33 Best BBQ Menu Ideas for Easy Summer Get-Togethers at Home

Denise Browning
·9 min read

All over the country temperatures are at their highest and Labor Day is upon us, which means backyard barbecue season only has a couple more months left! Get ready to fire up the grill for the ultimate cookout feast on September 5th with these tried-and-true (and maybe a few new) flame-kissed recipes.

What to Bring to a BBQ

Before you get overwhelmed trying to make as many dishes as you can, first plan ahead and make a single trip to your grocery store to get all the items for your BBQ menu ideas. Some must-have ingredients include store-bought chips, dips and fruit platters, homemade barbecue sauce and of course, meats and fish to grill such as pork ribs, sausage, shrimp, salmon, beef spare ribs and chicken drumsticks.

Related: How Much Potato Salad Do You Need Per Person for Your BBQ?

Best Vegetarian BBQ Menu Ideas

For a vegetarian menu, seasonal vegetables, pineapple, watermelon, grilling cheeses, pound cake and bread are just the ticket.

Best BBQ Menu Desserts and Drinks

But no barbecue party is complete without summer desserts or chocolate desserts. And above all, summer temps call for a refreshing drink such as a fruit lemonade or a Brazilian limeade that you can make in the blender and requires no peeling or simple syrup.

Related: 21 Stress-Free Barbecue Recipes

Best BBQ Menu Ideas and Side Barbecue Dishes

Most of these barbecue recipes are easy to prepare—meaning they require less than 10 ingredients.

Some of our main dishes are cooked entirely on the grill, such as the Red Wine Barbecue Pork Ribs and the Grilled Chicken Legs Wrapped in Bacon. In contrast, others, such as our Char Siu, are partially cooked in the slow cooker or pressure cooker and then finished either on the grill or in the oven.

If you feel like cooking some of your mains ahead of time in the oven, such as our Brazilian Pork Ribs, go for it! It will free your grill up for cooking other meats and vegetables on the BBQ day.

The same applies to your side dishes. Make-ahead side dishes such as a hearty potato salad or homemade coleslaw are always a good call.

Related: Healthy BBQ Party Side Dishes

Try all of these 33 best BBQ menu ideas for those last summer get-togethers of the season!

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Easy Barbecue Recipes and Side Dishes

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