Grill season is upon us. Make the most of your grill with this guide to grilling everything, from meat and poultry to vegetables and foods you didn't even know you could grill.
Your Grilling Guide: Chicken, Steaks, Pork Chops, Burgers, Veggies and More
Updated on Apr. 30, 2025
Cooking food over fire is hard to beat: Food gets a delicious char, your house doesn’t heat up, and you feel satisfyingly primal turning food over flames. Undoubtedly, there are pitfalls, too: We’ve all eaten a burger that’s black outside and raw inside. Learn how to grill just about any food just right with our quick-and-dirty guide. And while you’re at it, make a smoker with your grill.
First, a quick grilling tip: No matter what you grill, you’re going to want to invest in a good meat thermometer. The best kind is the one that delivers an accurate reading fast. We’ve also got a printable guide to safe cooking temperatures. It’s easy to make mistakes while grilling, so best be on the lookout.
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How to Grill Chicken Breasts
Buying bone-in or boneless poultry will affect your grilling method. First, tenderize the meat so it’s nice and juicy when it comes off the grill. Next, marinate it for a little while to infuse some extra flavors. Then it’s finally time to grill.
Boneless: Grill five to six minutes per side. Go ahead and grill over direct heat to get the best sear. Since they’ll cook quickly, they won’t dry out unless you overcook them (so keep a close eye and take the temperature frequently).
Bone-in: Grill 40 to 50 minutes, covered, over indirect heat, so the meat doesn’t dry out over the long cooking time. Flip periodically to ensure even cooking.
Temperature when done: 165ºF
Here’s our guide for grilling chicken breasts.
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How to Grill Chicken Thighs, Wings and Drumsticks
Typically sold bone-in, these parts will take longer to cook. Keep them away from direct heat to avoid the meat drying out. They’ll be especially tasty if you marinate the meat first or slather it with sauce as you cook.
Wings: Grill 20 to 30 minutes, covered, over indirect heat.
Thighs and drumsticks: Grill 30 to 40 minutes, covered, over indirect heat. Flip periodically to ensure even cooking.
Temperature when done: 165-175ºF (Make sure to take the temperature in the thickest part of the bird, near the bone.)
Find our step-by-step guide to grilling chicken wings.
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How to Grill Burgers
Form patties that are about a 1/2-inch thick, with a light hand: Overhandling burger patties makes the meat tough. Cook them over medium heat: hold your hand about four inches over the grill; if you can keep it there for four to five seconds before pulling away, the grill is at medium temperature.
1/2″ beef burger patties: Grill five to seven minutes per side over medium heat.
Temperature when done: 160ºF
Here’s our best grilled burger recipe.
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How to Grill Steak
A perfectly grilled steak is a thing of beauty: charred to a delicious crust outside, juicy and tender inside. Technique matters here, so make sure to peruse our guide to common mistakes if you’re a novice.
1/2″ to 1″ thick steak: Grill four to five minutes per side.
1″ to 1-1/2″ thick steak: Grill 7 to 12 minutes, flipping frequently.
Temperature when done: 135ºF for medium-rare, 140ºF for medium, and 150ºF for medium-well
Read our guide on how to grill steak.
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How to Grill Pork Chops
When you’re tired of chicken, pork chops are a great, versatile alternative. Look for thicker chops to stand up to the higher heat of the grill without drying out.
3/4″ to 1″ thick chops: Grill four to six minutes per side.
Temperature when done: 145ºF
Read our step-by-step guide to grilling pork chops.
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How to Grill Ribs
Ribs are a barbecue essential. To test for doneness, twist a rib bone just a little bit; you should feel it give easily but not fall apart from the meat. If the meat falls off the bone, your ribs are overcooked.
Baby back (about 4-1/2 pounds): Grill ribs, covered, on an oiled rack over indirect medium heat 1 hour, turning every 30 minutes. After the first hour, move the ribs to direct medium heat and cook 20 to 40 minutes longer, or until the pork is tender.
Temperature when done: 190°F
Get our full guide on how to grill ribs.
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How to Grill Lamb Chops
Lamb is one of the most flavorful meats out there. We can’t get enough of this herb-crusted lamb recipe for rosemary lamb chops.
1/2″ to 1″ thick chops: Grill three to four minutes on each side (for medium rare).
1″ to 1-1/2″ thick chops: Grill four to six minutes on each side (for medium rare).
Temperature when done: 135ºF for medium-rare, 140ºF for medium, and 145ºF for medium-well
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How to Grill Brats
If you haven’t tried grilled brats, get on it! They’re a quintessential midwestern food.
Pre-cook brats in a saucepan filled with simmering beer or water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then grill for 10 to 20 minutes.
Temperature when done: 160ºF
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How to Grill Shrimp and Scallops
Shrimp is one of our favorite foods, and this grilled shrimp recipe proves it’s almost as versatile as chicken. In the mood for something fancier? Try one of these scallop recipes instead.
Shrimp: Grill shrimp for three to five minutes on each side.
Scallops: Grill scallops for two to three minutes on each side.
Temperature when done: Shrimp are safe to eat when the flesh turns pink. Scallops should turn from translucent to opaque, white and firm.
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How to Grill Fish Fillets and Steaks
Fish is a healthier alternative to red meat. If you’re stumped on flavor ideas, try these grilled fish recipes.
1″ thick fillet: Grill four to five minutes per side, turning carefully.
Temperature when done: The meat should turn opaque and flake when you scrape a fork over the top.
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How to Grill Plank Salmon
Plank grilling imparts tons of flavor to fish, with a minimum of seasoning required. Plus, the fish is less likely to flake apart when cooked on a plank instead of straight over the grate.
Grill salmon fillets, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Temperature when done: The fish should be flaky and opaque.
Read our step-by-step guide to plank grilling.
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How to Grill Whole Vegetables
Many vegetables can be grilled whole quite easily. Here are a few popular choices:
Corn: Grill unshucked corn for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every four to five minutes, or until husks are completely charred black. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to grill corn.
Peppers: “Roasting” peppers over the grill is a snap. Place clean, whole peppers over the grill and cook until the skins have blackened and crisped, the interior is meltingly tender, about 10 minutes. (Grill a bunch of peppers at once, peel them when cool, and you can freeze them and use them for months!)
Romaine lettuce: Strange, but true: You can grill lettuce! Grill for about five minutes, until wilted and charred. Tasty in a Caesar salad or one of these other grilled salad recipes.
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How to Grill Sliced Vegetables
Vegetables, whether mixed together or solo, are delicious grilled.
Tender veggies (1/2″ slices): Grill softer veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant and peppers for three to five minutes on each side.
Hearty vegetables (1/2″ slices): Grill harder veggies such as onions and carrots for five to six minutes on each side.
Mixed vegetables: Toss sliced veggies in oil and your choice of spices. Grill them in a basket (so they won’t slip through the grates) until they’re tender, between 8 and 12 minutes in total, tossing occasionally.
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How to Grill Fruit
Make room on the grill for more than burgers. These top-rated recipes for grilled desserts—including fresh fruit, cakes and cobblers—are fresh and fabulous.
You can grill any fruit as long as it’s not overripe. Options include peaches, pineapple and melons. Just remember that the thicker the fruit, the longer it’ll take to grill.
Whether you want a charred outside or a warm middle, you should grill the fruit covered and check it every five minutes.
Think you’re a grillmaster? Have you tried these surprising foods to grill?
