As temperatures rise and the days grow longer, it’s time to dust off the grill and prepare for outdoor cooking season! While burgers and hot dogs are backyard classics, why not take your grilling game global this year? The world offers barbecue traditions that can transform your cookouts from ordinary to extraordinary.
These six international grilling styles will introduce exciting new flavors to your outdoor cooking repertoire:
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki:
Take a culinary trip to the Mediterranean with this beloved Greek street food. Marinate cubed chicken breast in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano and dried parsley for at least 30 minutes (though overnight is ideal). Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with warm pita bread, homemade tzatziki sauce (Greek yogurt with cucumber, garlic and herbs) and a simple Greek salad for a meal that transports you to the streets of Athens.
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki:
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken:
For bold, spicy flavors, Jamaican jerk chicken delivers an unforgettable punch. This Caribbean classic features a blend of scallions, thyme, allspice and fiery peppers. For the most authentic experience, grill the chicken over charcoal, which imparts a distinctive smokiness that complements the spicy marinade. Serve with rice and peas for a true taste of Jamaica.
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken:
- Korean Bulgogi:
Korean BBQ has taken North America by storm, and bulgogi offers a perfect introduction to these flavors at home. Featuring thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet-savory mixture of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and pepper, bulgogi cooks quickly. While authentic Korean BBQ often involves tabletop grilling, you can easily adapt the technique to a standard backyard grill by using a grill basket or foil. Serve bulgogi in lettuce wraps with rice, kimchi and an array of small side dishes for an interactive dining experience.
- Korean Bulgogi:
- Argentinian Asado:
Unlike many BBQ styles that rely heavily on sauces and marinades, asado is all about the meat itself — particularly beef ribs, flank steak and sirloin. Season simply with salt before grilling slowly over hardwood lump charcoal, allowing the natural flavors of the beef to shine. In Argentina, asado isn’t merely a cooking method but a social event that brings friends and family together. Serve with chimichurri sauce (a vibrant mixture of parsley, garlic, vinegar and oil) for authentic Argentinian flavor.
- Argentinian Asado:
- Japanese Yakitori:
These chicken skewers are a staple in Japanese izakaya (pub) culture. Traditional yakitori involves skewering small pieces of chicken and grilling them over special binchotan charcoal. The seasonings are minimalist — typically just salt and white pepper or a sweet-savory soy glaze called tare.
- Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken:
Hawaii’s unique culinary traditions offer mainland North Americans a taste of Polynesian-Asian fusion flavors. The name “huli huli” (meaning “turn turn”) comes from the traditional cooking method of turning the chicken repeatedly while basting it with a signature sauce that combines brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, ginger and pineapple juice for a perfect balance of sweet, tangy and savory flavors. Serve with traditional Hawaiian sides like macaroni salad and rice for an authentic “plate lunch” experience.
- Japanese Yakitori:
Exploring global grilling traditions is a delicious way to expand your culinary horizons without leaving home. So fire up the grill, gather your ingredients and take your taste buds on a world tour this grilling season!
Have you tried any international grilling techniques? Which global BBQ traditions are your
Did you know? Grilling through history
Cooking meat over fire is one of humanity’s oldest culinary techniques, dating back at least 1.8 million years. Archaeologists believe that learning to cook with fire was a crucial step in human evolution, as it made food easier to digest and allowed our ancestors to extract more nutrients from their diet.
The global grilling information is quite interesting. I am open to all sorts of cultural meal preparations. We enjoy trying new international flavors of foods as well as brands too. The information presented tells me that I would be able to create even more international foods on my grill. We love to grill outdoors during the summer months. I look forward to trying more meals focused on international values and introduce my family and friends to some new types of meals this summer. I have included one recipe that I get from allrecipes.com for grilled Hawaiian chicken. I like to follow a recipe when grilling or doing any type of cooking especially for the first time of preparation. Hope the recipe I submitted will be enjoyed.
I do not have a scratch recipe of my own. Here is a recipe that I use from allrecipes.com. It is a family favorite for Hawaiian Grilled Chicken that is requested quite often. Hope that someone else will enjoy it now.
1 ½ cups unsweetened pineapple juice
¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¾ cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 stick unsalted butter
3 green onions, including green tops, thinly
Directions
Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger together in a bowl until brown sugar has dissolved. Pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken thighs and coat with the marinade. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, 4 hours to overnight.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
Reduce heat to low on one burner of the preheated grill. Place oven-safe dish over the low burner; add butter and green onions to the dish and allow to slowly melt. Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill chicken in batches over the medium burners, turning once, until juices run clear, about 10 minutes per batch.
When chicken is cooked, place each piece into the butter and onion “bath”, turning a couple of times to ensure it is well coated. Continue to grill remaining chicken, adding each piece to the butter and onion “bath”, pushing already-coated pieces to the side until all pieces have been coated.
Gonna try some of these
These made me very hungry so we will try some of them.
okay