13 Cookout Recipes to Get the Grill Going This Weekend

Weekend cookouts fall apart when the grill is ready, but the rest of the table is not. These 13 recipes cover the full backyard spread: skewers and burgers for the flame, baked wings and drumsticks when the oven is easier, beans, sliders, hot dogs, and poppers for filling out plates. The mix works for a Saturday setup where some food comes off the grill, and some is ready before people start hovering around the patio.

A plate of bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers filled with cheese, secured with toothpicks, next to a small dish of dipping sauce. — Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled meat and vegetable skewers with zucchini, red onion, and red bell pepper, garnished with chopped herbs, served on a beige plate. — Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

With 35 minutes total time and four servings, Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce put sirloin, red bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion straight onto skewers. The chimichurri uses parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic for a fresh finish after grilling. This one fits the title most directly because it gives the grill a real main course. Serve with rice, flatbread, or grilled potatoes when the cookout needs a full plate.
Get the Recipe: Beef Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce

Smoky Bacon Pig Shots

Close-up of bacon-wrapped scallops secured with toothpicks, seasoned with spices, and cooked until golden and crispy. — Smoky Bacon Pig Shots. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

In 15 minutes, Smoky Bacon Pig Shots turn bacon, smoked sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, BBQ spice, and minced onion into small oven-baked bites. The recipe makes six servings, which gives the cookout table something salty and rich before the mains are done. They work well when people are standing around the grill and need something easy to grab. Set them out hot with extra napkins, since the bacon and melted cheese do most of the work.
Get the Recipe: Smoky Bacon Pig Shots

Hawaiian Baked Beans

For a side that can sit beside anything smoky, Hawaiian Baked Beans bake for 1 hour 35 minutes and make 10 servings. Pork and beans, chopped bacon, red onion, green bell pepper, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, liquid smoke, and crushed pineapple build the sweet-and-smoky base. This is the recipe to start before the grill is loaded, since the oven handles the slow bake. Spoon it next to hot dogs, wings, or pork sliders.
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Baked Beans

Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers

Thai chicken skewers topped with a creamy sauce and garnished with chopped herbs and peanuts, served over a bed of white rice. — Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Marinated chicken thighs make Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers a strong grill option for anyone who wants more than plain barbecue sauce. The recipe takes 1 hour 5 minutes and serves four, using ginger, garlic, lemongrass, red curry paste, lime, sesame oil, and fish sauce. A peanut sauce with soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, and lime gives the skewers a second layer. Serve them over rice when the cookout needs a dinner-style plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders

Close-up of a pulled pork sandwich with pickles and red cabbage on a bun, held in hand, with chips in the background. — Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

When there is leftover pork ready to use, Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders come together in 10 minutes and make 12 sliders. Hawaiian rolls, heated pulled pork, coleslaw, breaded pickle chips, BBQ sauce, melted butter, and BBQ seasoning do the work without taking over the grill. They are useful for a weekend cookout because a tray of sliders feeds people fast. Put them out with extra pickles and beans for an easy plate.
Get the Recipe: Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders

BBQ Drumsticks

Juicy, crispy glazed chicken drumsticks with herbs and dipping sauce. — BBQ Drumsticks. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

For a barbecue main that does not depend on good weather, BBQ Drumsticks bake in 55 minutes and serve four. The recipe uses 10 to 12 chicken drumsticks with olive oil, salt, black pepper, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and parsley. Brushing the sauce partway through gives the chicken a sticky finish while the grill stays free for kabobs or hot dogs. Serve with baked beans, coleslaw, or corn for a full cookout dinner.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Drumsticks

Baked Beans

Slow-baked for 1 hour 20 minutes, Baked Beans bring navy beans, bacon, onion, garlic, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika to the cookout table. The recipe serves six, so it works as a smaller side next to wings or burgers. It fits the weekend theme because beans can bake while the grill handles the main protein. Let the sauce thicken, then spoon it beside hot dogs or sliders.
Get the Recipe: Baked Beans

BBQ Wings

A platter of glazed chicken wings topped with chopped green onions and drizzled with white sauce, served with a small bowl of dipping sauce and a spoon. — BBQ Wings. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Out of the oven in 55 minutes, BBQ Wings serve four and use 2.5 pounds of chicken wings with flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and barbecue sauce. The flour coating helps them bake up crisp before the sauce goes on for the final 8 to 10 minutes. They are a strong cookout pick when you want wings without frying outside. Add ranch, celery, or potato salad to round out the plate.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Wings

Cowboy Sliders

A close-up of sliders filled with cooked ground beef, melted cheese, bacon, and sliced jalapeños on a white surface, with some jalapeño slices scattered nearby. — Cowboy Sliders. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

For a tray-style main, Cowboy Sliders take 35 minutes and layer ground beef, pepper jack, bacon, jalapeño, BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, and brioche mini buns. Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and onion add depth to the beef before everything bakes together. This recipe belongs at a cookout because sliders are easy to pass around and easier than shaping individual burgers. Serve with chips, beans, or extra sauce on the side.
Get the Recipe: Cowboy Sliders

Juicy Grilled Hot Dogs

Four hot dogs in buns topped with crispy fried onions are arranged on parchment paper in a basket. — Juicy Grilled Hot Dogs. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Ready in 16 minutes, Juicy Grilled Hot Dogs keep the grill simple with six hot dogs, six buns, ketchup, mustard, and fried onions. The recipe calls for direct grilling, turning every 1 to 2 minutes so the hot dogs brown evenly. This is the no-stress main for a weekend cookout when kids, neighbors, or late arrivals need food fast. Toast the buns briefly and set out toppings in small bowls.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Grilled Hot Dogs

Cajun Chicken Wings

Close-up of baked chicken wings coated in seasoning, garnished with chopped herbs, and resting on a parchment-lined baking sheet. — Cajun Chicken Wings. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

With 50 minutes total time and four servings, Cajun Chicken Wings use 12 split wings, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, optional cayenne, melted butter, and parsley. The wings bake at high heat until browned, with the spice butter coating each piece before it goes into the oven. They add a bolder wing option to the cookout table without needing fryer oil. Pair with ranch, celery sticks, cornbread, or coleslaw.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Chicken Wings

Korean Burgers

Close-up of a hamburger with a sesame seed bun, beef patty, green onions, and rich brown sauce. — Korean Burgers. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

In 20 minutes, Korean Burgers turn ground beef, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey BBQ sauce, chili garlic sauce, mayonnaise, scallions, and sesame seed buns into a fast burger option. The recipe makes three servings, with patties cooked in a pan and an option to grill them noted in the recipe. They fit a cookout when the table needs one burger that tastes different from the usual ketchup-and-mustard setup. Add kimchi, slaw, or sweet potato fries.
Get the Recipe: Korean Burgers

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Baked until the bacon crisps, Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers take 50 minutes and make eight servings. Cream cheese, cheddar, halved jalapeños, and bacon keep the ingredient list short but give the appetizer enough weight for a cookout table. They can be prepped up to the baking step, which helps when the grill area is already busy. Serve hot with ranch, queso, or a tray of sliders and wings.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers