Grilling breakfast is the key to delicious weekends—and entertaining—all summer long.

Think “barbecue,” and your mind usually goes straight to lunch or dinner. But did you know breakfast foods are also a great match for your grill? You can toast, bake and sear many of your favourite morning meals—all while soaking up some summer sunshine in your backyard.

Sure, grilling breakfast isn’t for busy weekdays. But when it comes to a leisurely brunch, your barbecue can be your best friend. It’s easy to use and versatile, and it will help make breakfast tasty, outdoorsy and enjoyable—every time.

Grill a Little or a Lot

Making breakfast on the barbecue isn’t all or nothing. You can grill one ingredient in your main dish while you tend to other parts of the meal: slicing oranges, washing fresh berries or making a pot of coffee. Hint: The hot grill grates make a terrific toaster. Why bother going inside to toast when you can do it all on one grill?

Bake on Your Barbecue

Barbecues are brilliant sources of indirect heat. That means they work much like your oven—just outdoors in the sunshine. Heat one side and bake your food over the unlit burner instead of directly over the flames. For breakfast, this technique comes in handy for making fresh breads, like Pull-Apart Bannock Bread.

Turn Your Barbecue into a Griddle

If your barbecue happens to come with a grill pan or griddle, use it to cook bacon or fry up sliced mushrooms and peppers to toss into an omelette. It’s best to grill bacon in a pan, because the fat can cause flare-ups.

A cast-iron skillet is an inexpensive, flame-proof alternative that works well on the barbecue. Use it to scramble eggs for Grilled Steak & Egg Sliders while the steak sears over direct heat. If you’re in the mood for pancakes, use that skillet to make a Family-Style Grilled Pancake on one side of the grill while you put the other half to work grilling pineapple rings or banana halves. Don’t forget to set out other crowd-pleasing toppings, including maple syrup and berries.

Grill Up Some Fruit

Give your breakfast favourites a summery update. Use your barbecue to grill fruit—pineapple, mangoes, peaches and plums are all barbecue stars—and toss it onto your favourite breakfast staples, like yogourt and waffles. Grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in fruits, making your usual breakfast feel new and exciting. Our Grilled Plums with Yogourt & Spiced Maple Syrup is a great place to start.

Try Dinner for Breakfast

We’ve all heard of breakfast for dinner, but what about dinner for breakfast? Some classic dishes are ideal candidates for becoming breakfast on the grill. How about a summer take on grilled cheese with peaches and Comté cheese? Or try a mouth-watering Grilled Sausage & Grape White Pizza, made with breakfast sausages instead of the Italian variety. (Add a little bacon and spinach to that pie and crack an egg on it for even more delicious excitement.)

If you love burgers, try a breakfast sandwich. Our Sausage, Brie & Avocado Breakfast Sandwich is piled high with tasty toppings: a patty made from Italian sausage and grilled corn, layered with cheese, avocado slices and a sunny-side-up egg. Sandwiched in a baguette, it’s a laid-back, hand-held meal that starts the day off right.

Chill Out and Have Fun

The (sunny) sky really is the limit when it comes to breakfast on the barbecue. Try something new, like Barbecued Peach & Blueberry Streusel, and adapt it to whatever summer fruit is in your fridge. Or serve some Barbecue Pizza Skewers or Barbecue Pie Pops for the kids to make breakfast a special treat. Fire up the grill and enjoy every precious bite of summer.