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Get out the grill! Welcome back BBQ season with lots of vegetarian options, burgers, chicken, and even dessert

Take your ribs outside — and your salad and sundae too!

Take your ribs outside — and your salad and sundae too!

CBC Life ·
3 images side-by-side: grilled romaine lettuce; a burger with salsa; a rack of grilled ribs
(Photography, left: EE Berger; middle: David Loftus; right: Michael Gozum)

This article was originally published May 14, 2021 and was updated May 16, 2024.

Welcome back to BBQ season! In celebration of its return, and our desire to spend as much time as possible outside this summer — cooking and dining, included — we've compiled a list of our best recipes to take to the grill. Maybe you've got a public grill in a park nearby, or a portable one to take to picnics (check for rules and permit requirements!). Or maybe you're lifting the cover off your barbecuing beast in your backyard! In any case, you're probably ready and eager for a fresh season of searing and the promise of al fresco cooking after so much cooking and eating at home. 

We have techniques for grilling corn (don't bother boiling!) and other vegetables better, including lettuce.

And don't forget about whole fish like sea bass or branzino, here's how to clean and fillet a whole one at home. 

Below you'll find inspiration for all of those along with recipes for burgers, seafood, ribs, and even a sundae made better with the BBQ.

Jerk Chicken

Closeup on a white plate of jerk chicken on a wooden cutting board. The plate contains jerk chicken on rice and beans, with a side of plantain and some coleslaw.
(Source: Dwight Smith)

BBQ Chimichurri Chicken

Close up of chicken covered with chimichurri sauce cooking on a grill.
(Photo credit: Adrian Harris and Jeremy Inglett)

Grilled Radicchio Salad with Tahini & Chive Dressing

Overhead shot of a platter of grilled radicchio topped with red onion, radish slices and tahini sauce.

Jean Yoon's Kalbi Beef Short Ribs

Overhead shot of a platter with beef short ribs, lettuce, muchrooms and a small bowl of sauce.

Chickpea Burgers With Halloumi and Roasted Tomatoes

2 chickpea burgers on a wooden serving platter.
(Credit: Shahir Massoud)

Smoky Stone Fruit and Bourbon BBQ Ribs

overhead shot of a rack of ribs on a wooden cutting board on a wooden table. peaches, plums, a small bowl of BBQ sauce and a bottle of bourbon sit around the board.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Orange-Basil Watermelon Salad with Grilled Calamari

Overhead shot of 2 plates of salad with watermelon and grilled calamari.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Charred Whole Romaine w/ Hard-Boiled Egg, Anchovy Vinaigrette, and Garlic Bread Crumbs

2 heads of grilled romaine lettuce with salad dressing and crumbled egg.
(Photography by EE Berger)

Tandoori Lamb Cutlets

Grilled lamb cutlets on a wooden cutting board.
(Credit: Faith Mason)

Guacamole with Grilled Jalapenos

A bowl of guacamole on a wooden cutting board with tortilla chips on it. Grilled jalapeños, sliced lime and avocado sit next to it.
(Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Lamb Rib Burger with Pineapple Salsa

Closeup on a lamb burger with pineapple salsa.
(Credit: David Loftus)

Grilled Potato Salad

A platter of grilled lettuce, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Chili-Topped Hotdogs

Closeup on a hot dog with mustard and onions.
(Source: Instagram/@fancy_franks)

Chocolate-Tahini Fudge Sundae with Grilled Peaches

Hot fudge being poured from a small blue dish into a sundae in a tall glass with layers of vanilla ice cream, fudge and peaches. A marble tray with peach slices and another sundae sit behind it. It all sits on a grey wood surface.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

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