The Complete Grilling And Barbecuing Guide For Your Summer Parties

Do you really know the difference between grilling and barbecuing? Is your gilling repertoire limited to burgers and hot dogs? Have you ever made dessert on the grill? Here we have gathered together our best practical grilling tips to help you grill safely and successfully, have explained the basic rules of these cooking techniques, and selected our all-time favorite grilled and barbecued recipes.

Make sure you understand exactly how your grill works, and exactly what equipment you need to grill and barbecue to the best of your ability, for the tastiest summer dishes.

Before you use your grill, you need to clean it down thoroughly before you start: Make sure you do this every time to avoid the job being harder than it needs to be.

For a Complete Guide to Cleaning Your Grill, click here.

There are certain grilling tools which are totally unnecessary, but some really will make your grilling better, easier, and tastier. Make sure you're stocked up with a thermometer, long-handled tongs, and a metal spatula before you get started.

For 10 essential grilling tools, click here.

Grilling may seem like a super fun and tasty summer activity, but it can be dangerous, and painful mistakes can be made. Make sure you read up on how to grill safely before you begin.

For more tips on grilling safely, click here.

Meats cooked over a low and slow grill until tender, gradually obtaining a deep, smoky flavor from the burning wood and charcoal, is exactly why we're willing to put so much time into barbecuing our meat.

This wonderfully tender slow-cooked brisket is the tastiest centerpiece for all summertime family gatherings and potlucks.

For the Barbecued Beef Brisket recipe, click here.

These deeply caramelized, glazed beef ribs are a wonderful barbecue dish for an extravagant summer party.

For the Beef Ribs With Sorghum Glaze recipe, click here.

For the best ever pulled pork, invest in a smoker which can sit on top of your grill, enabling you to cook pork to Carolina barbecue-approved perfection.

For the Carolina Style Pulled Pork recipe, click here.

These juicy St. Louis-style spare ribs get a wonderful flavor from a sweet and spicy dry rub, and are perfect for serving at a leisurely weekend barbecue.

For the Championship Glazed Ribs recipe, click here.

All our favorite cuts of meat are best when grilled: The charred flavor, crisp exterior, and simple cooking technique come together to create the perfect taste of summer.

You can never go wrong with a classic burger: This simple, unadulterated recipe will please all the burger purists amongst you.

For the Best Burger Ever recipe, click here.

Rub the lamb chops with garlic and oregano, and season them with plenty of lemon juice for a Greek-inspired grilled lamb recipe.

For the Grilled Lamb Chops With Kokkari Dressing recipe, click here.

Skirt steak cooks really quickly, and is wonderful when coated in a spice rub and served with an Argentinian chimichurri sauce.

For the Grilled Skirt Steak With Chimichurri recipe, click here. 

Upgrade the classic hot dog by topping it with a simple, sweet, and chunky tomato and balsamic vinegar sauce.

For the Hot Dog With Onion, Tomato, and Balsamic Sauce recipe, click here.

You don't need to fry your wings to make the crispiest chicken dish: This grilled chicken recipe is perfect for the whole family.

For the Spicy Grilled Wings recipe, click here.

Spicy, blistered, juicy chicken which has been cooked in a fish sauce-based paste is best when served with a herb salad, and a vibrantly spicy sauce.

For the Thai Grilled Butterflied Chicken With Bird's Eye Chile Dipping Sauce recipe, click here.

Seafood is perfect for grilling: It can be done simply with herbs and lemon, or with a more exotic dressing or sauce to add extra flavor to the fresh fish and shellfish.

Grill your clams until they've all popped upon, before tossing them with spicy jalapeño butter for a grilled dinner which everybody will be totally obsessed with.

For the Grilled Clams With Charred Jalapeño Butter recipe, click here.

This lobster recipe trends a fine line between being wonderfully extravagant and fairly simple to create, making it the perfect dish for a summertime date night in.

For the Grilled Lobster for Two, Italian Style recipe, click here.

Give your shrimp a boost of umami-packed flavor by glazing them in this Japanese-inspired miso butter.

For the Grilled Shrimp With Miso Butter recipe, click here.

Grilling a whole fish may sound intimidating, but we promise it really is super simple. Stuff it with some citrus and herbs, and make sure you're gentle when you flip it so that you don't lose all the skin on the iron grates.

For the Grilled Whole Fish recipe, click here.

Tuna holds up well on the grill: Its thick, firm steaks are perfect for cooking over the gas or charcoal flames until it's done exactly to your liking.

For the Zesty Grilled Tuna With Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe, click here.    

Don't limit your grilling to meat and fish: Summer's ripest, freshest vegetables are almost always improved when they've gained some of the grill's charred, smoky flavors.

Add an extra dimension to your favorite classic caprese salad by adding slices of meaty grilled eggplant to this popular Italian dish.

For the Grilled Eggplant, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad recipe, click here.

A simple appetizer or side dish of vegetable-topped tartines are transformed into a decadent treat when topped with ripe avocado and lightly grilled onions.

For the Grilled Onion and Avocado Tartines recipe, click here.

Caramelizing the mushrooms on the grill accentuates their deep flavor, which is only further emphasized by adding a splash of truffle oil to the dressing.

For the Grilled Oyster Mushrooms recipe, click here.

Grilling salad may sound bizarre, but we promise it works. Top those romaine hearts with a creamy Caesar dressing for an alternative Caesar salad.

For the Grilled Romaine Hearts With Caesar Vinaigrette recipe, click here.

This hearty Tuscan salad is given a hint of barbecue flavor thanks to the addition of lightly grilled, thinly sliced zucchini.

For the Grilled Zucchini and Tomato Panzanella Salad recipe, click here.

Potato salad doesn't have to be made of boiled potatoes. Put them on the grill so that they gain a deep, smoky flavor.

For the Lemony Grilled Potato Salad recipe, click here.

Don't miss out on this creamy, salty, charred Mexican-style corn this summer. You'll never want to cook your corn any other way.                                                                        

For the Mexican-Style Grilled Corn recipe, click here.

Your grill can make more than just steak and burgers. Leave it burning while you eat your entrée so that you can use it to cook your dessert too.

Healthy summer desserts are easy because of amazingly delicious ripe stone fruit, which should be enjoyed every day throughout the season.

For the Grilled Peaches With Toasted Almond Granola Topping recipe, click here.

Fill your bananas with mini marshmallows and chocolate before grilling them into a molten mess, and scooping out the melted inside with graham crackers.

For the Grilled S'more Banana Pockets recipe, click here.

Watermelon transforms from a simple, sweet summer snack into a decadent dessert when grilled, topped with homemade syrup, and decorated with ice cream.

For the Grilled Watermelon Sundae recipe, click here.