If there’s one grill you want to invest in, it’s got to be the pellet grill. It’s a grill, smoker, and oven in one, and you can make practically anything with it.
Grilled veggies? Check. Smoked ribs and brisket? Most definitely! How about desserts, like fruit pies and cheesecakes? Absolutely! You name it, your pellet grill can make it.
1. Pellet Grill Smokehouse Burger
A pellet grill is convenience at your fingertips. You can make whatever you’re craving with just this one machine.
Say, you’re craving a big, juicy, messy smokehouse burger on a random Wednesday… all you have to do is grab your ingredients, turn up your grill, and start cooking.
For this particular recipe, you’ll need two pounds of ground chuck, six thick-cut bacon slices, six slices of sharp cheddar cheese, six halved Kaiser rolls, and one medium red onion.
For your spices and condiments, you’ll need a quarter cup of mustard, six tablespoons of ketchup, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and paprika, plus two tablespoons of onion and garlic powder.
Also, don’t forget about your salt and pepper to taste!
Now that you’re ready, the first step is to make your patty. So, combine your beef, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Once the mixture is good to go, divide it into 4” wide patties and set aside.
Now, place your bacon in a heatproof skillet and place it on the grill grates. Close the lid and let your bacon cook until it’s ultra crispy. At that point, transfer your bacon to a plate and remove the excess fat.
Don’t wipe the skillet clean, because you’ll want to keep some bacon juice when you caramelize your onion.
That said, melt some unsalted butter in the same skillet. Then, add your soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Swirl it around to combine before tossing in your sliced onions.
Use a spatula and push all your onions to one area as you grill your patties on the opposite side. This should take about 20 minutes in total.
Halfway through, flip your patties and place your cheese slices on top. Continue grilling until the cheese is melted, which shouldn’t take longer than two minutes.
Next, place your buns on the grill (with the cut side down) and toast them. Spread some of your condiments on top and assemble your smokehouse burger however you want.
Finally, add a side of fries and soda (or beer), and you’ve got yourself a hearty full meal for game days, cookouts, and just about any other day of the week.
2. Pellet Grill Pulled Pork
What if you’re craving burgers, but you only have pork shoulders in your freezer? What do you then? In this situation, the only logical solution is to make pulled pork, of course!
And this pellet grill pulled pork recipe is just what you need. So, grab five to six pounds of your bone-in pork shoulder, a cup of bottled apple juice, and your spices.
These include a quarter cup of kosher salt and brown sugar, two tablespoons of smoked paprika, a tablespoon of dry mustard, ground black pepper, and two teaspoons of garlic powder and ground cumin.
If you like it spicy, add a teaspoon (or two) of cayenne pepper to the list.
Once your ingredients are all laid out, the first step is to make the dry rub. To do this, just whisk your spices together.
Transfer about a fourth cup of this blend to another bowl and pour in your apple juice. This will be your brine which you will use later on. For now, simply set it to the side.
In the meantime, pat your pork shoulder gently with a paper towel before placing it on a rimmed baking sheet. Then, slather your remaining dry rub all around the surface of the meat.
Make sure to really press it nice and tight to get as much flavor as possible. Then, place your pork shoulder (with the fat cap side up) on the grates, and close it up to cook.
Since you’re smoking the meat, it’ll take around five to six hours to finish. Instead of sitting around and waiting, feel free to go about your day or take on other tasks.
Just make sure to come back every hour to baste your pork with the apple juice mixture you made. And before you know it, your pork is ready!
Five to six hours later, gently take your meat out of the grill and wrap it tightly in two layers of aluminum foil. One layer is not enough — you need a backup in case the first foil tears apart.
With your pork belly snug, put it back on the grill and cook it for another two to three hours. Afterward, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest in the foil for another hour.
Using two forks, shred your pork into large pieces and drop them into a different bowl. Pour in the juices from the foil and use the same two forks to toss everything together.
All that’s left is to make your sandwich. To do this, simply open your Kaiser roll buns, pile your pulled pork on the bottom half, and top it off with a scoop of your homemade creamy coleslaw.
And now, your cravings are satisfied!
3. Pellet Grill Tahini Chicken
We’ve seen the pellet grill in action when it comes to grilling beef and pork. But how does it fare when cooking chicken?
But we’re not just making any regular grilled chicken dish. We’re going straight to the big guns with this tahini chicken recipe.
We’re packing on a lot of flavors with this main course, and the best part is: there are no preservatives or artificial ingredients involved. Everything is all-natural!
It’s all thanks to the incredible tahini, sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and orange zest combo. So, if you want to give this recipe a try, here’s what you’ll need:
A third cup of tahini (sesame paste), three tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of sesame oil, a tablespoon of honey, two teaspoons of grated garlic and fresh ginger, and the zest and juice of one orange.
Then, of course, we can’t forget about the main ingredient: you’ll need four boneless and skinless chicken breasts, plus some salt and pepper to taste.
The first step is to make your tahini marinade. This is where all the delicious flavors will come into play.
Go ahead and mix together your tahini, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, salt, orange juice, and orange zest until you have a nice, creamy sauce.
Be sure to reserve a third cup of this mixture for basting later on.
In the meantime, just drop your chicken breasts in a ziplock back and pour in your remaining marinade.
Seal your bag as tight as possible (leaving no air bubbles inside) and gently massage the chicken to coat.
Let your meat chill in the fridge for an hour. But if you can wait a little longer, I suggest leaving it in for up to 12 hours (or overnight).
Come the next morning, turn up your pellet grill to warm up for around 15 minutes. Afterward, take your chicken out of the bag, let the excess marinade drip, and place the meat on the grill.
Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper before closing the lid. Then, let your chicken cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
During that time, baste your meat every five minutes using your reserved marinade. Doing this will help keep your chicken tender and juicy.
20 minutes later, you’ll have a flavorful grilled tahini chicken that you can pair with a side of grilled veggies, a cup of rice, or a zesty salad.
4. Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey With Montreal Seasoning
In the battle between poultry options, chicken and turkey are always neck and neck. Health buffs often debate which of the two is healthier.
And while both options are pretty nutritious, turkey is just slightly better because:
- It has a smaller amount of fat (especially if you’re getting the breast part).
- It has a higher protein content.
- It’s a good source of B vitamins (like niacin and B6) which can improve metabolism and brain function.
So, if you’re looking to switch from chicken to turkey, here’s a recipe worth trying: the smoked turkey with Montreal seasoning.
You’ll need two tablespoons of olive oil, five smashed garlic cloves, a quarter cup of chopped shallots, two tablespoons of kosher salt, and one and a half teaspoons of black pepper and coriander seeds.
On top of those, you’ll also need two teaspoons of dried dill, five to six pounds of bone-in and skin-on turkey breast, a quarter cup of melted unsalted butter, plus two teaspoons of chopped thyme and rosemary.
First things first, put your oil, garlic, shallots, coriander, dill, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until it becomes an almost smooth paste. This shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds.
Once you arrive at the right consistency, set your paste aside as you pat your turkey dry and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
Obviously, you don’t want the flavors to just be skin-deep. So, you need to create a tiny space between the skin and the meat using your fingers or a spoon.
Then, rub half of your spice blend underneath the skin and the remaining half on top of the skin. Let your turkey rest for at least eight hours in the fridge, uncovered.
Meanwhile, make your herb butter marinade by stirring together your melted butter, rosemary, and thyme. This is what you’ll use to baste your turkey later.
When it’s time to cook, take your turkey out of the fridge and wait until it’s at room temperature. By that time, your pellet grill should be nice and warm.
Place your turkey on top and cook your meat for five and a half hours. Every hour, brush some of your herb butter on the turkey breast to keep it moist.
Once the five hours are up, take your turkey out and let it rest for 45 minutes before carving it into thin slices.
Some people are not big fans of turkey meat because they say it tastes gamier. However, since this recipe calls for a lot of herbs and spices, you can barely notice a difference compared to chicken breast.
5. Pellet Grill Summer Vegetables With Burrata
Thus far, I’ve given you four main course variations with different meat options. Now, let’s take a look at one side dish or appetizer you can make with your pellet grill.
With so many vegetables to choose from, singling out one over the rest seems unfair. So, I decided to include as many as possible. After all, go big or go home, right?
For this recipe, you’ll need one large eggplant, two zucchini, two yellow squash, three portobello mushroom caps, and a pint of cherry tomatoes. Besides the tomatoes, cut the veggies into either disks or strips.
Then, you’ll need 8 oz. of burrata, half a cup of white balsamic vinegar, a quarter cup of chopped shallot, one and a half tablespoons of mustard, a tablespoon of honey and thyme, and a cup of fresh basil leaves.
Before assembling your salad, first make the dressing or the vinaigrette: stir together your vinegar, shallot, mustard, honey, thyme, and salt in a container.
Then, slowly whisk in a cup of olive oil. Reserve about a fourth cup of the vinaigrette for later use.
After cutting your veggies into smaller pieces, coat your eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and portobellos with the remaining vinaigrette.
Once they’re seasoned, lay them flat on the grill grates. Close the lid, and let them char for around four to five minutes. After that, flip them over and do the same to the other side.
Now, grill your cherry tomatoes. For this part, you want to toss your tomatoes in a large cast-iron skillet and toss them with any leftover vinaigrette.
Place the skillet on the grates, close the lid again, and wait until the skins burst and the juices ooze out. Typically, this takes 12 to 15 minutes, but just keep a close watch to play it safe.
Finally, mix everything together in a serving platter. Top it with your burrata cheese and a sprinkle of your basil leaves, and you’re done!
Unlike your entrées, you don’t need to wait for hours until your veggies cook. By grilling them on your pellet grill, they can be ready in as fast as 40 minutes, which is totally impressive.
6. Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake With Choco Cookie Crust
As I said earlier, your pellet grill is like an all-in-one supermachine. It can make anything your heart desires, even if that’s a sweet, decadent baked pumpkin cheesecake with a special chocolate crust.
To start, you’ll need 24 Oreo cookies, four tablespoons of butter, four ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate, one and a half pounds of cream cheese, a cup of sugar, and four eggs.
To this list, add one and a half tablespoons of cornstarch, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, two cups of canned pumpkin, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves.
After getting the ingredients, you’ll want to make the irresistible cookie crust first. So, drop your Oreos and melted butter into your food processor and pulse until they come together.
Then, layer the mixture at the bottom of your pie dish to create the crust, and set it aside.
In the meantime, grab your stand mixer and add your cream cheese. Mix it on medium speed until it becomes smooth. At that point, add your sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
Keep mixing until the ingredients combine. After a few minutes, add your eggs one at a time.
Now, divide your mixture into two uneven sections: the first batch should be one-third and the second one should be two-thirds of the cheesecake mix.
Mix your melted chocolate with the first batch. And mix your pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove into the second batch.
After that, pour your cheesecake batter on top of your Oreo crust, alternating between the two batches. Then, use a butter knife to create a few swirly designs (just don’t overdo it!).
Once you’re ready, bake your cheesecake in the pellet grill for about 90 minutes. If you don’t want to dry out your batter, I suggest putting it in a water bath. This will keep the moisture intact.
90 minutes later, take your pie dish out of the grill and wait until it reaches room temperature before digging in.
But, if you have the willpower to wait a little longer, pop your cheesecake in the freezer for a couple more hours to enjoy your cake cold.
However you want to enjoy this dish, there’s no question that this is a creamy, decadent, and downright addictive dessert to satisfy any sweet tooth cravings.
Grill Like a Pro With Your Very Own Pellet Grill
After all that, there’s only one thing I want to say: Hats off to the inventor of the pellet grill!
This appliance is a gift to grill lovers everywhere and because of it, grilling will never be the same. Instead, grilling will be a whole lot better.
While these recipes are just a small sample of what I’ve done in the past, they barely scratch the surface of what a handy dandy pellet grill is capable of.
So, don’t just take my word for it. Give it a whirl and see what exciting recipes you can create with your very own pellet grill!
