When the winter chill starts to fade and springtime rolls around, it’s time to start brainstorming Easter grilling ideas. For many backyard BBQ enthusiasts, Easter marks the dawn of grilling season. Naturally, you want to make it count!
If you’re having family and friends over for an Easter feast, we recommend serving traditional Easter staples, only elevated through grilling. While you can certainly get creative with the menu, guests are going to be expecting holiday favorites.
In this guide, we cover the must-have Easter meats—ham and lamb—as well as some springy sides to tie the meal together. We tried to make our Easter barbecue ideas exciting, yet also accessible to those who may not have the most adventurous taste buds.
All of that said, it’s your barbecue, so feel free to get wild with your culinary creations! Just remember that you’re cooking an Easter meal, so your more experimental recipes may be better saved for the next cookout. Let’s begin!
1. Traditional Easter Ham
Here in the USA, a hearty ham and Easter go hand-in-hand. Fortunately, grilling a proper Easter ham is super easy, as the ham itself is already cooked. You just need to doctor it up a bit.
This is one of the most important Easter barbecue ideas, as guests will be expecting a proper Easter ham! And ham isn’t the most common grilled food, so it’s a great opportunity for you to brush up on your ham-grilling skills.
The glaze is what’ll really make your pork sing. And with FlavrQ, you’ll be able to infuse the meat with rich, robust charcoal-grilled flavor that perfectly contrasts with the sweetness of the glaze.
When considering Easter grilling ideas, keep practicality in mind. As the host, you don’t want to end up spending the entire celebration in front of the grill. This is one of the best Easter barbecue ideas because it requires little work but delivers big results.
Grilled Easter Ham Recipe:
- 1 bone-in ham
- 1 can crushed pineapple
- 1 pineapple (peeled and cored)
- 1 orange (juice and zest only)
- 1 cup honey or brown sugar
- ½ bottle white wine or apple cider vinegar
Prep:
- Mix all ingredients (except the ham) in a bowl.
- Coat the ham in the glaze, ideally the day before.
- Save the remaining glaze.
Grill:
- Designate a section of your grill for indirect heat.
- Place the glazed ham on that section of the grill and place an aluminum pan under it. .
- Grill the ham on indirect heat for approximately three hours, applying more glaze every half hour.
- During the last half hour, use toothpicks to attach pineapple rings to the outside of the ham.
2. Leg of Lamb
Out of all Easter barbecue ideas, ham is top priority. Lamb is a close second. This is a smaller dish, so consider the size of the crowd as you plan your Easter grilling ideas. It’s better to have leftovers than hungry guests!
This lamb recipe works quite well paired with the ham above. The ham brings a sweet and zesty flavor profile, while the lamb leans more on the rich and savory side.
A proper sear and seal is absolutely crucial. So make sure you have your FlavrQ Grilling System in place to hit the high temperatures necessary to give the meat a perfectly crisp, caramelized outside and tender, juicy inside.
Not all Easter barbecue ideas are going to appeal to everyone. Lamb is fancier than the usual cookout fare, so you may want to have some classic burgers and hot dogs on the side, especially if kids are coming.
Grilled Leg of Lamb Recipe:
- 1 boneless leg of lamb
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped fine)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Prep:
- Mix the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary in a bowl to make a marinade.
- Salt and pepper the lamb to taste.
- Massage the marinade into the lamb.
- Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you prepare your other Easter barbecue ideas.
Grill:
- Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before grilling so it can reach room temperature.
- Designate a section of your grill for direct heat and a section for indirect heat.
- Sear the lamb for 4-5 minutes on each side until the desired level of crust and caramelization is achieved.
- Move the lamb to indirect heat, cover it with tin foil, and let it grill for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches 145 degrees (rare) to 160 degrees (medium).
- Let it sit under foil for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
3. Grilled Potato Salad
Potato salad is a classic Easter side that’s usually not made on the grill. Using grilled taters is a great way to put a unique spin on your Easter barbecue idea.
This potato salad recipe is served warm and has a vinaigrette base. If you’re looking for straightforward Easter grilling ideas, it might not be the best choice for those who prefer their potato salad cold and slathered in mayo (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).
This grilled potato salad pairs beautifully with the lamb recipe above. It’s an elevated take on a classic backyard BBQ side. It’s super easy to make, and the ingredients are affordable.
Grilled Potato Salad Recipe:
If you don’t have these exact ingredients, feel free to get creative. For example, these Easter barbecue ideas will still be delicious with dried herbs if fresh ones aren’t available.
- 2 pounds red or yellow potatoes
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 whole scallions (thinly sliced)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 1 tbsp whole-grain mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 whole lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Prep:
- Combine herbs, garlic, olive oil, mustard, scallions, and shallots in a bowl.
- Whisk to make a vinaigrette.
- Cut potatoes in half.
- Boil potatoes for 4-5 minutes.
- Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
Grill:
This is one of those Easter barbecue ideas you can approach on your own terms. Some people like to grill their taters directly on the grill, while others prefer to put them on tin foil. Either way, grill the potatoes over high heat until they’re golden brown on the outside.
After the potatoes are done grilling, toss them in your vinaigrette and serve immediately while warm. This salad is delicious cold, too, so don’t worry if you have leftovers! These grilled potatoes also make a great hot side as-is with no vinaigrette added.
Grill Like the Pros with FlavrQ
We hope these Easter grilling ideas give you some food for thought as you plan your holiday get-together. To really make these Easter barbecue ideas and recipes pop, equip your gas grill with FlavrQ.
Stock gas grills just can’t produce that classic charcoal-grilled flavor. And they don’t get hot enough to sear and seal your food properly. That’s where FlavrQ comes in. We developed a proprietary grilling system that gives you the best of both worlds—charcoal-grilled flavor with gas grill convenience!
All you need to do is install the FlavrQ Grid (measure the dimensions of your grill before ordering). This upgrade will make your gas grill compatible with our patented ChipCharwood®—the 100% natural fuel that infuses your food with authentic charcoal-grilled flavor. Taste the difference!
Order your FlavrQ Starter Kit now so you’re ready to bring these Easter barbecue ideas to life on the big day. Check our BBQ blog for more grilling recipes, tips, and ideas. Shop our gas grill accessories to get back the flavor you gave up!