Five Easy Beginner Recipes to Learn on Your Pellet Grill

Whether you're a first-time griller or just looking to refine your skills, mastering a variety of techniques on your Yoder Smokers YS640s pellet grill can take your cooking to new heights. Fortunately, ATBBQ has a catalog of around 1000 proven recipes to help you discover new meal ideas as well as build your cooking skills to achieve better results in every meal.

To make it easier, we’re sharing five of our favorite recipes that cover essential grilling categories, each designed to help you learn fundamental skills and produce delicious meals at the same time. We recommend saving this article as a resource to revisit any time you are ready to take on new cooking challenges.

Low & Slow Smoking - Dr. Pepper Spare Ribs

Link To Blog Article: Dr. Pepper Spare Ribs Recipe

Smoking at low temperatures is a hallmark of great barbecue, and mastering this technique is essential for any aspiring pitmaster. Pork ribs are an excellent choice for honing skills because they absorb flavors well, they are easy to prepare, and they are forgiving during cooking.

Why This Recipe?

 - Over The Top Flavor: Pork ribs take on the sweet, spicy, and tangy notes of the rubs and the Dr. Pepper blends in beautifully.

- Skill Building: This recipe begins with smoking, then includes wrapping in foil to braise the meat, then finishes with a glaze which is a great way to build texture as well as depth of flavor. It also includes reducing a sauce, which is an essential culinary skill.

- Fun to Eat: Ribs are perfect for gatherings, making them a fun and easy way to please a big crowd.

What You’ll Learn:

 - Layering Flavors: Two seasonings are used in this recipe, applying both on the ribs helps to maximize bark. Layering flavors is also key to building a great tasting recipe.

- Smoking: The low and slow process of smoking ribs helps you understand temperature control and smoke flavor infusion. Then you’ll learn how to add more flavor in your wrap.

- Sauce Reduction: Reducing the Dr. Pepper sauce adds a bold, concentrated flavor to the ribs, enhancing the overall taste.

Quick Weeknight Cooking on a Griddle - Easy Chicken Tacos

Link To Blog Article: Easy Chicken Tacos Recipe

Everyone needs a quick, easy, and flavorful weeknight recipe. Tacos are perfect for those busy nights when you need to get a delicious meal on the table fast. Everyone should also begin experience using a griddle. Cooking on a griddle is a great way to add extra flavor in the form of a caramelized crust as well as cooking hot and fast.

Why This Recipe?

- Quick & Easy: Perfect for weeknight dinners when time is short.

- Flavorful: Using a cast iron griddle intensifies the flavor of the chicken.

- Customizable: Add your favorite toppings to make the tacos your own. 

What You’ll Learn:

 - Griddle Cooking: How to use a cast iron griddle on your pellet grill to achieve a perfect sear and build flavor.

- Quick Meals: Techniques for fast and efficient cooking without sacrificing flavor.

Steak Directly Over the Fire - Grilled Strip Steak with Compound Butter 

Link To Blog Article: Grilled Strip Steak with Compound Butter Recipe

Achieving great steak is a skill that every beginning grill master should have. This recipe for Grilled Strip Steak with Compound Butter teaches you how to create the perfect steak each time, enhanced with the rich flavor of compound butter.

Why This Recipe?

- Grilling Perfection: Learn the art of using fire to create a beautifully caramelized crust.

- Enhanced Flavor: Compound butter adds a gourmet touch to your steak.

- Versatile Technique: Once you master over the fire cooking, you can use the technique to experiment further to apply it to various cuts of meat.

What You’ll Learn:

- Searing Over High Heat: Techniques for getting a perfect sear and achieving the ideal doneness.

- Compound Butter: How to make and use compound butter to elevate the flavor of your steak.

Baking on a Pellet Grill - Apple Streusel Pie

Link To Blog Article: Apple Streusel Pie Recipe

Using your YS640s for baking is a game-changer, and this Apple Streusel Pie recipe is a great way to learn the beginner skills of baking on a pellet grill. The consistent temperature and heat retention qualities of the YS640s make it an excellent outdoor oven.

Why This Recipe?

- Baking on the Grill: Discover how versatile your pellet grill can be by baking desserts.

- Classic Dessert: Apple pie is a beloved recipe that requires fundamental baking skills.

- Impressive Results: Wow your friends and family with a beautifully baked pie from your grill.

What You’ll Learn: 

- Working with Dough: Techniques for making and handling pie crust.

- Heat Management: Using your grill for consistent baking temperatures.

- Flavor Building: Creating a delicious filling that complements the crispy crust.

Building Flavor - Mom’s Chicken & Noodles

Link To Blog Article: Mom’s Chicken & Noodles Recipe

From comforting childhood memories to health benefits, Chicken Noodle Soup is a staple in many households.

Why This Recipe?

- Comfort Food: Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic comfort food that’s perfect for any occasion.
- Skill Development: Learn multiple techniques in one recipe. This beginner recipe goes beyond the basics, teaching you how to build layers of flavor using fundamental techniques such as making a mirepoix, rustic pasta, and roasting a chicken.
- Versatility: The skills you gain can be applied to numerous other recipes.

What You’ll Learn:

- Flavor Building: Using mirepoix and other aromatics to create a deep, rich broth.
- Homemade Pasta: Making rustic noodles from scratch is easier than you think.
- Spatchcocking & Roasting: Efficiently preparing and roasting a chicken for maximum flavor. Spatchcocking poultry is a great way to cook chicken evenly as well as speeds up the cooking process. Roasting gets a crispy crust on the chicken, adding even more flavor into your meal.

Conclusion

These five easy recipes are designed to help you master a variety of beginner grilling techniques on your Yoder Smokers YS640s pellet grill. Whether you're cooking low and slow, searing over high heat, or baking, each recipe provides an opportunity to learn and improve your skills. With practice, you'll not only become more confident at the grill but also impress your friends and family with your delicious creations.

Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s always room to learn more and experience even more of the versatility that only Yoder Smokers pellet grills can provide. For even more inspiration, make sure to check out our recipe blog more great recipes.

Happy grilling!