25 of Our Best Barbecue Recipes for Smoky-Sweet Meals

Crisp-edged charred meat smothered in deeply flavorful homemade barbecue sauce is a recipe for summer happiness.

By

Bridget Hallinan

Updated on June 5, 2024

Pork Belly Burnt Ends with pickles and white bread — Photo: Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

There’s something inherently magical about barbecued food — the smokiness, the charred flavor, the crispy edges and crusts that form while you grill. In this roundup, you’ll find all of the classic recipes: sticky glazed ribs, tender and juicy brisket, chicken wings, pulled pork, and some shrimp and salmon dishes, too, for good measure. Plus, if you haven’t found your signature barbecue sauce yet, we’ve included a few different spins, like Alabama’s signature white sauce and sweet mustard sauce. Read on for essential barbecue recipes to try.

01 of 25

Smoked Brisket with Coffee Beer Mop Sauce and Zinfandel Barbecue Sauce

Smoked Brisket with Coffee Beer Mop Sauce — Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio, / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Barbecue and grilling expert Steven Raichlen slow-cooks this brisket on the grill to develop a rich, smoky flavor, which allows plenty of time to make the accompanying Zinfandel Barbecue Sauce.

02 of 25

Rum-and-Guava-Glazed Spareribs

Rum-and-Guava-Glazed Spareribs — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor

Guava and other sweet ingredients are part of an enduring tradition in Caribbean food, and chef Nelson German channeled childhood memories to develop this barbecue sauce for his spareribs. The guava glaze is brightened by rum and amplified by hints of dill pickle, mustard, and Maggi seasoning.

03 of 25

Burnt Ends with Bourbon Sauce

Burnt Ends — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

The crispy, caramelized "burnt" pieces of a smoked brisket are often the best part because the flavor is concentrated and the texture is pleasingly chewy. Pitmaster Matt Horn's recipe works well with any type of barbecue.

04 of 25

Smoked Rib Tips with Andouille Sausage and Amarillo Barbecue Sauce

Rib tips with andouille sausage and barbecue sauce — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

At Chicago’s Lexington Betty Smokehouse, chef-owner Dominique Leach’s smoky barbecue plate features housemade andouille sausage, which is available online if you'd like to use it here; its gentle spice and heat are terrific alongside these smoked ribs and sweet-spicy amarillo pepper barbecue sauce.

05 of 25

Trini-Style Barbecue Lamb

Trini-Style BBQ Lamb — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor

Caribbean chef Osei Blackett re-creates the barbecued lamb of his childhood with penetrating notes of fresh lime juice, ginger, and thyme; a sweet, beer-based sauce adds a perfectly complementary layer of flavor. Use oak wood chunks for a smoky profile that stands up to the gamey flavor of the lamb.

06 of 25

Slow-Cooker Burnt Honey Barbecue Chicken

Slow Cooker Burnt Honey Barbecue Chicken — Jen Causey

The real star here is the burnt honey barbecue sauce; added just before serving, it retains a distinct honey flavor that balances this tangy-sweet chicken perfectly.

07 of 25

Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Barbecue Sauce

Pork Belly Burnt Ends with pickles and white bread — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

This recipe of slow-smoked pork belly will win over the most passionate burnt ends purist. Tangy pickles and raw onion cut through the richness, and piles of white bread can sop up the sauce.

08 of 25

Perfect Smoked Pork Ribs

pork ribs — Victor Protasio

Smoking then baking yields meltingly tender, deeply flavored ribs that are incredibly satisfying to eat — moist and meaty but not falling off the bone. A dry rub of warm red spices and gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes) add peppery heat to partner with the natural sweetness of pork.

09 of 25

Barbecue Shrimp Po’boy

NOLA Barbecue Shrimp Po’ Boy — Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Smoky, spiced shrimp are the heart of this classic New Orleans-style po’boy sandwich from chef Erick Williams.

10 of 25

Jerk-Smoked Duck with Peach Barbecue Sauce

Jerk Smoked Duck with Peach Barbecue Sauce — Greg DuPree

2019 F&W Best New Chef Bryan Furman’s method of smoking the duck over a drip pan is quick and efficient, infusing it with intense smoky flavor in only 30 minutes without toughening the meat. The combination of jerk seasoning and peach-sweetened barbecue sauce is also a great match for grilled chicken halves.

11 of 25

Smoked Brisket

Horn Barbecue Smoked Brisket — Andrew Thomas Lee

This smoked brisket is self-taught barbecue expert Matt Horn's signature recipe — the star of the menu at his restaurant, Horn Barbecue, in Oakland, California. The 2021 F&W Best New Chef spent weeks perfecting this recipe and says time is the most important ingredient in the dish.

12 of 25

Barbecue-Spiced Hot-Smoked Salmon

Barbecue Spiced Hot Smoked Salmon — Greg DuPree

Homemade barbecue spice seasons both a dry brine and pineapple-based mop sauce for a double dose of flavor. Hot-smoked salmon makes a showstopping buffet centerpiece any time of day.

13 of 25

Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Thanks to a smoky, tangy, gently sweet sauce and jackfruit's unique texture, these vegetarian barbecue sandwiches taste satisfyingly meaty (feel free to double the sauce to toss with smoked or braised pork shoulder as well).

14 of 25

Grilled Chicken with Sweet Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Grilled Chicken with Sweet Mustard Barbecue Sauce — Reed Davis

A sweet mustard glaze gives chef John Currence's grilled chicken a crisp coating. The juicy marinated birds are also delicious without the glaze. The chickens need to marinate overnight, so plan accordingly.

15 of 25

Big Bob Gibson's Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce

Big Bob Gibson’s Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce. Photo © Marcus Nilsson — © Marcus Nilsson

At Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Alabama, chef Chris Lilly butterflies a whole chicken, smokes it, then dunks the bird into a vat of tangy white barbecue sauce. Home cooks can grill pieces of chicken until crispy and nicely charred, then serve them alongside Lilly's terrific white sauce.

16 of 25

Barbecue Bloody Mary

Barbecue Bloody Mary — Eric Medsker

Save the beef drippings from your next barbecue to make Chris Lilly's Bloody Mary recipe for a crowd — you'll need a cup and a half of jus to yield 10 cocktails.

17 of 25

Red Wine Barbecue Chicken

Red Wine BBQ Chicken — © Con Poulos

Leftover red wine gets repurposed into a sweet, sticky, and luscious barbecue sauce in this easy chicken recipe from Justin Chapple.

18 of 25

Hill Country Smoked Chicken Wings with Texas Ranch Dressing

Hill Country Smoked Chicken Wings with Texas Ranch Dressing — © Peden + Munk

Rubbing chicken wings with a variety of sweet and spicy seasonings before smoking gives them a double dose of delicious flavor. The from-scratch ranch dressing goes equally well with these wings as does a nice smoky lager.

19 of 25

Apple-Glazed Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

Apple-Glazed Barbecued Baby Back Ribs — © Quentin Bacon

Sticky, apple-scented ribs start in the oven, then get finished on the grill. Barbecue Hall of Famer Chris Lilly wraps the ribs in foil after adding an apple cider mixture and uses a thermometer to keep the temperature at a steady 250°F.

20 of 25

Sweet-and-Spicy Spareribs with Korean Barbecue Sauce

Sweet-and-Spicy Spareribs with Korean Barbecue Sauce — © Christina Holmes

Top Chef winner Mei Lin slow-roasts these ribs in the oven until they’re super tender; then she glazes them on the grill with a sweet, spicy sauce spiked with gochujang (Korean chile paste). She also stirs the sauce into pulled pork, serves it with French fries instead of ketchup, and mixes it with melted butter to toss with fried chicken.

21 of 25

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Barbecue Sauce

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Barbecue Sauce — © Con Poulos

Roasted garlic seasons this pork shoulder, which slow-cooks until tender and deeply flavorful. Shred it and top with barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and a spicy habanero vinaigrette for the perfect sandwich.

22 of 25

Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends

Barbecued Brisket and Burnt Ends — © James Baigrie

Ten hours on the grill with a slather, a rub, and a mop give this brisket an extraordinarily robust flavor. Pitmaster Paul Kirk's recipe calls for a whole packer brisket, which includes both the flat (the larger, leaner portion) and the point (the smaller, fattier part for the burnt ends).

23 of 25

Sticky Barbecued Beef Ribs

Sticky Barbecued Beef Ribs — © Tina Rupp

These beef ribs — leftovers from the giant rib roast — are incredibly luscious. Chef Tim Love douses them in his sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce, then cooks them on the grill until they're crusty, sizzling, and outrageously good.

24 of 25

Robb Walsh’s Texas Barbecue Brisket

Robb Walsh’s Texas Barbecue Brisket. Photo © Hector Sanchez — © Hector Sanchez

Slice the brisket thinly across the grain and serve it with its cooking juices. along with sliced white bread, chili beans, coleslaw, and pickles.

25 of 25

Barbecue Shrimp with Avocado Salad

Barbecue Shrimp with Avocado Salad — © Christina Holmes

Kansas City chef Colby Garrelts flavors this quick and easy shrimp with plenty of Worcestershire, making it hearty and bold.

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