36 cookout recipes

Cold wild rice salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and a lemon vinaigrette. A large-batch grain salad that's perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts.

Grilled sausage kabobs with bratwurst, Italian sausage, kielbasa, and new potatoes basted in a bacon-beer BBQ sauce. Three sausage varieties on one skewer for the ultimate cookout.

Designed for the grill, this leg of lamb is butterflied and marinated in balsamic and mint for easy grilling. Perfect for a summer cook-out or Easter dinner.

Confetti rice salad starts with chicken-flavored rice pilaf tossed with green onions, pimentos, and a sweet vinegar dressing. A colorful, make-ahead cold side dish for cookouts.

Master flank steak marinates two trimmed flank steaks in barbecue sauce for 4 to 6 hours, then grills to your preferred doneness. A two-ingredient summer cookout staple.

Gazpacho relish for hot dogs: chopped tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, and garlic in a sweet-tangy red wine vinaigrette. Cookout topping that beats anything from a jar.

Grilled dessert kabobs with pound cake cubes coated in peanut butter and chopped peanuts, skewered with banana and nectarine, and basted with warm caramel sauce. A fun cookout finish.

Grilled pork tenderloin medallions in a bright marinade of white wine, lemon, honey and tarragon, flattened thin so they grill in minutes. A fast, flavorful cookout main that needs as little as 15 minutes to marinate.

Grilled chicken sandwiches piled high with a sweet-savory peach and caramelized onion relish spiked with sherry vinegar and crushed peppercorns. Summer cookout fare with a grown-up punch.

Carne asada y naranjas features skirt steak soaked in fresh orange juice, then grilled over charcoal alongside caramelized orange slices. Citrusy, smoky, and impossibly simple for a Mexican-inspired cookout.

Juicy grilled venison burgers with just ground pork fat mixed in for moisture. Four ingredients, ten minutes of prep, and you've got wild game burgers that rival any backyard cookout.

Crunchy no-mayo coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots tossed in a tangy tarragon-dill vinaigrette. A vibrant, make-ahead side dish that holds up at cookouts and potlucks.

Frozen brandy smashes blend apricot brandy with citrus juice and simple syrup, scooped into frosty little balls. A boozy frozen treat that's a hit at holiday parties and summer cookouts alike.

Charcoal-grilled hard-shell crabs brushed with Thai chili paste, tomato, and garlic olive oil, served with corn grilled in the husk. A summer cookout feast with an East-meets-West kick.

Enchilada chili dogs roll a hot dog and a smear of chili sauce inside a soft tortilla, then bake until golden. A fun, hand-held, kid-friendly mashup of two cookout favorites.

Herb-seasoned turkey burgers with tarragon and white wine, grilled and served with a homemade barbecue sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms, green pepper, garlic, and Tabasco. Makes 12 burgers for a crowd-ready cookout.