From the Pacific to the Atlantic, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, America is a patchwork quilt of culinary traditions—and nowhere is that more deliciously obvious than at the grill. Every state has its own signature flavors, beloved proteins, and tried-and-true methods for barbecuing, smoking, and grilling up a good time.
While some states are synonymous with barbecue culture (looking at you, Texas and North Carolina), others offer surprising twists, seafood-centric approaches, and bold spice blends that make every cookout a true taste of local pride. So fire up your grill and join us on a coast-to-coast tour of America’s greatest grilling hits in “Sizzling States: What’s Cooking on Grills Across America?”
Alabama – White Sauce Wonders
In Alabama, the barbecue star isn’t the meat—it’s the sauce. The state is known for its tangy, creamy white barbecue sauce, made from mayonnaise, vinegar, and a zesty dash of pepper. It’s slathered on grilled chicken and even dunked like a dip.
Must-try: Smoked chicken quarters with Alabama white sauce and pickled okra.
Alaska – Salmon and Cedar Planks
Alaska is wild about seafood, and grilled salmon is king. Locals often use cedar planks for cooking, which infuses the fish with a smoky, earthy aroma. Sockeye, coho, or king salmon—take your pick.
Must-try: Cedar plank salmon with a maple glaze and grilled lemon slices.
Arizona – Southwestern Sizzle
Arizona’s grilling scene leans heavily on its Mexican influences. Carne asada, seasoned with lime, garlic, and chili powder, is grilled over high heat and served up in tacos or burritos.
Must-try: Grilled carne asada tacos with charred jalapeños and guacamole.
Arkansas – Hickory-Smoked Goodness
In Arkansas, barbecue is all about low and slow. Pork ribs smoked over hickory wood are a staple, often paired with tangy tomato-based sauces and traditional Southern sides.
Must-try: Hickory-smoked spare ribs with baked beans and cornbread.
California – Farmer’s Market on the Grill
In the Golden State, grilling is as much about the produce as the protein. With fresh veggies, seafood, and tri-tip beef, Californians love mesquite-grilled everything.
Must-try: Santa Maria-style tri-tip with grilled artichokes and avocado salsa.
Colorado – Rocky Mountain Meats
Colorado grillers embrace big flavors and bold meats—think elk, bison, or venison. These lean proteins are perfect for grilling and often paired with a smoky chipotle rub.
Must-try: Bison burgers with pepper jack cheese and grilled poblano peppers.
Connecticut – Clambake on the Grill
New England roots run deep in Connecticut, where summer grilling includes shellfish and fresh clams. Foil packet clambakes are common, with seafood steamed over the flames.
Must-try: Grilled clambake packets with clams, shrimp, corn, and potatoes.
Delaware – Crab Cakes and Corn
This coastal state leans on its seafood heritage. Blue crab is the star, with crab cakes often seared on the grill and served with grilled corn on the cob.
Must-try: Grilled crab cakes with Old Bay aioli and sweet corn.
Florida – Citrus-Infused Flair
With its tropical climate and Cuban influence, Florida grilling features seafood, pork, and citrus marinades. Mojo pork, marinated in orange juice and garlic, is a crowd favorite.
Must-try: Grilled mojo pork with grilled pineapple and black beans.
Georgia – Peachy Keen Grilling
Known for peaches and Southern charm, Georgia loves smoky BBQ pork paired with fruity sauces. Peach BBQ glaze adds a sweet kick to ribs and chops.
Must-try: Peach-glazed pork chops with grilled peaches and collard greens.
Hawaii – Island Grill Vibes
Hawaii brings the aloha to grilling with sweet and savory flavors. Huli-huli chicken, marinated in pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ginger, is cooked over open flames.
Must-try: Huli-huli chicken skewers with grilled pineapple and sticky rice.
Idaho – Potatoes and Beef
While famous for its potatoes, Idaho grilling is also beefy. Think grilled Idaho spuds topped with sour cream and chives, served alongside a juicy ribeye.
Must-try: Grilled ribeye with baked potato and cowboy butter.
Illinois – Backyard Burgers and Brats
Chicago is known for deep-dish pizza and hot dogs, but the grilling scene loves bratwursts, burgers, and charred Italian sausage with grilled onions.
Must-try: Grilled Italian sausages with giardiniera and sweet peppers.
Indiana – Hoosier Rib Tips
Indiana grillers love tender pork rib tips with tangy, tomato-rich sauces. Cooked low and slow, they’re juicy, sticky, and beloved at every summer cookout.
Must-try: BBQ rib tips with macaroni salad and grilled sweet corn.
Iowa – Corn-Fed Everything
As the heart of the Corn Belt, Iowa excels in grilled sweet corn and pork chops. The “Iowa Chop,” a thick bone-in pork chop, is a Midwest grilling must.
Must-try: Grilled Iowa pork chops with grilled corn and apple slaw.
Kansas – Burnt Ends and Beyond
Kansas City BBQ is legendary for its sweet, sticky sauces and burnt ends—crispy, fatty tips of brisket caramelized to perfection.
Must-try: Kansas City burnt ends with baked beans and pickles.
Kentucky – Mutton and Bourbon
Kentucky BBQ is all about mutton—yes, mutton—served with a unique black dip sauce made from Worcestershire, vinegar, and spices.
Must-try: Smoked mutton with black BBQ sauce and bourbon-glazed carrots.
Louisiana – Cajun on the Coals
With its bold Creole flavors, Louisiana grilling is spicy and soulful. Blackened catfish and andouille sausage hit the grill hard.
Must-try: Cajun grilled shrimp with dirty rice and grilled okra.
Maine – Lobster on the Grill
When you’ve got lobsters, you grill them. In Maine, grilled lobster tails are brushed with garlic butter and paired with grilled corn and lemon.
Must-try: Grilled lobster tails with lemon herb butter.
Maryland – Old Bay Everything
In Maryland, Old Bay seasoning rules. From grilled crab legs to shrimp skewers, the signature spice blend is a must.
Must-try: Old Bay grilled shrimp skewers with lemon aioli.
Massachusetts – Cod and Clam Cakes
Massachusetts grilling features seafood and salt air. Grilled cod with a lemon-butter glaze is a Cape Cod classic.
Must-try: Lemon grilled cod with grilled asparagus and clam cakes.
Michigan – Cherrywood Smoke
Michigan loves its cherries—and cherrywood-smoked meats are a state staple. Brats, ribs, or salmon take on a sweet, aromatic flavor from the smoke.
Must-try: Cherrywood smoked brats with cherry BBQ sauce.
Minnesota – Walleye and Wild Rice
Grilled freshwater fish like walleye take center stage in Minnesota, often paired with wild rice pilaf and lemon.
Must-try: Grilled walleye fillets with wild rice and dill butter.
Mississippi – Catfish and Comeback Sauce
Down South, catfish is king. In Mississippi, it’s grilled or blackened and served with a creamy, spicy “comeback sauce.”
Must-try: Grilled catfish with comeback sauce and hush puppies.
Missouri – Pork Steaks and Sauce
St. Louis loves its pork steaks—cut from the shoulder, grilled, then simmered in sauce until fork-tender.
Must-try: St. Louis pork steaks with potato salad and BBQ baked beans.
Montana – Cowboy Cuts
Big Sky Country means big cuts of meat. Montana grillers love ribeyes, T-bones, and tomahawk steaks cooked over open flame.
Must-try: Grilled tomahawk steak with campfire potatoes.
Nebraska – Beef and Beans
As another beef belt state, Nebraska grilling is all about hearty steak dinners and beef kabobs over charcoal.
Must-try: Beef kabobs with bell peppers and grilled ranch beans.
Nevada – Vegas-Style Surf & Turf
In Nevada, especially Vegas, grilling gets glam. Think filet mignon and lobster tails served up with showy flair.
Must-try: Surf and turf skewers with garlic herb butter.
New Mexico – Green Chile Heat
Green chiles go on everything in New Mexico. Pork chops, burgers, and chicken are grilled and topped with roasted hatch chile sauce.
Must-try: Green chile pork chops with cilantro-lime rice.
New York – Steakhouse Classics
New York grilling echoes its steakhouse legacy: T-bones, NY strip steaks, and grilled portobellos rule the backyard.
Must-try: NY strip steak with garlic grilled mushrooms.
North Carolina – Whole Hog Tradition
Carolina BBQ is iconic. Whole hog, slow-cooked and chopped, is the ultimate grill goal here, paired with a vinegar-pepper sauce.
Must-try: Pulled pork with Carolina vinegar sauce and slaw.
North Dakota – Simple and Savory
Grillers in North Dakota embrace hearty Midwestern classics: brats, burgers, and simple steak cuts.
Must-try: Grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut and stone-ground mustard.
Ohio – Kielbasa and Kraut
Ohio’s Eastern European roots shine through with kielbasa sausage and grilled sauerkraut.
Must-try: Grilled kielbasa with sauerkraut and potato pierogies.
Oklahoma – Smoked Bologna
Yes, Oklahoma BBQ includes a local favorite: smoked bologna. Known as “Oklahoma Prime Rib,” it’s sliced, grilled, and served with spicy sauce.
Must-try: Grilled smoked bologna sandwiches with BBQ sauce.
Oregon – Grilled Veggies and Salmon
Oregonians are grill purists who focus on sustainability. Local salmon, mushrooms, and seasonal vegetables are often grilled with herbal marinades.
Must-try: Grilled sockeye salmon with rosemary and grilled zucchini.
Pennsylvania – Philly Flavor
In Pennsylvania, Philly cheesesteaks are reimagined on the grill with thin-sliced steak and onions cooked over fire.
Must-try: Grilled Philly cheesesteak sandwiches with provolone.
Rhode Island – Grilled Stuffies
Locals love “stuffies”—stuffed clams broiled or grilled until crispy. These seafood bites are savory and addicting.
Must-try: Grilled stuffies with lemon and hot sauce.
South Carolina – Mustard BBQ
Mustard-based barbecue sauce is king here, perfect on pork shoulder or chicken. Called “Carolina Gold,” it’s tangy and unforgettable.
Must-try: Mustard-glazed pulled pork sliders with slaw.
South Dakota – Buffalo Burgers
With prairie heritage, South Dakota grills up buffalo burgers—lean, rich, and uniquely American.
Must-try: Buffalo burgers with cheddar and grilled onions.
Tennessee – Memphis Dry Ribs
Tennessee BBQ—especially Memphis-style—features dry-rubbed ribs cooked to perfection without sauce.
Must-try: Memphis dry-rub ribs with baked beans and slaw.
Texas – Brisket is King
The Lone Star State is the brisket capital. Salt, pepper, smoke, and hours of patience make it a religion.
Must-try: Smoked brisket with Texas toast and pickled red onions.
Utah – Dutch Oven Delights
Utah grillers use Dutch ovens over fire to cook hearty meals like cobbler and beans. Grilling meets campfire cuisine.
Must-try: Dutch oven BBQ chicken thighs with apricot glaze.
Vermont – Maple Glazed Everything
Maple syrup finds its way into everything in Vermont. Glazed meats and maple mustard sauces are grilling staples.
Must-try: Maple-glazed pork tenderloin with grilled apples.
Virginia – Ham and Hardwood
Grilling in Virginia often means smoked country ham or pork chops over hardwood coals.
Must-try: Grilled Virginia ham steaks with peach chutney.
Washington – Grilled Pacific Flavors
Salmon, oysters, and mushrooms dominate the grill in this Pacific Northwest paradise.
Must-try: Grilled oysters with garlic butter and herb-crusted salmon.
West Virginia – BBQ Chicken and Beans
Appalachian cookouts include BBQ chicken and cast iron skillet beans, often cooked over open coals.
Must-try: Charcoal grilled BBQ chicken with skillet baked beans.
Wisconsin – Brats and Beer
Wisconsin grilling means bratwursts simmered in beer, then grilled to crispy perfection. Cheese curds on the side? Of course.
Must-try: Beer brats with mustard and grilled onions.
Wyoming – Open-Range Feasts
Cowboy country goes big with grilled steaks, beans, and tin-cup coffee by the fire.
Must-try: Grilled ribeye with baked beans and cowboy potatoes.
From smoky brisket to zesty seafood, every state brings something sizzling to the grill. Wherever you are in America, there’s a flame with your name on it and flavors waiting to be fired up. Happy grilling!
