Over In the course of my career, I have written 34 books—12 of them devoted to grilling, smoking, and now griddling. That translates to something on the order of 4000 recipes—more than 500 recipes in Barbecue Bible alone.

So distilling that down to five indispensable recipes that everyone—beginner or expert—should know how to grill might seem like an impossible task.

It is an impossible task, but I’m going to try. After all, if you’re just starting out with live fire cooking, you don’t want to know how to grill 4000 recipes. You want to have a four or five fail-proof showstoppers in your repertory that you prepare on demand without breaking a sweat.

Here’s my list of the indispensables:

5 essential grilling recipes

Steak: The first thing everyone should know how to grill is a steak. Not necessarily, a 2-pound porterhouse that will set you back $100 or more. (I’ll tell you how to grill one of those in a future blog—stay tuned.). No, you want to know how to grill a steak that’s readily available, flavor-packed, and mercifully affordable. Enter the skirt steak. Cut from the steer’s undercarriage, skirt steak has flavor in spades. The secret to grilling skirt steak? Bold seasonings. Hot fire. And remember to slice it across the grain. Here’s a bourbon-marinated skirt steak that will smoke the competition.

Chicken breasts: We food writers like to dump on chicken breasts because they’re mild-tasting, uncomplicated, and quick. The same reasons that you—and we—probably have some in the freezer. Chicken breast is about easiest food there is to grill, and although it’s bland, it absorbs flavors like a sponge. Just rub it or marinate it, oil or baste it, and cook it fast to keep the lean meat from drying out on the grill. My favorite way to cook chicken breasts takes a page from the Italian playbook. It’s called pollo al mattone (“chicken under a brick”) and it’s guaranteed to steal the show at your next cook-out.

Whole chicken: While we’re on the subject of poultry, a whole roast chicken is about the most comforting dish on the planet—especially when spit-roasted on a grill, preferably in the presence of woodsmoke. If you have a rotisserie, you’re ahead of the game. Just brush the bird with olive oil and season it with your favorite barbecue rub (or with salt and pepper—either works). Set up the rotisserie following the grill manufacturer’s instructions. Add wood chunks or chips to the coals or place in your gas grill’s smoker box. Oh, and my trick for producing a tender bird every time: overcook it, that is cook it to an internal temperature of 175 to 185 degrees. That’s how the French do it, and they make the best roast chicken in the world.

Baby back ribs: If there’s one dish that epitomizes barbecue, it’s ribs. And if there’s one rib that everyone should know how to cook, it’s baby backs. Cut from high on the hog (yes, that’s where the expression came from), baby backs are generously marbled, naturally tender, and relatively quick to cook. You can smoke them “low and slow,” as you would true barbecue—a process that takes 3 to 4 hours. You can indirect grill them hotter and faster, delivering competition worthy ribs in 90 minutes. The secret? A four-ingredient barbecue rub (equal parts salt, pepper, paprika, and brown sugar) and a luscious lemon brown sugar barbecue sauce.

Pulled pork: The pork shoulder may be the most forgiving piece of meat ever set to fire. It, too, can be cooked low and slow or hot and fast. Thanks to its generous marbling, it always stays moist—even if you overcook it. Start with a Boston butt—cut from the top of the pork shoulder and so name for the wooden barrels (“butts”) it used to be stored in for shipping. Once it’s cooked (to 190 to 195 degrees on a meat thermometer), you shred it with meat claws link or two large forks and douse it with a Carolina vinegar sauce. The piquancy of the vinegar counterbalances the richness of the pork. Just remember to add hardwood chunks or chips (the latter soaked in cool water for 30 minutes, then drained) to add that authentic Southern smoke flavor.

Related Reads

• Back to Basics: How to Grill Tender, Versatile Skirt Steak
• 10 Essential Tips to Take Your Grilling to the Next Level

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