LoginNine Grilling Recipes That Only Need Four Ingredients
I was recently thumbing through cooking magazines that piled up during a particularly busy stretch of time and was flabbergasted by the number of ingredients many recipes required. Fifty? Twenty-seven? They were exhausting to read, let alone deliver to the table.
Barbecue doesn’t need to be complicated to be good. In fact, some of the best barbecued meals we’ve loved come from doing less—fewer ingredients and fewer steps.
Below are nine simple recipes we’ve culled from our favorites. They’re about familiar flavors, forgiving methods, and food that looks and tastes like it belongs at a table with family and friends—not stalling dinner under ring lights.
Think of these recipes as tools, not rules. Use them as written, tweak them to fit what’s in your fridge, or let them remind you that cooking can still be easy, satisfying, and fun—without turning your kitchen into a science lab or your evening into homework.
4-ingredient grilling recipes
Easy Maple- and Sriracha-Glazed Chicken Drumsticks or Wings
This recipe—which works great for Super Bowl or tailgating parties—came together one snowy January afternoon when a trip to the grocery store was out of the question. Season the chicken (12 drumsticks or wings) with coarse salt. Indirect grill over medium heat (375 degrees) for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender. Use smoking wood…or not. In the meantime, combine 4 tablespoons each of melted butter, maple syrup, and sriracha in a small saucepan and keep warm. The last 10 minutes of grilling, brush the glaze over the chicken. Brush once more before serving.
Basic Beer Can Chicken
Okay, here it is. The master recipe for the ur-beer-can chicken, the showstopper that will dazzle your family and friends. If you’ve never made beer can chicken before, start here, and once you’ve mastered the basic procedure, there’s no limit to its variations.
Smoked Pork Steaks with Coca-Cola Glaze
Pork shoulder steaks take smoke like a champ and turn tender with a short braise. Rub the steaks, smoke until they pick up color, then finish in a foil pan with Coca-Cola (or root beer or Dr. Pepper) for a glossy glaze. Pile the meat on buns with pickles and slaw, or serve the steaks as-is with your favorite sides.
Turkish Onion Water Lamb Chops
Want a great 4 ingredient recipe for grilling lamb? Marinate it with onion water and salt. It’s a technique used in Turkey and throughout the Caucasus Mountain region and Central Asia. The onion water flavors and tenderizes the meat and gives you a savory brown crust.
Pac-Rim Pork Chops
Brush 6 thin pork chops with Asian-style (roasted) sesame oil. Season with coarse salt and ground cumin. Direct grill over medium-high heat (400 degrees) for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Before serving, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and/or thinly sliced scallions. A side of rice is all that’s needed.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Season peeled shrimp generously with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Skewer. Grill over medium-high heat (400 degrees), 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the size of the shrimp. (They should look opaque and should curl into C-mimicking shapes.) Serve with your favorite cocktail sauce or fresh lime juice mixed with salt and pepper.
Charred Eggplant Dip
Char an eggplant over a hot fire (450 degrees) until darkly browned on all sides. (You can even do this right in the coals.) Roughly chop, then blend with the juice of one lemon, chopped fresh dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly add olive oil until the dip is rich and emulsified.
Grilled Cinnamon-Spiced Pineapple
Dredge slices of fresh pineapple (cored or not) in cinnamon sugar. (Optional: Brush with unsweetened coconut milk first.) Grill over high heat (450 degrees) on both sides until lightly browned. Serve with scoops of high-quality vanilla ice cream.
Grilled Pound Cake with Berries
Combine whatever fresh berries you have in a bowl. Add a tablespoon of sugar if they need more sweetness. Cut a purchased pound cake (we like the Sara Lee brand) into 1/2-inch slices and brush both sides of each slice with melted butter. Grill the pound cake over a medium-hot fire (400 degrees) for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until you see grill marks. Top with the berries and whipped cream, if desired.
Grilling doesn’t have to be complicated to be satisfying. These recipes are reminders that a short ingredient list can still deliver real flavor, especially when you let the fire do the work. Use them as written, adjust them to what you’ve got on hand, or let them nudge you back toward cooking that feels relaxed instead of fussy. When dinner comes together this easily, it’s easier to enjoy the time around the grill, too.
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