Memorial Day through Labor Day is the season when the grill earns its place in the backyard. But most home grillers fall into the same trap every summer: chicken breasts that dry out, burgers with no crust, and shrimp that stick and fall apart. The problem is rarely technique. It is almost always the seasoning — either the wrong blend, applied at the wrong time, with no plan for what to cook.
These five recipes cover the range of what backyard grilling can be — bold Caribbean jerk chicken, a smoky BBQ burger that actually holds together, lemon herb shrimp that cooks in minutes, Korean-style short ribs that people will ask you to make again, and veggie skewers with a bright chimichurri that rounds out any spread. All of them work on any grill, gas or charcoal, and all of them start with getting the seasoning right before you light the coals.
If you want to skip the spice-shelf archaeology, FlavorPlan seasoning kits come pre-measured for each recipe at $5.49 per kit. But the formulas below work just fine with what you already have.
Recipe 1: Grilled Jerk Chicken
Jerk is one of the most complex flavor profiles you can put on chicken — allspice, scotch bonnet heat, thyme, cinnamon, and a smoky char from direct flame. The key word is patience: this marinade needs time. At minimum 4 hours. Overnight is better. The flavors will not penetrate deeply in under 2 hours, and you will taste the difference.
Grilled Jerk Chicken
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min + 4-12h marinate Cook: 25-30 min
Jerk Marinade:
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 3 green onions, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded (adjust to heat preference)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
Blend all marinade ingredients until smooth. Score the chicken pieces deeply (3-4 cuts to the bone), then coat thoroughly. Marinate refrigerated 4-12 hours.
Grill over medium-high heat (400°F), starting skin-side down. Cook 12-15 minutes per side, moving to indirect heat if flare-ups occur. Internal temp should reach 175°F. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
The FlavorPlan Jerk Chicken kit includes the dry spice blend pre-measured — you add the wet ingredients (soy sauce, lime, olive oil, green onion, garlic) and blend. It comes as part of the weekly meal plan alongside rice and peas and a mango slaw.
Recipe 2: Smoky BBQ Burgers
A good backyard BBQ burger needs three things: the right fat ratio in the beef (80/20 is non-negotiable — leaner beef dries out), a seasoning blend that includes smoked paprika and a touch of sugar for crust formation, and grates that are clean and well-oiled. Everything else is secondary.
Smoky BBQ Burgers
Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 10-12 min
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Brioche buns, sliced
Mix seasonings and Worcestershire into the beef, handling as little as possible (overworking makes dense burgers). Form into 4 patties, slightly wider than your buns. Press a shallow dimple in the center of each — this prevents the crown from forming as the patty tightens.
Grill over high heat (450-500°F). 4-5 minutes per side for medium. Do not press down on the burger. Let it release naturally before flipping. Toast buns on the grill for 60 seconds.
Recipe 3: Lemon Herb Grilled Shrimp
Shrimp is the fastest protein on the grill — it goes from raw to done in under 5 minutes, which means it also goes from done to overcooked fast. The timing rule: when the shrimp turns pink and curls into a loose C shape, it is done. A tight O means overcooked. Pull them at the C.
Lemon Herb Grilled Shrimp
Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min + 30 min marinate Cook: 4-5 min
- 1.5 lbs large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
Whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, herbs, and seasoning. Toss shrimp in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes (no longer than 2 hours or the acid starts breaking down the texture).
Thread on metal skewers or pre-soaked wooden skewers. Grill over high heat 2-2.5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.
For a simpler weeknight version, the FlavorPlan menu includes a lemon herb shrimp kit where the herbs and spices are pre-measured — skip the measuring and marinate time drops to just mixing.
Recipe 4: Korean BBQ Short Ribs (Kalbi)
Kalbi-cut short ribs — sliced thin across the bone — are the fastest-cooking beef on the grill. Two to three minutes per side over screaming hot coals, and you get deep caramelization on the outside with tender, well-marbled meat inside. The marinade does the heavy work, but this dish rewards anyone who respects the prep time.
Korean BBQ Short Ribs (Kalbi)
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min + 4-12h marinate Cook: 6-8 min
- 2 lbs flanken-cut (kalbi-cut) short ribs, 1/4-inch thick
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 Asian pear or 1/4 cup applesauce (tenderizer)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Blend the pear until smooth. Combine with remaining marinade ingredients. Coat ribs thoroughly and marinate 4-12 hours refrigerated. Longer marinade = more tender and more flavor.
Grill over maximum heat (charcoal preferred). 2-3 minutes per side. The sugar will caramelize fast — watch for burning versus charring. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice.
Recipe 5: Grilled Veggie Skewers with Chimichurri
Vegetable skewers are the most underrated item on any grill. They cook fast, they char beautifully, and paired with a proper chimichurri — bright, acidic, herby — they can hold their own next to any protein on the spread. The trick is uniform cut size so everything cooks in the same window.
Grilled Veggie Skewers with Chimichurri
Serves: 4 Prep: 20 min Cook: 10-12 min
For the skewers:
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
- 2 bell peppers (red and yellow), cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed
- 3 tbsp olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder
For the chimichurri:
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Make chimichurri first: finely chop parsley, oregano, and garlic (do not blend — you want texture). Mix with olive oil, vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt. Set aside at room temperature to let flavors develop.
Toss vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Thread on skewers, alternating types. Grill over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes per side, rotating once. Serve immediately with chimichurri drizzled over the top.
The Summer Grilling Shortcut: Pre-Seasoned Kits
The biggest time sink in any of these recipes is the spice math — measuring out six different quantities, making sure you have every jar, tracking down the allspice that got pushed to the back of the pantry. That is the problem FlavorPlan meal kits solve. Each kit comes with every seasoning pre-measured at $5.49 per kit, and the summer grilling lineup cycles through jerk chicken, Korean BBQ, and lemon herb shrimp as rotating weekly options from May through September.
If you have been meaning to try any of these recipes and just never had the right occasion, a backyard grill-out with one or two of these on the menu is the occasion. The season is short. Use it.
For more grilling and meal prep inspiration, see the beginner guide to meal prep — the same batch cooking principles apply when you are cooking for a crowd.