Ultimate Healthy BBQ Guide: Tips & recipes

It’s barbecue season! Time to fire up the grill and cook up some delicious food for yourself and your family. Not sure where to get started? Use the below cooking and marinating guidelines as well as these healthy and delicious rubs, marinades and recipes to get cookin’!

Cooking and Marinating Guidelines

SALMON FILLET

Marinate: 30 minutes

Cook: 3-5 minutes per side at 145°F

CHICKEN BREAST (boneless, skinless)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 6-8 minutes per side at 165°F

CHICKEN THIGHS (boneless, skinless)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 6-8 minutes per side at 165°F

CHICKEN THIGHS (bone-in, skinless)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 15-25 minutes, turning occasionally; 165°F

DUCK BREAST (boneless, skinless)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 4-8 minutes per side at 150°F

PORK CHOPS (bone-in, 3/4″ thick)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 3-4 minutes per side at 145°F

PORK TENDERLOIN

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 14-16 minutes, turning occasionally; 145°F

FLANK STEAK

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 6-8 minutes per side; 140°F for medium

STRIP STEAK (bone-in, 3/4″-1″ thick)

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 4-5 minutes per side; 140°F for medium

LAMB LOIN CHOPS

Marinate: 2 hours to overnight

Cook: 5-6 minutes per side; 145°F for medium

EXTRA-FIRM TOFU

Marinate: 30 minutes to overnight

Cook: 2-3 minutes per side

Try These Healthy Rubs, Marinades, and Recipes

Enjoy the taste of grilled goodness with fewer calories!

Rubs & Marinades

Garlic Lovers Rub

In this wet rub, the aromatic champion takes center stage—a sure winner for the garlic lover in all of us. This rub is so versatile, and it’s great with virtually any meat or vegetable. Try it on extra-firm tofu, shrimp, scallops, salmon, mahi-mahi, chicken, duck, pork, beef, and lamb.

Spanish Rub

Two kinds of paprika, cilantro and lemon give Spanish flair to pork chops, tenderloin or shrimp.

Red Wine Marinade

This simple classic marinade is perfect paired with dark or gamy meats.

Blueberry-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

This delicious sauce is sweet and tart. It pairs nicely with beef, chicken, shrimp, or pork.

Scrumptious Recipes

Barbecue Portobello Quesadillas

This vegetarian dish is perfect for a summertime Meatless Monday!

Barbecue Pulled Chicken

This BBQ pulled chicken recipe is a fanciful reinterpretation of pulled pork. In this recipe, chicken gets slow-cooked in lots of tangy tomato sauce.

For Health Advocate Members

If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to our Wellness Coaching program, call your coach for more healthy, delicious, summertime recipe ideas!