Sizzle Season: BBQ Recipes for Lazy Afternoons

Grill sizzling, drinks on ice, and friends gathering in the garden as the sun lingers overhead - few things capture the spirit of summer like a barbecue. To celebrate the summer season, I’m sharing a vibrant series of recipes designed to bring bold flavours and effortless style to your outdoor table. 

Whether you're hosting a celebratory feast or just gathering a few friends for a relaxed Sunday afternoon, these dishes are made to mix, match, and impress. From smoky Mediterranean vegetables and charred flatbreads to a show-stopping côte de boeuf cooked ‘dirty’ on the coals, this is summer cooking at its most joyful and generous. Yet despite being big on flavour, these recipes are designed to be easy to follow, so you can relax and enjoy time with your guests. 

So if you haven't already, send out the invites, dust off the grill and get ready to show off your new and improved outdoor culinary skills! I have 5 flavourful recipes to share, perfect for your next summer BBQ.

Recipe 1: Spiced Cote du Boeuf cooked ‘dirty’

Cote du Boeuf sounds fancy, but it is just the French term for bone-in ribeye. It’s surprisingly easy to cook this impressive hunk of meat on the BBQ. In this recipe I explain how to mix up a delicious marinade with just four ingredients and flash cook the beef on the coals before finishing on the grill.

Marinating overnight infuses the meat with the spices, and then removing the excess before cooking prevents it from burning. Cooking ‘dirty’ straight on the coals makes sure the beef has a really good, charred flavour. Finishing on the grill gives you more control over how cooked you’d like your meat and allows you to barbecue your vegetables and other meats whilst the beef finishes off.

Ingredients

2.4kg 2-rib piece of beef

3tbsp of olive oil

2tsp of ground cumin

2tsp of allspice

2tsp of ground cardamom

Method

1. Wipe the beef with damp kitchen paper.
   

2. Pour 1 tbsp of oil into a small bowl. Add the spices and seasoning. Mix together. Rub the spice mixture all over the beef. Cover and marinate for 4 hours in the fridge or overnight.
   

3. Remove from the fridge at least 1 hour before grilling and prepare the barbecue.
   

4. When the coals are white hot, spread them out to make an even and flat surface for the beef.
   

5. Wipe off the excess marinade and place the beef directly on the coals. Allow each side to get some colour (about 2 mins on each side).
   

6. Transfer to the cooler side of the barbecue and cook for 35-45 mins as preferred. Baste with the leftover marinade and extra oil every 15 minutes to prevent drying.

7. Allow meat to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe 2: Grilled Courgette & Feta Salad

Courgettes are delicious grilled on the barbeque. This recipe dresses grilled courgettes with feta, pine nuts, red chilli and mint for a colourful side dish. Bursting with refreshing flavours, this is a tasty companion to meat dishes, such as barbecued Cote du Boeuf, and also makes a lovely vegetarian dish. What’s more, it only takes a few minutes to make with this 4-step recipe.

Ingredients

4 courgettes

Drizzle of olive oil

1 lemon

2 handfuls of feta

1 red chilli

1 handful of mint

1 handful of toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Slice the courgettes lengthways.
   

2. Grill until lightly charred on both sides.
   

3. Arrange criss-crossed on a large plate.
   

4. Dress with olive oil, lemon, salt & pepper. Sprinkle on the feta cheese, red chilli, mint and a handful of toasted pine nuts.

Recipe 3: Perfect Pork Souvlaki

Greek kebabs should be juicy and bursting with the fresh flavours of lemon, garlic and herbs. In our summer BBQ series, we serve this tender pork souvlaki on a flatbread with grilled courgette and feta, topped with a generous dollop of baba ganoush!

Ingredients (to make 6 skewers)

750g pork loin or tenderloin

250ml of lemon juice

250ml of olive oil

4 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp of fresh oregano

1/4 tsp of black pepper

Method

1. Add all marinade ingredients into a large bowl.
   

2. Cut the pork into chunks and marinade for at least 1 hour or overnight.
   

3. Soak the wooden skewers in water before using.
   

4. Thread the meat onto the skewers and season with salt.

5. Put on the grill, turn occasionally and brush with leftover marinade.

6. Grill for 6 minutes on each side.
   

Recipe 4: Smoky Baba Ganoush dip

Hummus on the table at a barbecue is no surprise, so why not jazz things up with an exciting alternative. Baba ganoush has a similar moreish texture with eastern Mediterranean flavours. In this recipe, the aubergines are put on the barbecue first until blackened and squidgy to create a delicious smoky flavour. It’s this step that creates the dip its scrumptious texture and flavor.

Ingredients

2 large aubergines

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 tablespoons of tahini

2-3 tablespoons plain full fat yoghurt (thick greek style is best)

Lemon juice & salt to taste

Method

1. Grill the aubergines, turning frequently so that the skin is completely blackened. Cook until they are soft and squidgy. Do not rush this step as undercooked aubergines won’t give the right texture or flavor.
   

2. Remove from the grill and leave to cool.
   

3. Once cool, carefully peel of all the blackened skin and scrape the flesh into a bowl.
   

4. Add half the garlic, 2 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of yoghurt, a good squeeze of lemon and a good pinch of salt.
   

5. Mash all of the ingredients together and mix well.

6. Taste and add more garlic, yoghurt, tahini, lemon, salt as needed to get the desired flavour and texture. The main flavour should be the smoky aubergine so don’t allow the other ingredients to overwhelm it but rather enhance it.
   

7. Serve topped with a generous drizzle of good olive oil and if you like, a sprinkling of fresh herbs, chilli flakes, za’atar or sumac. 
   

Recipe 5: Grilled Flatbreads

Perfect for scooping, dipping and loading high with meat, veggies and sauce, flatbread has been a popular eating utensil for centuries. This recipe explains how to make flatbread from scratch in no time at all. Serve these straight off the grill at a BBQ, with dips, kebabs or fragrant curries.

Ingredients

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tbsp of toasted cumin seeds, lightly crushed

1 tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of salt

Method

1. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a few mins until smooth. Leave to rest in a lightly floured bowl for 15 mins. Season and set aside.
   

2. Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each one out on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick.
   

3. Put on a hot grill and cook each side for 2 mins or until puffed up. Serve folded in basket lined with a napkin.

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Written by Kat Judge

Kat Judge is the co-founder and head chef of AliKats Mountain Holidays, a collection of eco-conscious chalets based in Morzine, in the heart of the French Alps. With a deep-rooted passion for food and permaculture gardening, Kat brings a mindful approach to mountain living—crafting seasonal, homegrown meals that celebrate the connection between plate and planet. From nurturing her alpine garden to designing zero-waste menus, she’s on a mission to show that sustainable living can be both delicious and deeply fulfilling.

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