac and Cheese
This smoked mac and cheese recipe went viral for a reason. It’s creamy, cheesy and impossible to mess up.
There’s no fussing with a roux. The sauce comes together with butter, milk, shredded cheese and Velveeta. Don’t knock the Velveeta until you try it. It’s the magic ingredient that makes the sauce so creamy.
PRO TIP: Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains starches that keep the sauce from getting silky. No smoker? Bake it in a 350F degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Grilled tri tip on a gas grill
Grilled Tri Tip on a Gas Grill
Want a steak night that’s more affordable? Tri tip is your answer.
This recipe teaches you the reverse sear, a technique you’ll use on steaks and roasts forever. Cook the tri tip over indirect heat at 350F degrees first. Then move it over direct heat and sear it to an internal temperature of 130F degrees.
Let it rest for 15 minutes, then slice against the grain. Tri tip has two grain directions, so pay attention when you cut. The full recipe shows you exactly where to slice.
The best grilled shrimp on the planet
The Best Grilled Shrimp on the Planet
Big claim, I know. But one secret ingredient earns it: sesame oil. It’s a concentrated burst of umami that somehow amplifies the sweetness of the shrimp.
Grill the shrimp with the shells on. The shells protect the meat from the heat and lock in flavor. Then everyone peels and eats.
From marinade to table, you’re looking at about 15 minutes. If you’re feeding a crowd, double or triple the recipe. These disappear fast.
Quick and juicy grilled pork tenderloin
Quick and Juicy Grilled Pork Tenderloin
This is my weeknight workhorse. Four ingredients and dinner is on the table in 30 minutes.
The trick is smearing the pork tenderloin with mayonnaise mixed with pork rub. The mayo helps the seasoning stick and keeps the outside from drying out. I’ve been using this technique for more than a decade.
Grill it over direct heat, then finish over indirect heat until it reaches 145F degrees. Yes, slightly pink pork is safe. That’s the USDA-approved temperature, and it’s the secret to juicy pork every time.
Master these 5 recipes and you’ll have the core skills of BBQ: two-zone grilling, reverse searing, low and slow smoking and cooking to temperature instead of time.
Once you’ve got these down, the rest of my 570-plus recipes are yours for the taking. Fire it up.
