10 Trader Joe's Items Perfect For Grilling

Now that I'm back living in the States, I finally have access to one of my favorite grocery stores — Trader Joe's. When it comes to stocking up for a summer grilling cookout or a night spent behind the BBQ in the backyard, Trader Joe's is honestly one of the best grocery stores you can shop at. Being a professional chef, I am always on the lookout for which grocery stores around me have the highest quality meat and produce at the best price — and more often than not, Trader Joe's is usually the winner.

For those of you who don't know, its meat department is packed to the brim with a variety of flavorful marinated meats perfect for grilling, from Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak to Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage — and the legendary grocery store chain doesn't stop with just the meat. The produce section has a variety of unique vegetables and fruits that are great for tossing on the grill to get a nice char, however, I wanted to focus primarily on meats (with a few exceptions). With summer grilling season just on the horizon, here are 10 Trader Joe's items that are perfect for tossing on the grates.

If you've ever wanted to whip up a restaurant-quality or, dare I say, "Seattle-quality" teriyaki steak at home without making a mess in your kitchen and whipping up a marinade, Trader Joe's Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak is your saving grace. Trader Joe's uses the skirt cut of USDA Choice Angus beef, which is a natural fit for high-heat grilling since it cooks quickly, picks up a tasty char, and stays perfectly juicy and tender inside. The marinade includes ingredients like soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds, giving the steak a sweet and savory flavor that slightly caramelizes when grilled.

To cook it, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and sear the steak on both sides for about two to three minutes, until slightly charred and the internal temperature registers between 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. After grilling, make sure to let it rest for about three to four minutes and slice it against the grain to ensure a chewy, tender texture. I love serving this Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak with a side of perfectly fluffy, steamed white rice, a spicy chili oil cucumber salad, and, since the grill is already fired up, some charred broccolini coated in sesame oil. The sweet and savory flavor from the steak pairs perfectly with white rice, and the broccoli alongside the cucumber salad helps cut through the richness of the dish — creating an easy, weeknight meal everyone around the table will enjoy.

For a while, turkey burgers have been given a bad reputation for being flavorless, dry, and overall unappetizing; but, these Caramelized Onion & Bell Pepper Turkey Patties will definitely change your mind. I have never really been a big fan of premade patties in any shape or form — whether that's a beef, chicken, lamb, or turkey patty — I am almost always going to buy pre-ground meat, season it, and shape my patties myself to know exactly what's going inside them.

However, these turkey patties from Trader Joe's have shifted my mentality on premade patties. The bell pepper provides a bright pop of color and freshness, while the caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the umami flavor of turkey meat. Compared to other turkey burgers I've tried, these stay super moist and tender after grilling, and are ready to eat in just a few minutes.

To cook them, all you have to do is heat your grill to medium-high heat, four to five minutes per side, until the internal temperature registers at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the patties rest for about three to four minutes after grilling, and serve them alongside some brioche buns, cornichons, pickled red onions, iceberg lettuce, and sliced heirloom tomatoes. If you want to take it up a notch, I highly recommend serving it with this delectable homemade double truffle aioli for a sophisticated finishing touch.

There are a few Trader Joe's items that I'll throw into my cart as quickly as these Savory Herbed Chicken Thighs. If you're looking for an easy, weeknight dinner that you can throw on the grill and maybe neglect while sipping on a cocktail or doomscrolling on your phone, these chicken thighs from Trader Joe's will be right up your alley. The beauty of grilling chicken thighs is that they are nearly impossible to overcook, while chicken breast becomes a dry, stringy disaster the moment it passes 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Thighs, on the other hand, are incredibly forgiving to their higher fat and connective tissue (collagen) content. Cooking them longer breaks down the tissue into gelatin, resulting in a succulent and moist texture rather than a dry, tough meat.

To cook these chicken thighs, preheat your grill to a medium-high heat and cook them for about 12 to 14 minutes on both sides, flipping once until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Before digging in, make sure to rest for about three to four minutes, and serve them alongside an herby couscous salad, tangy yogurt sauce, and bitter, chicory salad for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner.

These Portabella Mushrooms from Trader Joe's are by far one of my favorite veggies to toss on the grill whenever I'm having a backyard BBQ bash. They are pre-packaged and ready to go on the grill whenever you're ready to start cooking. Now, you might be thinking, "Why in the world would I want to grill a mushroom?" Well, portabella mushrooms have a large, meaty cap that holds up beautifully over a flaming grill, soaking up the smoky flavor like a sponge and developing an ultra-satiating, steak-like texture that will win over both vegetarians and devoted meat eaters alike.

To cook them, I recommend brushing each mushroom cap with about one tablespoon of olive oil and seasoning both sides with a good pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place them on a preheated grill set to a medium-high heat and sear on both sides for about two to three minutes until they've got a decent char and maybe some grill marks if you're feeling fancy. If these mushrooms are taking center stage at your BBQ, I recommend serving them with a spicy chimichurri with tarragon, toasted breadcrumbs, and lastly some torn burrata for a herby, Italian-inspired dish.

If you're looking for items that will overdeliver once they hit the grill, then these Sweet Apple Chicken Sausages are definitely something you should be throwing into your cart the next time you're shopping at Trader Joe's. These sausages have a wonderful sweet and savory flavor. Once they crisp up and slightly char on the grill, the subtly sweet apple flavor gets even tastier. The natural casing provides that quintessential snap with every bite that I personally think is essential, which separates a good sausage from a great one.

I always have these stashed away in my freezer for an emergency weeknight meal when I just can't wrap my head around making a big, fancy dinner. Since these sausages are already fully cooked, all you have to do is basically heat them and serve them — that's it! If you want to get a good crispy snap while keeping the interior moist, I recommend cooking them over a medium-high heat for about two to three minutes on each side. Let them rest for a few minutes before enjoying, and serve them alongside some brioche hot dog buns, mustard, mayo, relish, and a tangy, crisp coleslaw salad. Looking to add a carb to the table? Keep it simple by serving them with one of these 10 Trader Joe's potato chips, or a crudite of veggies.

Beyond mushrooms, another veggie you can find at Trader Joe's you should throw on the grill are these Shishito Peppers. For those of you who don't know, shishito peppers are small, slightly wrinkled, bright green Japanese peppers well-known for their slightly sweet and smoky flavor. I like to view shishito peppers as the Russian roulette of the pepper plant world — with roughly one in ten being moderately spicy. In Japan, you'll often see them on menus at izakayas and yakitori restaurants where they are grilled until blistered and almost completely charred — giving them an earthy, grassy flavor.

Thankfully, since Trader Joe's produce department has them in stock, you don't have to hop on a flight to Tokyo to try these wonderful peppers. To cook them, I recommend skewering a few on a stainless skewer and grilling them on both sides over a preheated grill set to high for about four to five minutes until blistered and charred. Serve them alongside a tiny dollop of yuzu kosho for a peppery, citrusy kick and shower them in bonito flakes to balance the spiciness with a bit of umami flavor.

In my opinion, one of the most exciting items you can throw on the grill this summer season is Trader Joe's Shawarma Chicken Thighs. Pre-marinated and highly seasoned in a bold blend of spices including onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and paprika, these chicken thighs develop an incredible, crispy crust while staying perfectly juicy and moist. Living in Florence, Italy, one of the best street foods you can get after a late night of bar hopping is, oddly enough, shawarma kebabs, and as soon as these thighs hit the grill grates, I'm instantly transported back to my favorite kebab shop in the city.

To cook them, layer them on a preheated grill set to medium-high and sear them for 12 to 14 minutes on both sides until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it rest for about three to four minutes before serving, and then enjoy. The warm spices coupled with char bits of chicken skin are absolutely heavenly, and when paired with a tangy yogurt sauce, pita bread, pickled turnips, and tabbouleh salad, you have yourself the ultimate Mediterranean-inspired feast.

Sometimes you just want (or desperately need) a good steak, and my first stop when that craving hits is mostly like going to be Trader Joe's to pick up this Beef New York Strip Steak. This strip is surprisingly well-marbled, and it has a wonderful, tender texture when cooked, making it, in my opinion, the best affordable, store-bought steaks you can throw on the grill these days.

I personally favor a medium rare with my steaks, so I like to grill them on both sides for about three to four minutes until the internal temperature registers between 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit; however, if you prefer your steak a bit more bloody or well-done, follow our guide to the ideal temperature for rare, medium, and well-done steaks. Let it rest for about three to four minutes, giving the steak time to relax and reabsorb its juices, and slice it against the grain for a tender, chewy texture. Anytime I am making a steak, I'm almost always serving it in French bistro-style with a towering pile of crispy French fries and smothering it in a decadent bearnaise sauce. If you want to leave the table with a big smile on your face at the end of the meal, I recommend you do the same.

Hot dogs are non-negotiable for me whenever I am having a summer cookout, and Trader Joe's Uncured Beef Hot Dogs are my go-to pick. Made with 100% beef and free of nitrates and artificial preservatives, these dogs have a wonderful, rich, beefy flavor and satisfying snap when you bite into them. Priced at $4.99, you get six dogs per pack, with each costing roughly $0.83 — in my opinion, that's a pretty hard price to beat.

To cook them, place them on a preheated grill set to medium-high and grill them on both sides for about four minutes until a few grill marks form and they're warm throughout. Serve them alongside some hot dog buns and all of the classic hot dog toppings like ketchup, mustard, relish, and minced white onions. For side dishes, I like to whip up this herbed potato salad and a simple garden salad with a creamy buttermilk dressing for a low-effort meal.

Looking for a fun, low-effort side dish you can throw on the grill alongside your proteins? Well, then you should be introduced to Trader Joe's Flatbread. This is my grilling secret weapon whenever I'm hosting — a quick minute or two on the grill is all you need to transform this fluffy flatbread into something even more delicious. The direct heat from the grill creates some tasty charred grill marks and crisps up the edges while keeping the interior perfectly fluffy and soft. If you're using a charcoal or woodchip-based grill, it also adds a pleasant smokiness that really takes these flatbreads to the next level.

To cook them over the grill, layer them on a preheated grate set to high and cook them on both sides for about two to three minutes until slightly charred and crisp. Try to do this while your main protein rests, so the flatbread soaks up any juices leftover on the grill, and most importantly, they stay nice and warm when you serve them. Serve them alongside Trader Joe's Shawarma Chicken Thighs, a tangy tzatziki sauce, and a cucumber-pomegranate salad for a Greek-inspired dinner.