27 Fall Grilling Recipes (for the Best Grilling Season)

You know what's better than standing in front of the grill and sweating? Standing in front of the grill and not sweating. You can do that in fall, and that's why fall is the best grilling season. Yes, the best. Forget summer. You can still hold a beer in front of the coals, after the temperature drops below 70°. You can still slow-cook vegetables, marinate meats, and char breads with yellow, orange, and brown leaves beneath your feet. You just do it with a sweater on. So get those sweet potatoes and legs of lamb ready. Gather your cauliflower and your chops, rubbed in warm spices. The time to grill, as it always is, is now.
Photo by Jeff Luker1/27Tri-Tip with Chimichurri
The tri-tip is a tender, triangular cut of beef tucked near the sirloin. There are only two per steer, so if your butcher is out, go with sirloin.
Alex Lau2/27Grilled Cauliflower Steaks and Scallions
Slicing the cauliflower into steaks from the middle helps the head stay intact as you cut.
3/27Grilled Saffron Rack of Lamb
In this rack of lamb recipe, the lamb needs to marinate overnight, so be sure to start 1 day ahead. But trust us: It's worth it.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott4/27Grilled Fennel
Make sure to peel away the outermost layer from the fennel bulb; it’s tough and fibrous and won’t be good grilled.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott5/27Grilled Salmon Collars
The ginger-soy marinade here is everything.
Alex Lau6/27Grilled Baby Artichokes with Aleppo Pepper and Parmesan
The parcooking is essential for a tender result, but the extra effort’s worth it.
Alex Lau7/27Grilled Broccoli and Arugula Salad
An unexpected side dish that can be made hours ahead of a party; wait until the last minute to toss together.
Andrew Knowlton8/27Grilled Scallions with Hot Sauce and Sesame Seeds
This is also delicious with pretty spring onions; increase cooking time to 6 or 8 minutes.
Photo by Peden + Munk9/27Sambal Chicken Skewers
This spicy, sticky glazed chicken features sambal oelek, a bright and punchy chile-packed condiment, giving these grilled skewers a very convincing comeback.
Peden + Munk10/27Barbecued Chicken
Avoid rookie mistakes when it comes to barbecuing chicken. If you apply the sauce too early, it will scorch. And most bottled sauces are too sweet, which is where this vinegary version comes in.
Linda Xiao11/27Grilled Sweet Potato Baba Ghanoush
A fall recipe you'll want to make again and again, here, you'll tuck sweet potatoes into the used coals of a dying grill to char and soften, then mix their flesh with lemon and tahini for a dip to spread on toasts, eat with veg, or mindlessly sample by the spoonful.
Alex Lau12/27Butterflied Chicken With Herbs and Cracked Olives
Butterflying the chicken transforms a hard-to-grill round bird into a compact, flat package that is easier to crisp and cook through.
Photo by Laura Murray, styling by Judy Mancini13/27Spicy Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Choose the largest head of cauliflower you can find. When you cut into it, keep in mind that the two center pieces will stay together, but the two end pieces may fall apart into florets and that’s okay—you should still grill those too! This recipe also easily doubles if you want four solid cauliflower steaks.
Marcus Nilsson14/27Chi Spacca's Bistecca Fiorentina
If you don’t enjoy very rare meat, keep these steaks on the grill until they reach 120°; they’ll still be rare, but less aggressively so.
Alex Lau15/27Barbecue Carrots with Yogurt and Pecans
Parboiling the carrots before you grill them ensures they’ll be tender without burning the sugars in the spice mixture, and primes them to absorb those flavors.
Peden + Munk16/27Grilled Bone-In Rib Eye
Let it rain with the kosher salt—for the best flavor, you want to season these simple steaks really well before they get grilled. Great with Garlicky Harissa or Charred Tomatillo Chermoula.
Marcus Nilsson17/27Slow-Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mint Yogurt and Salsa Verde
Ask your butcher for a whole leg, which will include part of the sirloin.
Marcus Nilsson18/27Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-Chile Adobo
The key to this adobo is truly burning the chiles and spices. Not browned, not toasted—burned. Try this at home; just open the windows and turn on the fan first.
Alex Lau19/27Charred Sweet Potatoes With Honey and Olive Oil
Japanese sweet potatoes are starchier than yams and worth seeking out (Whole Foods should have them).
Ted Cavanaugh20/27Cumin-Chile Lamb Kebabs With Garlic Yogurt
A perfect cube is not essential, but try to get the lamb into roughly the same size pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Alex Lau21/27Grilled Eggplant and Lemons With Garlic Labneh
Use whatever type of eggplant looks most appealing at the market; they should be firm to the touch, with glossy skin. Small globe eggplants are easy to find, but this is also a terrific time to use long Asian types, small round white ones, or any of the cool-looking striped varieties.
22/27Grilled Flatbread
As a side. As a sandwich. As a dipper. As whatever. Grilled bread is incredible, especially with a herbal, spicy rub.
23/27Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Chanterelles
Letting the mushrooms cook undisturbed is the best way to get a good sear. Resist the urge to stir until they’re browned.
Alex Lau24/27Skirt Steak With Preserved Lemon Butter and Sesame Cauliflower
Skirt steak is one of our favorite cuts of beef—it’s flavorful, affordable, and quick-cooking. That said, it’s imperative to slice it thinly against the grain for the best texture.
Peden + Munk25/27Grilled Mustard Broccoli
This is not your average side dish recipe: The broccoli is slathered in a spiced yogurt sauce, then grilled for even more flavor.
26/27Skirt Steak Fajitas with Grilled Cabbage and Scallions
The vegetables should still have plenty of bite when you pull them off the grill; you want a mix of textures between the tender steak, crisp toppings, and soft tortillas.
Ryan Liebe27/27Grilled Mushrooms and Carrots with Sesame
The nutty, woodsy mushrooms play up the sweetness of the carrots. Memorize the dressing—it’s great on pretty much everything.