Grilling With Global Flavors

There's more to grilling than all-American hot dogs and burgers. Borrow international ingredients and cooking techniques to bring global flavors to your barbecue.

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Photo By: Evan Sung for The New York Times

Photo By: Manos Chatzikonstantis

Laura Calder's French Brochettes

A balsamic-garlic marinade transforms chicken into perfectly caramelized bites. When threaded on skewers with sweet, seedy figs, this poultry dish will become your new favorite summer fare.

Get the Recipe: Balsamic Chicken and Fig Brochettes

Zesty Beef Tacos

The beef in these tacos needs little more flavoring than a spicy, briny marinade of pickled jalapeños. Grilled to your liking, they are packaged with onion, cilantro and potent salsa de arbol.

Get the Recipe: Beef Tacos: Tacos de Carne Asada

BiCoastal Indian Salmon

Bal Arneson fuses flavors and foods from India’s east and west coasts, introducing a sweet and spicy mango salsa to spice-rubbed salmon.

Get the Recipe: East Meets West Grilled Salmon with Mango Masala

Grilled Pork, With a Japanese Twist

Marinating pork chops in miso, sake, mirin, scallions, sesame oil and yuzu kosho — a tangy, spicy sauce made from the East Asian citrus fruit — gives an American-style grilled dish distinct Japanese flavors.

Get the Recipe: Pork Chops with Yuzu-Miso Marinade

Quesadillas With a Kick

When grilled, squash becomes so juicy it easily adds heft to these cheesy quesadillas. A toasted ancho chile paste and a fiery, oven-roasted tomato salsa make this Mexican fare so tasty, even meat-lovers will request seconds.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Squash Quesadillas with a Charred Tomato Salsa

Spanish Pinchos de Gambas

Sweet and smoked paprika give Spanish-style shrimp skewers rich flavor and a distinct deep auburn hue.

Get the Recipe: Pinchos de Gambas

Italian Vegetables

Gabriele Corcos grills eggplant, zucchini and endive with acciugata, an anchovy-based sauce, to transform them into Tuscan vegetables.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Mixed Vegetables

Char-Grilled Chicken

Black chicken is beloved throughout Vietnam thanks to its substantial texture. In this recipe, a complex marinade containing galangal — a hot, ginger-peppery seasoning — renders the chicken charred, flavorful and super spicy.

Get the Recipe: Char Grilled Sapa Black Chicken in Galangal: Ga Den Nuong Rieng

Bittman's Greek-Style Fish

A simple oil, vinegar, chile, garlic and oregano mixture gives this whole fish Greek flavor. Grilled until the skin is crispy, this recipe screams summer when topped with colorful cherry tomatoes.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Whole Fish-Greek Style

Spicy Aussie Burgers

When sambal oelek — a sweet, spicy and salty Asian chili paste — is mixed into the patties of these chicken burgers, they take on Asian flavors prevalent throughout much Australian cooking. But it’s the pineapple rings, pickled beets and sunny-side-up egg that make this burger uniquely Australian.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Aussie Chicken Burgers

Vietnamese Pork Skewers

A mixture of tangy sauces ready these pork skewers for grilling while a sesame seed and salt mixture for dipping makes the perfect tongue-tickling accompaniment.

Get the Recipe: Char Grilled Hmong Black Pig Skewers with Sesame Salt: Thit Lon Nuong Muoi Vung

Mediterranean Mix

When chicken, eggplant and Haloumi cheese are grilled, and then layered artfully on a platter along with romaine, cucumbers and roasted red peppers, the result is a Mediterranean salad that’s both beautiful and tasty.

Get the Recipe: Composed Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Shrimp From the South Seas

To infuse shrimp with the flavors of the South Seas, first marinate them in a citrus-spice mixture, then while grilling over alder wood planks, baste them in a spicy, fragrant sauce containing lemongrass, curry paste and galangal.

Get the Recipe: South Seas Smoked Shrimp Skewers

South-of-the-Border Skirt Steak

In this recipe, flank steak is seasoned with salt and pepper and then lightly grilled. It’s the addition of a fiery chickpea salad and a spicy, citrus-kissed salsa that gives this dish a Mexican kick.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde and Fresh Chick Pea Salad

Crispy Chinese Chicken

An initial marinade of soy sauce, lemon, garlic and scallions renders chicken thighs very flavorful, but it’s the hoisin-ginger-brown-sugar glaze and a short finish in the oven that makes its skin caramelized and crispy.

Get the Recipe: Crispy-Skin Hoisin BBQ Chicken

Tuscan Sandwich

Grilling focaccia bread gives it delicious char and depth of flavor that's different from the typical oven preparation. Folded and filled with lemon-topped rucola, Parmigiano and prosciutto, this focaccia becomes an iconic Italian sandwich.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Focaccia Sandwich

Fresh-From-the-Sea Squid

This authentic Vietnamese fisherman’s dish calls for squid to be rubbed with a ground chile and sea salt mixture, then char-grilled until brown. A simple salt, pepper and lemon dipping sauce cuts some of the chile's heat.

Get the Recipe: Char Grilled Phu Quoc Salt and Chile Squid: Muc Nuong Thang

Pork and Oregano Skewers

An abundance of oregano and salt make these pork skewers traditional Greek fare. Wrap the meat in pitas along with tzatziki, tomatoes, lemon and parsley, or simply serve with some grilled bread and wedges of lemon.

Get the Recipe: Pork Skewers

Sweet and Spicy Fajitas

These are no ordinary fajitas. Kelsey rubs skirt steak with a garlic, chile, cumin and sugar mixture, then serves up the grilled fare with a homemade pomegranate glaze for a sweet finish.

Get the Recipe: Pomegranate Glazed Skirt Steak Fajitas

Indian Chicken

Inspired by the fragrant chicken kabobs prepared in the market in her Indian village, Bal Arneson marinates chicken in a sweet, tangy and spicy sauce containing mint leaves, layers it on skewers, then grills them until they are nicely browned.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Kabobs

Vietnamese Carp

When wrapped in betel leaves and grilled, plain carp remains perfectly moist and takes on the plant’s unique spicy flavor. A simple dressing of typical Vietnamese ingredients adds additional flavor.

Get the Recipe: Carp Char Grilled In Betel Leaves: Ca Tram Nuong La Lop

Chicken Under a Brick

Savor the flavors of Tuscany in your own backyard by grilling chicken with olive oil, lemon and rosemary, and then serving it over a bed of peppery arugula.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Tuscan Chicken

Mexican Grilled Corn

Street vendors throughout Mexico sell grilled corn topped with a number of condiments and seasonings, including mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder and Cojita cheese. Prepare yours with similarly flavored, easier-to-find grated Parmesan and serve with lime wedges.

Get the Recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn

Ginger-Garlic Half Chicken

Much like the Yuzu-Miso Marinated Pork Chops, this grilled half chicken dish is far from typical Japanese fare. But when familiar ingredients like soy sauce, sake, garlic, ginger and one hot sauce called Tobanjan come together harmoniously, this chicken is anything but American.

Get the Recipe: Ginger-Garlic Half Chicken

Summery French Fish

To get a taste of Southern France in the summer, marinate monkfish in herbes de Provence, garlic, wine and olive oil, then skewer pieces with slices of lemon and grill.

Get the Recipe: Monkfish in Herbes de Provence Marinade