It’s that time of year, again. It’s the year where you are grabbing your sweaters and coats because of the cold weather, sitting next to your fireplace, drinking a hot chocolate, and preparing a nice meal on the grill for those warm winter nights. But what if you don’t exactly know where to start with what to cook on your grill?
Keep reading for a recommendation of 9 vegetarian and 9 non-vegetarian, hearty recipes to try out on your BBQ for the winter for a total of 18 recipes to add to your cookbook.
Hearty BBQ Recipes for Winter
For those who like to eat juicy barbecued meat during the winter, there are plenty of recipes to prepare for this instance. Let’s take a look at five hearty recipes to try out on your BBQ during the winter.
Grilled Steak Tacos
Steak tacos, a classic, is a recipe that you can make and serve for up to four people.
Here are the instructions to make the Grilled Steak Tacos recipe:
- Step 1: Add 1 cup orange juice, 2 peeled cloves of garlic, 2 chipotle peppers, 2 tbsp adobo sauce, ½ cup cilantro, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt into a food processor and blend until smooth to make the marinade.
- Step 2: Poke holes into a 1 ½ lbs flat iron steak and add it into a gallon ziplock bag, along with the marinade. Close the bag and let it marinade for 1 hour or through the night.
- Step 3: Leave the steak to sit for twenty minutes or until it reaches room temperature while the grill preheats on high heat. Reduce to medium-high before placing the steak on the grill.
- Step 4: Grill the steak for ten minutes, repeat on the other side until it’s done to your liking. Cover the steak in foil and let it sit for another ten minutes before cutting into strips.
- Step 5: Warm the tortillas on the BBQ grill very briefly and place your desired toppings in the taco.
You can serve the steak tacos with salsa, guacamole, rice & beans, etc.
Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
Grilled Huli Huli Chicken is a recipe that you can serve up to twelve people.
Here are the instructions to make the Grilled Huli Huli Chicken recipe:
- Step 1: Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, ¾ cup ketchup, ¾ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, ⅓ cup sherry, 2 ½ tsp minced ginger, and 1 ½ tsp minced garlic to make the marinade. Save 1 ⅓ cup of the marinade to baste and refrigerate.
- Step 2: Divide the rest of the marinade in two shallow dishes, adding the chicken thighs and coating them. Let the chicken marinate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Step 3: Drain the chicken and grill it with the lid covered on medium heat. Grill for 6-8 minutes on each side, basting with the remaining marinade within the last five minutes of grilling.
Some sides you can serve the chicken with include rice, grilled vegetables, or mashed potatoes.
Fireball Whiskey Glaze Chicken
A recipe that can, metaphorically, fire your mouth on a winter day, this recipe can feed up to six people.
Here are the instructions to make the Fireball Whiskey Glaze Chicken recipe:
- Step 1: Mix together ½ cup ketchup, ¼ cup red pepper jelly, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper to make the glaze, bringing it to a boil. Simmer for three minutes.
- Step 2: Add ½ cup Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey to the sauce and let it simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the heat, and let it sit.
- Step 3: Season the chicken with 1 tbsp BBQ seasoning of your choice and grill it for about ten minutes, until it is almost done.
- Step 4: Baste the chicken with the glaze and grill for another two minutes on one side. Flip the chicken, then repeat the process on the other side.
Your chicken can be served alongside a salad, potatoes, or rice.
Grilled Chicken Nachos
When you are eating nachos, the tortilla chips can get soggy after having contact with the nachos. With this recipe, you grill the tortilla chips directly with the chicken nachos to keep them crispy.
Here are the instructions to make the Grilled Chicken Nachos recipe:
- Step 1: While your grill is preheating to high, mix in 1 cup chopped cooked chicken, ¼ cup BBQ sauce, and ½ cup sour cream together, then set it aside.
- Step 2: Make a boat out of aluminum foil. Add your first layer of tortilla chips and sprinkle in some grated cheddar cheese over top of it.
- Step 3: Add in the cooked chicken that is mixed in with the BBQ sauce and sour cream as your next layer, sprinkle more cheese over it.
- Step 4: Place the crimped aluminum foil with your nachos on your BBQ grill. Cover the grill and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the chips are lightly browned.
This recipe can serve up to eight people.
Grilled Hot Dogs
Grilled hot dogs are classic when it comes to grilling during a cold day. This recipe can serve up to eight people.
Here are the instructions to make the Grilled Hot Dogs recipe:
- Step 1: Make cuts in two rows, ½ inch apart, onto your hot dogs.
- Step 2: To make the marinade, mix ¼ cup of ketchup, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp of vegetable oil, and 1 clove of minced garlic into a bowl. Pour the mixture into a gallon ziplock bag, adding the hot dogs to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
- Step 3: Grill the hot dogs for about 3-5 minutes or until the cuts have opened up.
You can top your hot dogs however you desire and can have the option to serve your hot dog alongside chips, fries, or homemade chili with beans.
Additional Hearty BBQ Recipes for Winter
Some recipes are worth exploring on your own to find which one works best for you and your family’s taste.
Here are four more hearty BBQ recipes worth making for your winter cookout:
- Grilled Cheese With Prosciutto & Anchovy Panini
- Chargrilled Swordfish With Grape, Almond & Barley Salad
- Swineapple
- Grilled Pizza With Hot Sausage, Grilled Peppers & Onions, & Oregano Ricotta
Now that you know some hearty, meaty BBQ recipes, let’s move on to some vegetarian ones whether you like having diversity in your meals and trying new things or you have some plant-based eating mouths to feed.
Hearty Vegetarian BBQ Recipes for Winter
Even with vegetarian recipes, you can have a hearty and filling meal made on your BBQ grill. Let’s take a look at five hearty vegetarian recipes to try out on your BBQ this winter.
Spicy Thai-Style Grilled Veggie Skewers
Grilling some veggies on the grill can be a great and easy way to prepare a warm, hearty meal for the winter.
Here are the instructions to make the Spicy Thai-Style Grilled Veggie Skewers recipe:
- Step 1: Combine 1 ½ cups cilantro, 8 peeled cloves garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce into a food processor.
- Step 2: Pulse the food processor until the ingredients have a paste-like consistency.
- Step 3: Pour ⅓ cup vegetable oil into the food processor in a slow stream while pulsing.
- Step 4: Pour the sauce you created over 2 lbs of your choice of vegetables that have been cut into bite-size pieces. We used mushrooms, bell peppers, scallions, zucchini, and yellow summer squash. Toss well and allow them to marinate in the fridge for an hour.
- Step 5: Thread the marinated vegetables on metal skewers (or wooden ones which have been soaked in water for 30 min to prevent them from catching fire).
- Step 6: Turn your BBQ grill on medium-heat. Grill the marinated vegetable skewers for 12-15 min or until tender and browned on the edges, making sure to rotate them frequently to prevent them from burning.
Taking, in total, an hour and a half to make before serving, you can serve the veggie skewers with a side dish of rice.
Beer Can Cabbage Sandwiches
Beer can cabbage sandwiches are a really popular and hearty meal choice for vegetarians during the Winter.
Here are the instructions to make the Beer Can Cabbage Sandwiches recipe:
- Step 1: Remove the core of a large purple cabbage by cutting a 3×3 in square around it at the base and scooping out a 3 in deep cavity with a spoon. Coat the cabbage leaves with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Step 2: Drink or pour out half of a 12 oz can of pale-lager and place the half-full can into the cabbage’s cavity. Then, transfer it to your BBQ grill or smoker on medium-high heat.
- Step 3: Generously coat the cabbage’s leaves with 2 tsp of BBQ sauce, repeating this every 15 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the outside leaves are dark brown and crispy.
- Step 4: Combine thinly-sliced leftover cabbage innards, 6 oz coarsely-grated carrot, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon honey, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to make coleslaw.
- Step 5: Remove the cabbage from your BBQ grill or smoker and carefully discard the beer can. Allow it to slightly cool. Then, cut it into ¾ inch strips and combine with half a large white onion, cut into ½ inch rings and charred and 1 ¼ cups BBQ sauce.
- Step 6: Cut a Kaiser roll and fill it with the BBQ beer cabbage, topped with the homemade coleslaw, 2 slices of cheddar cheese, and some pickled jalapenos.
Serving up to six people, it takes thirty-five minutes to make, not counting the prep time and can serve as a main dish with a side of loaded baked potatoes or stuffed mushrooms.
Black Bean Burger
A good, plant-based, alternative for a burger for vegetarians is one made from black beans and topped with hearty fruits and veggies.
Here are the instructions to make the Black Bean Burger recipe:
- Step 1: Spread your beans on a large baking sheet; on another baking sheet have the onions and mushrooms on it, tossing them around to coat while mixed in salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Step 2: Place the beans, mushrooms, and onions in a preheated oven, 375 degrees. Bake the beans for 9 minutes; the mushroom and onions until they are either tender or for a maximum of 20 minutes.
- Step 3: After baking, place the beans, mushrooms, and onions in a food processor, along with ½ cup oats, ½ a chopped avocado, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp ground cumin.
- Step 4: Blend until smooth. Let the blended mixture rest for ten minutes in your refrigerator before forming them into patties.
- Step 5: Form your patties and place them on a skillet, medium heat with vegetable oil coating the pan. Cook until both the inside and outside of the patties have cooked.
- Step 6: Place the patties onto their buns and top as desired.
The black-bean burger can serve as a main dish and alongside loaded steak fries or thick-cut, beer-battered onion rings.
Mushroom Shawarma
Mushroom shawarmas are vegan and vegetarian-friendly BBQ-grilled kebabs that make for a hearty winter meal.
Here are the instructions to make the Mushroom Shawarma recipe:
- Step 1: Toast 1 ½ tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, 5 cloves, ½ cinnamon stick, and 3 cardamom pods on a dry frying pan until fragrant and grind them into a powder.
- Step 2: Mix the powder with paprika, sea salt, and olive oil, and then coat the mushrooms with the paste before leaving it to marinate.
- Step 3: Puree 1 ½ bulbs garlic in a food processor or blender as it still runs slowly. Add 100ml of olive oil and 1 tbsp of lemon juice before mixing again. Repeat this step until you’ve used up all of the lemon juice.
- Step 4: In a bowl, whisk together 1 ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to make the dressing for the tarragon salad.
- Step 5: When your barbeque is ready, place the mushrooms onto your skewers. Cook the skewers until they are thoroughly done or for about 15-20 minutes.
In total, this takes about forty minutes to make. This meal can serve up to six people and can be served as a main dish and served alongside toum (a Lebanese garlic sauce), pita bread, or a salad.
Turmeric Coconut Paneer With Charred Naans
This recipe uses a ton of warm spices and hearty ingredients that make it a tasty winter BBQ meal.
Here are the instructions to make the Turmeric Coconut Paneer With Charred Naans recipe:
- Step 1: Mix the first nine ingredients in a bowl, then add in the paneer to toss and marinade. Leave in the refrigerator either overnight or for two hours to marinate.
- Step 2: To make naans, mix yeast, sugar, and yogurt with 125ml of warm water. Add flour and salt into the bowl, stirring in the yeast until it becomes a dough. Add in 2 tbsp of olive oil and continue to knead the dough. Knead for an extra five or ten minutes until it is smooth before placing it into a clean bowl, covering it until it has doubled in size.
- Step 3: Making the raita, grate a cucumber with a box-shaped grater. Into a sieve, make sure water is coming out of the cucumber as much as possible. Mix the grated cucumber with lemon juice, yogurt, mint, and chopped coriander. Cover the mixture to chill.
- Step 4: Once doubled, knead the dough on a flat surface and cut it into four pieces. Roll each piece into an oval shape, 5mm thick. Lay the doughs onto an oiled baking sheet covered in oiled clingfilm, and leave them to become puffier, which takes about 30 minutes.
- Step 5: Place the cut-up onions and peppers in a metal skewer between the pieces of cheese. Place the naans onto a hot baking sheet and cook for about ten minutes until the dough bubbles and the bottom golden brown. Repeat on the other side.
- Step 6: Grill the skewers until the peppers are tender or about six minutes, turning to the other side halfway. Remove the paneer and vegetables from the metal skewers and place them in the naans.
This recipe can feed up to four people, taking a total of an hour and a half to make.
Additional Hearty Vegetarian BBQ Recipes
Some recipes are worth exploring on your own to find which one works best for you and your family’s taste.
Here are four more hearty vegetarian BBQ recipes worth making for your winter cookout:
- Chargrilled Peaches With Green Beans & Almonds
- Grilled Ricotta Bruschetta With Sweet & Sour Tomatoes
- Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
- Curry Tofu Tacos With Pintos & Kale Slaw
Now that you have a collection of 18 hearty non-vegetarian and vegetarian BBQ recipes, you can feed everyone in the family at your winter cookout.
Conclusion
Now you have some options of what to grill during the winter. You also know of sides that you can serve alongside your recipes. And you have the option of trying out either a vegetarian, non-vegetarian recipe, or both to please everyone in the family.