Grilling recipes for easy cookouts (2024)

Tasty Grilled Chicken

Dump out the charcoal, turn up the flame, throw a shrimp on the "bar-b" -- it's grill season.

While we've still got a few weeks until the true start of summer, most of us consider Memorial Day the unofficial start. And who says we can't start celebrating early with backyard barbeques and casual warm-weather get-togethers.

This summer we have a little help with our entertaining menu. If you want to go beyond burgers and dogs, "The Sunset Grill: 125 Tasty Recipes for Casual Get-Togethers and Easy Weeknight Cookouts" (Sunset Books, $21.95) is just the cookbook for you. Recipes like BBQ Ribs with Chili and Cumin or Garlic Butterflied Shrimp are just a few of the offerings.

The book, by the editors of Sunset Magazine and with a forward by authors Cheryl and Bill Jamison, aims to take the guesswork out of grilling with low-fuss recipes and great grilling how-tos. Here are a few recipes we liked:

TASTY GRILLED CHICKEN
Yield: 4 servings

8 skinned chicken drumsticks (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons basil oil or olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Prep and cook time: About 1 1/2 hours, plus 2 hours to marinate

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Combine orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, vinegar, basil oil, onion powder, sesame oil, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken to bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.

2. Prepare a grill for cooking over medium-high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of medium-hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high and close the lid, then open the lid and lower the heat to medium-high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).

3. Remove chicken from bag. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes.

4. Lay chicken on grill rack. If using a gas grill, close lid. Grill, turning and basting frequently with marinade, until chicken is cooked through (cut to test), about 30 minutes.

GARLIC BUTTERFLIED SHRIMP
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 1/2 to 3 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup butter
3 to 4 tablespoons minced garlic
6 to 8 flour tortillas (6-inch)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lime wedges

Prep and cook time: About 45 minutes

Garlic Butterflied Shrimp

1. Prepare the Salsa Cruda (see recipe below) and set aside. Cut each shrimp down the back, from neck to tail, almost all the way through. Rinse the shrimp and lay it open, cut side down, pressing gently to flatten. For easier handling and to hold the shrimp flat, run thin metal skewers, in parallel pairs, crosswise through shrimp, filling the skewers.

2. In a 6- to 8-inch frying pan over low heat, stir the butter and garlic occasionally until the butter melts, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Mix or brush the shrimp with 2/3 cup of the butter mixture.

3. Prepare a grill for cooking over high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 2 to 3 seconds).

Lay the skewered shrimp on the grill rack. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Cook, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in the thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. While the shrimp are cooling, warm the flour tortillas on the grill.

4. Warm the remaining garlic butter and spoon over the shrimp. Season with salt, pepper, and lime to taste. Wrap the shrimp in the tortillas and serve with the Salsa Cruda.

SALSA CRUDA FOR FISH AND POULTRY

3 fresh Anaheim chiles (9 ounces total)
1 1/2 pounds firm, ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 green onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh Serrano chiles (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Rinse, stem, seed and chop the Anaheim chiles. In a bowl, mix the Anaheim chiles, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, and Serrano chiles with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and chill up to 1 day.

BBQ RIBS WITH CHILI AND CUMIN
Yield: 4 main-course servings

1/4 cup chili powder (see Notes)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon hot dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 rack baby back ribs (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds), fat trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
2 limes, quartered

Prep and cook time: About 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 8 hours to season

BBQ Ribs with Chili and Cumin

1. In a bowl, mix chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, mustard, salt, pepper and cloves. Rinse ribs and pat dry. Rub ribs all over with spice mixture. Wrap airtight and chill 8 hours or overnight.

2. Prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, light 50 to 60 briquets and let burn until covered with ash, about 20 to 30 minutes, then mound them to one side. Place a drip pan on the side cleared of coals -- this is the indirect-heat area. If using a gas grill, turn all burners to high and close the lid.

When inside temperature reaches 350 to 400 degrees, lift the lid, turn off one of the burners, and lower the other burner(s) to medium. Place a drip pan under the turned-off burner -- this is the indirect-heat area.

3. Set the oiled grill rack in place. Lay the ribs on the grill rack (not directly over heat) and cover the barbecue (if using charcoal, open vents). Cook until the meat is browned, about 15 minutes, turning the ribs once midway through the cooking time. Wrap the ribs in foil and return to the grill. Cook until the meat is tender when pierced, about 30 minutes longer.

4. Transfer the ribs to a platter and cut apart between the bones. Garnish with the lime wedges to squeeze over the ribs to taste.
Notes: Ribs can be rubbed in the spice mixture up to 1 day ahead.