Our 15 Favorite Recipes for Your Charcoal Grill from Around the Web

Last Updated on October 29, 2021

Charcoal grills are fantastic for cooking great food for your friends and family, but did you ever wonder if you could be a bit more creative? Cooking your food on the charcoal grill lends a truly unique texture and flavor that you can’t replicate in an oven. If you’re getting tired of making the same few tried and tested recipes, just know that you can produce all kinds of food on the charcoal grill, not just steak, hotdogs and burgers. 

So, if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration and some fresh new ideas to help you produce delicious meals on your charcoal grill, below are 15 mouthwatering recipes that you can produce using just your humble at-home charcoal grill. 

Beer Can Chicken

The idea behind this recipe is simple: make incredibly moist and succulent chicken by steaming the inside while creating a crisp, golden skin using the grill. This creates the perfect balance of textures and flavors. This recipe originates from Louisiana – so you know there’s some real chicken expertise behind it. It’s also incredibly simple and uses ingredients you most likely have in your pantry already. 

On top of that, it also means that you can open a can of beer and drink half of it before you’ve even started the cooking! Placing the half-full can into the chicken’s cavity ensures that there is no moisture loss during cooking. Remember to place the chicken over indirect heat for the best results.

Sticky BBQ Ribs

Plenty of people love cooking ribs on the charcoal grill, but this recipe shows you how to really master the technique. What you need to know is that it’s all about preparation when it comes to making the perfect fall-off-the-bone ribs. 

This recipe provides you with plenty of choices when it comes to the type of rub you decide to use, as well as the type of ribs you buy to cook. It’s also got some invaluable advice on the steps behind the cooking process from start to finish. This includes the wrapping of the ribs toward the end of the process and explaining how to finish them off by smoking them. It also demonstrates how to apply a sauce to get that true authentic sticky taste. 

Sumptuous Smoked Brisket

You might think you need to be a true seasoned professional or even a chef to attempt something like brisket on your charcoal grill. If you have found it intimidating to attempt cooking brisket on your grill, this is the recipe to check out. 

It talks you through all of the various techniques behind getting things just right. It explains in simple terms how you need to consider the weight of your brisket, as well as how to season it properly. It also shows you how to prepare the meat, including trimming and how to prepare your grill for cooking. You can also find some fantastic tips on how to ensure your meat retains its moisture throughout the process. 

Smoked Turkey Breast

If you want to give your Thanksgiving dinner a boost, you’ll want to check out this recipe. It tells you everything you need to know about producing the most succulent turkey breast using your charcoal grill. 

It shows you how to make a fantastic but simple brine and herb butter rub to lock in the flavors of your meat. It’s got some really useful tips on correctly brining your meat to ensure it is as juicy as possible. It has exact timings and internal temperatures to check with your meat thermometer, so you know it’s just right every time. As a bonus, it also has some great ideas for accompaniments to go with the turkey breast.

Read Also: Smoking a Turkey in an Electric Smoker.

Persian Style Grilled Lamb Chops

Lamb chops on the charcoal grill is another recipe you may have tried before and loved, but that seems uninspiring after a while. If you’re looking to inject a little more fun and a lot more flavor into your next grilled lamb chops, this is the recipe for you. The most important secret here is the flavor explosion is the marinade. 

The recipe also stresses the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients, such as saffron, to make a difference in the final flavors. This recipe is also high protein, low carb, gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free. It also explains some important steps to ensure you cook your meat exactly how you like it done while retaining a juicy center.

Seafood Paella

Seafood might not always be the first place your mind goes when deciding what to cook on your charcoal grill, but we’ve found a recipe to change all that. This Spanish seafood paella is made all the more wonderful by infusing it with the smoky flavors of the charcoal grill. 

You’ll even find some wine pairing recommendations. The recipe uses traditional Spanish ingredients to deliver that distinctive and authentic Mediterranean taste. It also has directions on how to prepare your grill correctly and how to know when your dish is cooked properly. This is a labor of love, but the flavors and textures produced in the end will be worth all the effort. 

Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon

If you love seafood, you need to try out this grilled cedar plank salmon recipe. It shows how you can delicately infuse the tender salmon with the wonderful smokiness of the charcoal grill for a dish that everyone will love. The best thing about it? Not only is it delicious, but it’s healthy, too. 

You’ll be getting your daily dose of omega-3s all while chowing down on some flaky, herby salmon. The recipe explains why cedar planks make all the difference to the result. The ingredients themselves are simple so as not to detract from the smoky flavor imparted by the planks. 

Crowd-Pleasing Pizza

What’s one of the recipes that you can guarantee will go down a treat with almost anyone? It’s got to be pizza. If you’ve never tried making a pizza on your charcoal grill, you are missing out! It is a somewhat tricky process, but once you have the technique down, you’ll produce pizzas one after the other. 

This recipe doesn’t even require a pizza stone or any extra equipment; however, it gives you clear and concise instructions on how to achieve a crispy base and perfectly melted and cooked toppings every time. Once you have practiced this recipe a few times, it will become a staple in your charcoal grilling repertoire.  

Smoked Onion Dip

No BBQ meal is complete without some accompaniments. You often think of whipping up some salad or coleslaw in the kitchen or getting in some dips. But have you ever considered making your own sides and dips with the use of your charcoal grill? 

This smoked onion dip is the perfect accompaniment to a variety of grilled meats. All you’ll need is your charcoal grill and a heavy cast iron pan. With a fairly small list of ingredients and the smoky flavor added by cooking on the charcoal grill, you can produce something mouthwatering. The star of the show is the onions, something everyone has in their pantry or fridge.  

Hot Crab Dip

Another amazing dip recipe uses the delicate flavor of crab to create a creamy, cheesy accompaniment to your other dishes. Crabmeat doesn’t need a lot of added ingredients; often, the fewer, the better. With a few simple but good quality ingredients and your charcoal grill, you can whip up an impressive tasting dip. 

There is not a lot of prep for this one at all. Just preheat the grill, combine all the ingredients, and place them in a baking dish. Make sure you use a dish that can withstand the temperatures of a charcoal grill. Simply cook for 30 minutes, and it’s ready to serve with chunks of grilled baguette or triangles of pita bread.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

You might have tried sweet potatoes in several different ways, but they shine through when cooked on the charcoal grill. Don’t just reserve sweet potatoes for once a year at the holidays- they serve as a great side dish, adding a healthy twist to any meal. This particular recipe is great for those of you who don’t want to have to worry about buying a ton of new ingredients that you might never use again. 

All you need to season the sweet potatoes is pepper, garlic salt, and smoked paprika for that extra kick of flavor. Another big plus to this one is how simple they are to prepare and how quick they are to cook. Just heat your grill, toss the prepared sweet potatoes in the seasoning and olive oil, and cook until fork-tender. That really is all there is to it.

Buffalo Cauliflower 

Buffalo cauliflower recipes are everywhere at the moment, and everyone seems to be trying their hand at creating the perfect recipe. This dish is great for all your vegetarian guests and will go down well with the meat-eaters, too. Cooking the buffalo cauliflower on your charcoal grill gives it a charred, smoky tang that is impossible to resist. 

This recipe has a few steps to it, but it is worth it in the end. You’ll need to spend some of the time grilling the cauliflower and then grab your cast iron skillet to finish it off. It also has a creamy buttermilk ranch dressing recipe to go alongside it that will just take the edge off the spicy buffalo sauce. 

Fabulous Focaccia

Carbs. Everyone loves them. But did you know that making wonderfully crispy golden-crusted bread with a soft, fragrant center can be done on your charcoal grill? The heat of the grill and the flavor the charcoal imparts might just produce your best ever focaccia. This recipe runs down everything you need to make the perfect dough with fantastic bread for sharing with guests. 

It also has clear and detailed instructions on how to know when your bread is cooked, what herbs to use, and other garnishes you could try. The best thing about this recipe is that you don’t need any special preparation for your grill: the bread will cook at around the same temperature as you’d cook your chicken or chops. 

Grilled Peaches

No meal is complete without something sweet afterward. And if you never thought of making a dessert on your charcoal BBQ, there’s a first time for everything. This recipe is so simple to make, but you’ll be surprised at just how popular it is among friends and family when cooked on the charcoal grill. 

You have everything here, from the step-by-step guide on how to cut and prepare a peach properly to how to pit a peach and some helpful advice on how to pick the perfect one. With a drizzle of honey or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top to finish everything off after grilling, your guests will be sure to ask for seconds or maybe even thirds!

Blueberry and Peach Grilled Pie

This recipe is a great find if you’re looking for a bit more of an intricate but still deliciously sweet and satisfying dessert. You hardly need to do any prep with this one, as it recommends using a shop-bought frozen pie crust. This will save you a lot of time and will taste just as good as homemade. 

You need to ensure you place the pie in the indirect heat and then put the lid down. The combination of fruit and a crumbly pie crust is a classic, and that coupled with the delicate hint of smokiness added to the juicy fruits make for something a bit different. 

Switch Up Your Grill Game

These 15 inspiring recipes can help you do something a little bit different next time you light up your charcoal grill. You can’t beat the classics, but you really can do a lot with your grill other than just ribs and chicken. Whether cooking up some slow-cooked brisket and smoking it or whipping up a creamy smoked onion dip, you can create the whole spread just using your grill. And don’t forget to try bread, pizza and of course some sweet, smoky desserts to finish it all off nicely.