21. Grilled Chicken Wings
These wings skip the fryer entirely and nobody misses it. Split wings get tossed in a little oil and a smoky dry rub with brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin and garlic, then go over direct heat at about 400 to 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, turned every few minutes. The oil keeps them from sticking, so there’s no need to oil the grates. Take them to 170°F instead of 165°F. That little bit extra makes the meat far more tender. Brush on BBQ sauce for the last 5 minutes or keep a cup of ranch close by for dunking.
22. Grilled Pork Chops
A great pork chop is a weeknight hero. These are thick-cut and bone-in, with crosshatch grill marks that look like they came straight from a steakhouse, then finished with fresh parsley. The key to juicy chops is pulling them off the grill just as they hit 145°F and letting them rest a few minutes. Serve them with grilled veggies or corn on the cob and dinner is done with almost no cleanup.
23. Ginger, Bourbon & Garlic Glazed Steak
This marinade means business. Fresh garlic and ginger get whirled together, then mixed with soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice, honey, fish sauce, a splash of bourbon, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and green onions. Flank or top loin steak soaks in it for at least an hour before it hits the grill. The photo serves it sliced over noodles with mango and cucumber, a fresh way to make it a full meal.
24. Grilled Mango Salsa Salmon
This is the salmon you make when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. Skin-on fillets get olive oil, salt and pepper, then go on a 450°F grill (a grill pan works too) for about 6 minutes total. A bright mango avocado salsa with red onion, lime, cilantro and a little chile goes on top. Leave the skin on even if you won’t eat it. It holds the fish together and keeps it from falling through the grates. Let the fillets come to room temperature first and don’t flip them until they release on their own.
25. Grilled Ribeye with Bleu Cheese Butter
Ribeye plus butter is already a winning plan. This one adds blue cheese. The steaks get a dry rub of salt, pepper, a little sugar, chili powder, onion flakes, smoked paprika and cumin before going over direct heat. Meanwhile, softened butter gets mixed with blue cheese crumbles, dill and Worcestershire. Set a slice on the hot steak and let it melt into every corner. It takes about 25 minutes and it’s pure indulgence.
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