6 BBQ Appetizers So Good Your Guests Won't Want the Main Course

The First Bite Sets the Tone

A great BBQ is more than just the main event. What you put out while the grill is still getting up to temperature — those appetizers, those passed bites, those "just a little something to hold you over" snacks — those are what people remember. Get the starters right and the whole cookout takes on a different energy.

These 6 BBQ appetizers are designed to do one thing: make people so excited about what's coming that they start asking when you're having people over again before the meal is even done.

6 BBQ Appetizers That Steal the Show

1. Pork Belly Burnt Ends with Sweet Glaze

If you've never made burnt ends, this is the recipe that will change your BBQ game entirely. Cubed pork belly, smoked low and slow, then tossed in a sweet-and-smoky glaze and caramelized in a foil pan until they're almost candy-like on the outside. These are sometimes called "meat candy" for a reason. They disappear before they even hit the table.

Get the Pork Belly Burnt Ends recipe →

2. Applewood Smoked Jalapeño Poppers

Cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and crispy bacon stuffed into fresh jalapeños and smoked over applewood until the peppers soften and the filling turns golden and bubbly. The apple smoke adds a sweetness that balances the heat perfectly. Make three times as many as you think you need. Trust us on this one.

Get the Smoked Jalapeño Poppers recipe →

3. Candied Maple Bacon Strips

Thick-cut bacon coated in maple syrup, brown sugar, and a pinch of cayenne, then smoked on the grill until the sugar crystallizes into a shatteringly crisp glaze. Candied bacon is one of those things that sounds simple but delivers an outsized reaction every single time. Set them out and watch them vanish.

Get the Candied Maple Bacon recipe →

4. Smoked Beer Cheese Chicken Dip

This warm dip is a crowd-pleaser in the truest sense. Pulled smoked chicken mixed into a rich, smoky beer cheese sauce, finished with green onions and served straight from the cast-iron skillet with thick-cut chips or toasted bread. It's the kind of appetizer that anchors a table and keeps people gathered around it all afternoon.

Get the Smoked Beer Cheese Chicken Dip recipe →

5. Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dill Pickles

This one always gets a raised eyebrow followed immediately by people reaching for seconds. Whole dill pickles stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped tightly in bacon, then grilled until the bacon is crispy and the cheese is warm. The tangy pickle, rich cream cheese, and smoky bacon create a combination that's genuinely addictive. Great for low-carb guests too.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Pickles recipe →

6. Memphis-Style BBQ Chicken Nachos

Forget restaurant nachos. These start with pulled smoked chicken tossed in Memphis-style BBQ sauce, piled high on tortilla chips with cheese, jalapeños, pickled red onions, and finished with a drizzle of Alabama white sauce. Make them on a sheet pan on the grill for an extra layer of smoke that takes nachos from great to legendary.

Get the Memphis BBQ Chicken Nachos recipe →

Pro Tips for BBQ Appetizer Success

• Prep ahead. Jalapeño poppers, stuffed pickles, and candied bacon can all be prepped hours in advance and refrigerated. Just add them to the grill when you're ready.
• Keep them warm. A cast-iron skillet on the indirect side of the grill stays warm without burning. Use it to hold dips and sauced bites at serving temperature.
• Portion for grazing. BBQ appetizers should be one or two bites — easy to grab standing up. Slice, skewer, or portion before setting them out.
• Label the heat level. If something's spicy, give people a heads up. Nothing kills the vibe like someone reaching for what they think is a mild appetizer and getting a face full of jalapeño.

See all our BBQ appetizer and party food recipes for more ways to kick off your next cookout.