18 Next-Level Grill Recipes For Your Father's Day Cookout

Thrill dad on Father's Day with recipes that are sure to get him all fired up. From burgers to barbecue (with a little dessert and veggies too!), these dishes will make dad feel extra special.

Tangy Beer-Can Chicken

The can method keeps the bird moist while it grills because liquid in the can forms steam inside the cavity. Any canned beverage will work, since it won't really impart any noticeable flavor to the chicken. We like the bright, tangy flavor of good old-fashioned yellow mustard here.

Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

You can easily make these on the grill instead of the stovetop. Just preheat the grill to high, and set a cast-iron skillet on the grill grate to preheat also. Be careful when touching the skillet, as the handle will be extremely hot. A pinch of sugar in the beef patty mixture helps deliver deep-brown, caramelized crust to the burgers without making them taste sweet.

Applewood-Smoked Corn on the Cob

We love the warm, slightly sweet smoky flavor applewood gives the corn. Hickory chips might overpower here, but cherry chips would also work.

Barbecued Lime Shrimp and Corn

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

This recipe is designed to cook on a campfire, but you can take the rack out of your grill and put the foil bags on the charcoal for the same effect. Corn and shrimp with deeply flavorful seasonings like lime, soy sauce, honey, and coriander bake and steam in 10 minutes wrapped in foil. You don't even need plates―just tear open the packets and eat straight from them, with a side of French bread for sopping up juices.

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The rich and creamy combination of bacon, cream cheese, and cheddar nicely contrasts the muted spice of grilled jalapeño peppers. This appetizer recipe is a healthy, fresh alternative to the popular breaded and fried version.

Adobo-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled-Pineapple Salsa

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Tender, flavorful pork, complemented by the heat and grilled ingredients of the salsa, creates an outstanding combination. When preparing the tenderloin, remove the silver skin, which is the thin, shiny membrane that runs along the surface of the meat. Leaving the silver skin on can cause the tenderloin to toughen and lose shape during grilling. Stretching the membrane with one hand so it’s tight, use your other hand to slip the tip of the knife underneath the silvery skin. Slowly slice back and forth, angling the sharp edge of the blade up, rather than down, through the meat. Continue this process until all the silver skin is removed, then discard.

Honeydew-Jalapeño Margaritas

Meet your new favorite poolside cocktail. This slushy sipper offers sweet, floral honeydew flavor with a nice slow burn from jalapeño-infused tequila.

Smoked Potato Salad

This is the recipe you need for those potluck gatherings where you really want to impress but then find you’re supposed to bring … potato salad. This version will wow, from its beautiful indigo color to its rich, smoky flavor. A nice hit of cumin and chipotle chile powder amplifies the smokiness and makes for a deeply savory salad. If the purple potatoes (or other small, waxy potatoes if you can’t find purple ones) are larger than we specify, cut them in half so they’ll cook evenly and get tender.

Korean Barbecue Burgers

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Shake up burger night with this unique sweet-and-salty creation. Add even more flavor by changing up the toppings; try spicy kimchi or sriracha, or crunchy Napa cabbage or water chestnuts. Serve with small plates of kimchi, pickles, and noodles for a more authentic Korean experience.

Blackberry-Peach Slow Cooker Crumble

Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, this simple summer dessert is a great way to satisfy the sweet tooth while reaping the nutritional benefits of summer fruit. Keep the peach slices no less than 1/2 inch thick; any smaller, and they may lose their shape when cooked.

Grilled Pepper Poppers

The breaded and deep-fried version of this dish is a nutritional nightmare, but our version, with spicy pepper flavor and generous amounts of cheese, has only 84 calories per popper. Try swapping out the Parmesan for cheddar, jack, or your favorite smooth-melting cheese for a whole new taste.

Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

Cubes of grass-fed sirloin can be a little tough and chewy—but thin slices stay tender and cook quickly. Feel free to prep the sauce and skewer the beef ahead of time.

Grilled Red Curry Chicken and Bell Peppers

We use a combination of peppers for different flavor notes—mini bell peppers for sweetness and Fresnos for moderate spice. Fresnos look like red jalapeños but are less spicy; use the latter if you want more heat.

Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

While corn and tomatoes are at their peak later in the summer, you can enjoy this simple salad all season long. Use yellow tomatoes and purple Cherokees if available for colorful variety. White miso—the kind that's lowest in sodium—adds a powerful umami punch to the mix, enhancing the meaty flavor that tomatoes and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese provide. Salting the tomatoes and letting them stand draws out their juices so they'll meld with the dressing when you combine all the components.

Peach-Thyme Galette

Rustic, free-form edges give this dessert a beautiful look. The crust is made with whole-wheat pastry flour, which is finely milled and thus perfect for pastries.

Shishito and Shrimp Skewers With Chimichurri

Ridged shishito peppers are usually pleasantly bitter with mild to medium heat, but watch out: Every so often, you'll get one that packs a fiery punch.

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Bourbon-Cherry BBQ Sauce

This fruity, boozy take on barbecue has all the characteristics of your favorite sauce—deep caramel notes, a savory backbone, and a pleasant vinegar tang. You can sub sweet cherries for sour, adjusting the amount of honey and vinegar to taste. For a shortcut, start with 1 cup purchased unsweetened cherry juice.

Creamy Black Pepper Coleslaw

Cutting the cabbage coarsely gives the dish a different look from shredded-cabbage slaws. A full teaspoon of black pepper lends pleasant warm heat without overpowering. Make the dish up to a day ahead if you like—the veggies will stay crisp and the flavors will meld as the slaw chills.