The beginning of the outdoor living season is officially upon us. You know what that means: it’s time to grill.

A big part of the joy of outdoor living is preparing meals and dining al fresco. But you don’t need a complicated outdoor kitchen setup to pull off mouthwatering concoctions on your deck. All you need is a grill and an appetite.

While this summer may not include the same epic cookouts of the past, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy memorable meals on your deck with a smaller group of family and friends.

You’ve got the grill. You’ve got the deck. Now you just need to decide what to cook.

We’ve got you’ve covered. Here are five easy outdoor grill recipes that’ll leave you and your loved ones full and satisfied all summer long.

Cheddar BLT Burgers with Russian Tarragon Dressing

Summer just isn’t summer without burgers. But of course, there are about ten million burger recipes out there.

As outdoor living aficionados with grill-centric taste buds, we know what’s good and what isn’t. Let us tell you: It’s hard to go wrong these cheddar BLT burgers.

This sucker is the supergroup of sandwiches, the proverbial A-Team of handheld, bread-based dishes — a classic BLT meets a cheeseburger, elevated to legendary status with the tang of a Russian tarragon dressing. You might want a bib for this one!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. grated onion
• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp. chopped tarragon
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 12 oz. thickly sliced bacon
• 1 1/3 lbs. ground beef chuck
• 1 1/3 lbs. ground beef sirloin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 oz. sharp cheddar, cut into 6 slices
• 6 hamburger buns
• Lettuce, tomato and red onion slices

Directions (takes 30 minutes to make)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk mayo with ketchup, vinegar, onion, parsley, tarragon and Worcestershire. Cover and refrigerate.
2. In a large skillet (on the stove or yes right on the grill with a cast iron skillet), cook bacon over moderately high heat until crisp, turning once, about 6 minutes. Drain and cut bacon into large pieces.
3. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Gently mix meats, salt and pepper, form into six 4-in. patties, 1 1/4 in. thick. Soak patties in cold water for 30 seconds, then grill immediately on high for 9 minutes (for medium-rare), brushing with butter occasionally and turning once or twice. Melt cheese atop burgers at the very end.
4. Spread dressing on buns. Put lettuce and tomato on bun bottoms, top burgers with onion and bacon. Bon appétit!

Grilled Potatoes

What’s a burger without fries? Instead of the same-old, same-old store-bought flash-freeze fries, add some pizazz to your plate with these homemade grilled taters.

They’re smoky, crispy, and pair perfectly with a big, juicy burger. Just add ketchup.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 4 russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions (takes 15-20 minutes to make)

1. Start inside by bringing a pot of salted water to boil, adding the potatoes to get them mostly cooked, around 10 minutes. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool for a couple of minutes.
2. Bring your grill to medium-high heat, and spray the grates with cooking oil.
3. In a bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them.
4. Place potatoes on the grill, cooking for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
5. Add the parsley to the bowl of olive oil mix from Step 3, put the grilled potatoes back into the bowl and toss. Plate next to your burgers and chow down! 

Fancy Grilled Hot Dogs

Anyone who’s ever been a kid remembers the lackluster flavor of a microwaved (or boiled) hot dog on those long summer days when you were looking for a snack.

With this recipe, the lowly hot dog gets a makeover with a bevy of fancy fixings. Move over, burgers and barbecue chicken: There’s a new star on the bun, and boy does it look good.

Ingredients

For the grilled hotdogs:

• However many hot dogs you want to make, plus buns
  

For a horseradish slaw topping:

• 2 cups of shredded purple cabbage
• 1 scallion, chopped finely
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 3 tbsp. prepared horseradish (store-bought in bottle or jar)
• 2 tbsp. sour cream
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. sugar

For a pickle and onion topping:

• 4 pickles, chopped finely
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp. mustard
• 3 tbsp. fresh parsley
  

Directions (takes 15-20 minutes to make)

1. Bring the grill to medium-high heat. Grill hot dogs for 4-5 minutes, turning regularly. The goal is to get them heated all the way through with a little bit of char on the outside.
2. If you like, grill the buns until toasted.
3. To make the horseradish slaw, stir or whisk the horseradish, vinegar, mayo, sugar, and sour cream in a bowl. Stir in the cabbage, grated carrot, dill, and scallion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit for 15 minutes or longer to allow the vegetables to soften.
4. To prepare the pickle and onion topping, mix the onion, parsley, pickles, and mustard in a bowl, then season with pepper and salt to taste.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken on the Grill

Before they had a bobsled team, Jamaica had to-die-for chicken recipes, and this grilled jerk chicken is probably our favorite.

Forget boring old grilled chicken with a squirt of barbecue sauce next to it. This chicken is all zest and tang with a spicy lime marinade. You might not be able to go on an island vacation this year, but this recipe will just about take you there.

Ingredients

• Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs (however many you want to make — the below amounts will make enough marinade for 6 to 8 pieces)
• 4 habanero chiles (or substitute with serrano peppers or jalapeños), chopped and seeds removed
• 2 chopped green onions
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 tbsp. lime juice (squeezed from about 4 limes)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ginger (ground or fresh and finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. allspice

Directions (takes 25 minutes to make)

1. Mix the oil, lime juice, onions, chiles, garlic, thyme, ginger, sugar, allspice, pepper, and salt in a food processor until well blended.
2. Place 1/4 cup of the mix into a covered bowl in the fridge. Put the rest of the mix in a large resealable bag
3. Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and stick it in the refrigerator. Allow the chicken to marinate for 3-8 hours.
4. Preheat the grill and grease the grates. Grill the marinated chicken for five to six minutes per side.
5. Use the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade sauce by brushing it on each piece of chicken while still on the grill, then cooking the chicken for another two to three minutes on each side. (Note: Use a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken cooks through to 165 degrees).

Garlic and Pepper Shrimp on Skewers

Dreaming of island life has got us in the mood for seafood, and no ocean-dweller rocks a grill like shrimp.

This recipe really makes the little guys shine, and it’s super easy to pull off. All you need are some wooden or metal grilling skewers to make the shrimp easy to handle.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 red chile pepper (Fresno or serrano), finely chopped and seeds removed
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. cooking oil, plus a little more for the grill
• Salt
• Limes cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• Paprika

Directions (takes 10 minutes to make)

1. Mix the garlic, chile, black pepper, 2 tablespoons of oil, and lime juice with a whisk in a big bowl.
2. Add shrimp to marinade and stir to coat. Season with a sprinkle of salt.
3. Add shrimp to skewers.
4. Bring the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates.
5. Place shrimp skewers onto the heated grill and cook for about 5 minutes, turning over once halfway through. The shrimp should be cooked through and charred just a bit.
6. Dip lime wedges in paprika and plate with shrimp. Use the limes to squeeze extra lime juice over shrimp to add some extra zest!

Got the Grill But Not the Deck? Let’s Talk

 

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