Grilled or Broiled Chicken Breasts
Judy Houser
Hershey, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 2–4 hours
Grilling/Broiling Time: 10–15 minutes
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. lemon juice, or wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp. dried thyme, or basil leaves, optional
1. For marinade, blend together oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice.
2. Place chicken breasts in single layer in glass dish. Sprinkle with garlic and optional herbs. Pour marinade over chicken.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours, turning breasts over from time to time.
4. Preheat grill. Place chicken breasts on grill. Baste with marinade. Grill for 5 minutes on one side.
5. Turn and grill for 5–9 minutes on other side. Juices should run clear when pierced with a fork.
6. To broil, preheat broiler for 10 minutes. Place breasts on tray. Pour marinade over breasts.
7. Broil close to heat for 3–5 minutes on each side. Juices should run clear when pierced with a fork.
Lemon Grilled Chicken Breasts
Wilma Haberkamp, Fairbank, IA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Grilling Time: 4–5 minutes
1¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1. Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. Pound chicken to uniform ¼" thickness.
3. Grate 1½ Tbsp. lemon peel and squeeze 3 Tbsp. lemon juice into a small bowl.
4. Add oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well blended.
5. In large bowl, toss chicken with marinade.
6. Place on grill. Cook 2–2½ minutes.
7. Turn over. Cook 2–2½ minutes more, or until juices run clear.
Deborah Heatwole
Waynesboro, GA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Grilling Time: 15 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tsp. olive, or canola, oil
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. paprika, optional
1. Drizzle oil over chicken. Sprinkle with seasonings.
2. Grill, covered, over medium-hot coals for 12–15 minutes, or until juices run clear. Turn over several times.
Thai Peanut Chicken
Susan Kasting
Jenks, OK
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Cooking/Baking Time: 15 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup peanut butter
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. curry powder
1. Combine peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, and curry powder.
2. Marinate chicken breasts in mixture for 1 hour.
3. Grill chicken breasts until juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Janice Muller
Derwood, MD
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 3 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Grilling/Broiling Time: 10–20 minutes
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup honey
1-oz. envelope Italian salad dressing mix
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1. Place chicken in a glass rectangular dish.
2. Mix first three ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, turning to coat both sides.
3. Grill or broil until juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
Grilled Sesame Chicken
Jeannine Janzen
Elbing, KS
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 4–8 hours
Grilling Time: 20–40 minutes
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag.
2. Pour soy sauce and pineapple juice into bag. Chill 4–8 hours.
3. Place chicken on grill. Cook 10–20 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds lightly on both sides of chicken as it grills.
A Tip —
To clear honey out of your measuring cup easily, first spray the measuring cup with cooking spray.
Dale and Shari Mast
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 8–10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 8 hours, or overnight
Grilling Time: 20–30 minutes
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup honey barbecue sauce (see page 141)
1 cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing (regular or light)
1. Place chicken thighs in a large bowl for marinating.
2. Combine barbecue sauce and dressing in a small mixing bowl.
3. Pour over chicken. Cover, refrigerate, and allow to marinate 8 hours, or overnight.
4. Grill 10–15 minutes per side over medium heat, basting with extra marinade sauce.
Tip: You can combine any vinaigrette dressing with your favorite barbecue sauce for an excellent marinade tailored to your individual taste.
Chicken on the Throne
Meredith Miller, Dover, DE
Makes 2 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 1 hour
Grilling Time: 1½–2 hours
3–3½-lb. chicken fryer
3 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
12-oz. can beer, or soda
half a medium-sized onion
1 green pepper
1. Rinse chicken in cold water and let drain. Be sure to remove giblets and neck.
2. Rub a light coating of seasoning over skin and pour the remainder into the cavity rubbing in well. Place in plastic bag in refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Preheat grill to medium heat.
4. Remove top of aluminum beverage can with a can opener. Remove half the drink.
5. Chop onion and pepper and place in can along with the remaining half of drink.
6. Push cavity of chicken over can until chicken’s legs reach the bottom of the can on the outside.
7. Place chicken-on-the-can in a foil pan on grill. (This will prevent grease flare-ups.)
8. Close lid and grill until juices run clear when pierced with a fork and leg moves freely when twisted, about 1½–2 hours.
Grilled Turkey Breast
Naomi Ressler, Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 7–9 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 4 hours
Grilling Time: 10 minutes or so
5–7-lb. turkey breast
8-oz. bottle light Italian dressing
½ cup soy sauce
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dry mustard
1. Cut turkey off the bone, slicing down each side of the breast bone. Then cut each half crosswise into serving-size pieces.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a sizable baking dish. Reserve ½ cup for basting turkey while grilling.
3. Marinate turkey for at least 4 hours in the fridge, pushing meat down into marinade until submerged.
4. Grill over medium heat, basting with marinade until juices run clear. Grill for 5 minutes on one side. Turn over and grill another 5 minutes or so, watching carefully so the meat doesn’t dry out or burn.
Tips:
1. Turkey cuts best when it’s still partially frozen.
2. I put the breast bone in a large stockpot and nearly cover it with water. I put the lid on the pot and simmer it to make a great broth for later use. There’s also good meat attached, which I cut up into the broth.
Honey Barbecue Sauce—for Poultry or Beef
Lori Lehman, Ephrata, PA
Makes 2½ cups
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes
1 cup ketchup
½ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup prepared mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. liquid smoke, optional
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Spread over chicken or steak before grilling.
Barbecued Chicken Sauce
Paula King, Flanagan, IL
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 5 minutes
¼ cup water
½ cup vinegar
1 stick (½ cup) butter
½ tsp. salt
dash paprika
dash pepper
1. Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat on stove top or grill top until butter melts and all ingredients can be mixed together.
2. Keep warm while grilling chicken and baste chicken periodically.
Tip: This amount of sauce will baste one whole cut-up chicken.
Brooks White Sauce Marinade
Deb Herr, Montaintop, PA
Makes 3¼ cups
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 3–4 hours
Grilling Time: 10–20 minutes
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
½ tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. salt
3 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1. Pour all ingredients into a 1-quart covered container. Shake vigorously.
2. Pour over chicken breasts to marinate for a few hours, and then grill.
Flank Steak
Sharon Swartz Lambert
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 2–4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 5-24 hours
Grilling Time: 15 minutes
½–2-lb. flank steak
1 Tbsp. cooking sherry
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. honey
1. Diamond-cut ¼"-wide slashes on both sides of flank steak.
2. Mix marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Place steak in a long dish. Pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate 5–24 hours, or overnight.
4. Grill 5 minutes per side over high heat. (You may need a bit more time, depending on thickness of the meat.)
5. Cut into thin slices on the diagonal.
Rosemarie Fitzgerald
Gibsonia, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 15–20 minutes
Grilling Time: 10–15 minutes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2–3 small zucchini, unpeeled
1 medium red onion
1 lb. fresh mushrooms
16-oz. bottle Catalina salad dressing
1. Clean vegetables. Leave tomatoes whole, but cube zucchini, onion, and mushrooms for skewers.
2. Thread vegetables onto skewers. Thread zucchini through its outside edges and not through the centers of the cubes.
3. Grill, basting with dressing, until vegetables are done to your liking.
4. Serve with Meat Shish Kebabs (next recipe) over cooked rice.
Meat Shish Kebabs
Rosemarie Fitzgerald
Gibsonia, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes or more
Grilling Time: 15–30 minutes
1 lb. cubed beef, pork, or chicken
16-oz. bottle Catalina salad dressing
1. Place cubed meat in a long pan. Pour salad dressing over top, submerging the meat in the liquid.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Remove meat from marinade and thread onto skewers.
4. Grill, basting with dressing, until meat is done to your liking.
5. Serve alongside the Vegetable Shish Kebabs (previous recipe) over cooked rice.
Grilled Burgers
Deborah Heatwole
Waynesboro, GA
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10–15 minutes
Grilling Time: 10–15 minutes
2 lbs. ground beef
¾ cup uncooked rolled, or quick, oats
2 eggs
⅓ cup ketchup
1½ tsp. dried onion, optional
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, optional
salt and pepper to taste
1. Mix ground beef thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Shape ⅓ cupfuls into patties.
3. Place patties on hot grill. Grill, covered, 5–7 minutes per side, or until centers of burgers are no longer pink.
4. Serve on buns with toppings of your choice.
Shelia Heil
Lancaster, PA
Makes 1 serving
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 45 minutes
¼-lb. burger
1 potato, sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin
¼ onion, diced
½ tsp. salt
1. Layer ingredients onto large sheet of double-strength aluminum foil. Wrap up and seal well.
2. Place on baking sheet with sealed edge up.
3. Grill for 45 minutes, or until meat and veggies are done to your liking.
Tip: Make as many packets as the number of people you plan to feed. In fact, it’s fun to make an assembly line and have everyone create her/his own package.
Marinade for Beef or Venison
Alta Metzler
Willow Street, PA
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 24 hours
Cooking/Baking Time: 30–40 minutes
½ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
¼ cup oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
¼ tsp. pepper
2 tsp. brown sugar
1. Mix all ingredients together well in a small bowl.
2. Place 2 lbs. venison or beef steak in a long bowl.
3. Marinate, covered, in refrigerator for 24 hours, turning meat 1 or 2 times.
4. Grill according to the thickness of the meat and your preferred done-ness.
Steak Marinade
Sharon Shank
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 2+ cups
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 8-12 hours
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
½ cup oil
½ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Marinate steaks in the sauce for 8–12 hours before grilling.
Many-Meats Marinade
Marseilles, IL
Makes 2½+ cups
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 6 or more hours
5-oz. bottle soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1½ cups water
¼ cup sherry, optional
1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Stir well, making sure the brown sugar dissolves.
2. Pour over meat and marinate, covered, in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
Tip: Try this on poultry, beef, pork, and shrimp.
Southern Pork Marinating/Basting Sauce
Barbara Sparks
Glen Burnie, MD
Makes 2¾ cups
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours
Grilling/Broiling Time: about 15 minutes on each side
1 cup water
2 cups cider vinegar
1–1½ (½–¾ cup) sticks butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground red pepper, or cayenne
1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Marinate pork chops or ribs in the sauce for 2 hours before grilling or broiling. (Discard sauce used for marinating. Make fresh sauce for basting.)
3. Baste pork chops or ribs with sauce on the grill, or under the broiler.
Grilled Pork Chops
Laura R. Showalter
Dayton, VA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 2 hours
Grilling Time: 20 minutes
1 large onion, sliced
¾ cup lime, or lemon, juice
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt, optional
4 pork chops
1. Combine all ingredients except the pork chops in a large re-sealable bag or container with tight-fitting lid. Combine well.
2. Submerge chops in marinade.
3. Seal bag or container and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
4. Remove chops from marinade and grill, covered, over medium-hot heat 8–10 minutes on each side.
5. Bring the marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Use it to baste the chops if you wish while they grill.
A Tip —
Food is always more tasty when served attractively. Add a garnish and a special touch whenever possible.
Pat Bechtel
Dillsburg, PA
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 30 minutes
2 fully cooked ham slices, each about 1" thick
1 cup brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup prepared horseradish
¼ cup lemon juice
1. Score each side of ham ¼" deep in a diamond pattern.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently.
3. Grill ham slices 3" from medium-hot coals, 15 minutes on each side. Baste frequently with the sugar mixture.
Fill and Grill Sizzlers
Shanon Swartz Lambert
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Grilling Time: 10–15 minutes
2 lbs. smoked sausage, or Kielbasa
1 cup Muenster cheese, grated
½ cup sauerkraut, drained well
6 bacon slices, optional
1. Cut sausage into six 6" pieces. Split lengthwise ¾ through.
2. Mix grated cheese and drained sauerkraut together in a small mixing bowl.
3. Fill each sausage piece with mixture of 2 Tbsp. grated cheese and 1 Tbsp. sauerkraut.
4. Wrap each filled piece with a strip of bacon, if you wish. Secure with a toothpick.
5. Grill or broil 4" from heat until done.
6. Garnish with additional Muenster cheese just before serving.
Flavorful Grilled Salmon
Carol Findling
Carol Stream, IL
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 15–30 minutes
Grilling Time: 10–12 minutes
¼ cup Italian dressing, light or regular
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 salmon fillets (4–6-oz. each, about 1" thick)
1. Place all ingredients except salmon in medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Set aside ⅓ cup.
2. Pour remaining marinade into sealable plastic bag. Add salmon to bag. Seal tightly. Place in bowl. Refrigerate 15–30 minutes.
3. Remove fillets and discard marinade in bag.
4. Grill skin-side down over indirect heat until opaque throughout, about 10–12 minutes (adjust for thickness of fillet).
5. During last 2 minutes of grilling, brush with reserved marinade.
6. When done, slide spatula between skin and salmon meat and transfer to serving plate.
Tip: This recipe is basic. You can add or eliminate ingredients as you wish; for example orange juice, tequila, herbs, spices, different vinegars, hot peppers, etc. Use your imagination and favorite flavors.
Leann Brown
Lancaster, PA
Makes 3 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Grilling Time: 15 minutes
2 lbs. salmon steaks or fillets
½ cup lemon juice
1½ Tbsp. butter
seasoned salt
1. Lay salmon on large piece of foil.
2. Pour lemon juice over top.
3. Lay butter in several slivers over top.
4. Sprinkle evenly with seasoned salt to taste.
5. Close foil and wrap again in second layer so lemon juice will not escape.
6. Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until salmon is flakey but not dry.
Grilled Asparagus Spears
Dale and Shari Mast
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 7 minutes
Grilling Time: 12 minutes
2 lbs. fresh asparagus spears
1 Tbsp. olive oil
seasoned salt
1. Break woody ends off washed asparagus.
2. In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, toss asparagus spears with oil and salt to taste.
3. Place spears directly onto preheated grill on low heat.
4. Grill for 12 minutes, turning spears 2–3 times.
5. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Chili Lime Grilled Corn
Betty Moore
Plano, IL
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Soaking Time: 3–4 hours
Grilling Time: 25 minutes
8 ears fresh corn with husks
1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
1 tsp. grated lime rind
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
chili powder
1. Remove outer husks from corn. Pull back inner husks. Remove and discard silks. Pull husks back up on corn. Soak in cool water for 3 or 4 hours, putting a plate on top of corn to keep under water.
2. Mix butter, lime juice and grated lime rind in a small bowl.
3. Remove corn from water. Grill corn in its husks over medium heat on grill for 25 minutes. Turn often.
4. Carefully remove husks.
5. Spread corn with butter mixture. Sprinkle with chili powder if you wish. Or add ½ tsp. chili powder to butter mixture before spreading on corn.
Natalia Showalter
Mt. Solon, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Grilling Time: 30–45 minutes
1½ cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
5½ Tbsp. (⅓ cup) butter, melted
⅓ cup hot water
6 medium-sized sweet onions
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut each onion into 3 horizontal slices. Spread 2 Tbsp. stuffing mixture between slices and re-assemble onions.
3. Place each onion on a 12" square of aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.
4. Bring corners together and twist to seal.
5. Cook over hot coals 30 minutes, or until tender.
Tip: You can also bake the onions in a lightly greased, covered, 7 × 11 baking dish at 350˚ for 1 hour, or until tender.
Grilled Cabbage
Jenelle Miller
Marion, SD
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes
Grilling Time: 40–45 minutes
1 small head of cabbage
half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
seasoned salt
4 slices bacon, uncooked
1. Remove outer leaves of cabbage head. Cut cabbage into 4 wedges.
2. Lay each wedge on a square of aluminum foil.
3. Spread 1 Tbsp. of butter over side of wedge.
4. Sprinkle each generously with seasoned salt.
5. Wrap a piece of bacon around each wedge.
6. Wrap tightly in foil.
7. Lay over hot coals. Grill 40–45 minutes, or until tender when jagged with a fork.
Grilled Vegetables
Deborah Heatwole
Waynesboro, GA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 15–30 minutes, depending on how fast you slice veggies
Grilling Time: 15–25 minutes
4 cups sliced fresh summer squash and/or zucchini
4 cups sliced sweet onions, such as Vidalia
3–4 Tbsp. olive, or canola, oil
1–2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl until vegetables are evenly coated with oil and vinegar.
2. Spray a grill basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place on grill rack over hot coals.
3. Pour vegetables into basket, replace grill lid, and cook 15–25 minutes, until vegetables reach desired doneness, stirring every 4–5 minutes.
Tip: This is a versatile dish. Add or substitute your favorite garden vegetables, especially those that are in season.
Zucchini on the Grill
Bluffton, OH
Makes as many servings as yo wish
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Grilling Time: 5–6 minutes
medium-sized zucchini
olive oil
pepper
seasoning salt
garlic powder
1. Wash, but do not peel zucchini. Slice into long strips about ¼" thick.
2. Brush both sides with olive oil. Gently sprinkle both sides with pepper, seasoning salt, and garlic powder.
3. Place on grill, turning frequently. Each side takes about 3 minutes, but watch carefully so as not to overdo or burn the slices.
Grilled Parmesan Potatoes
Joanna Bear
Salisbury, MD
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Grilling Time: 18–20 minutes
1 lb. small red potatoes
¼ cup chopped green onions, optional
2 tsp. cooking oil
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic salt
1. Cut potatoes in ½" cubes. Place in medium bowl.
2. Add onions, if you wish, and oil. Toss to coat.
3. Place potatoes in center of 12 × 12 sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
4. Combine spices and cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle over potatoes.
5. Fold foil into pouch, sealing tightly to prevent leaks.
6. Place pouch on a grill over medium hot coals for 18–20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Potato Pockets
Barb Harvey, Quarryville, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Grilling Time: 20–30 minutes
4 medium-sized potatoes, julienned
3 carrots, julienned
⅓ cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper, optional
½ cup shredded Parmesan, or cheddar, cheese
1. Divide potatoes, carrots, and onion equally between four pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
2. Top with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if you wish.
3. Bring opposite short ends of foil together over vegetables and fold down several times. Fold unsealed ends toward vegetables and crimp tightly.
4. Grill, covered, over medium coals for 20–30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
5. Remove from grill.
6. Open foil and sprinkle with cheese. Reseal for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
A Tip —
In order to prevent peeled potatoes from discoloring, drop them into a cup of cold water with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar dissolved in it. Drain the potatoes when you’re ready to use them.