grilling out
Cooking burgers, dogs, or steaks outdoors over direct heat.
Also called cookout, cooking out.
Updated September 24, 2026
grilling out pronunciation
/GRIL-ing owt/
Meaning
Grilling out is firing up the backyard grill for a quick cook: burgers, hot dogs, chicken, maybe a steak. In redneck and Southern talk this is not the same as barbecue. Barbecue means low-and-slow smoked meat. If somebody says they are grilling out Saturday, expect charcoal smoke, folding chairs, and foil pans of sides, not a whole hog that started at dawn.
How folks use it
- “We're grilling out after church if the rain holds off.”
- “Daddy's grilling out tonight, so don't you dare call it a barbecue.”
Origin and etymology
Grill plus the Southern habit of sticking "out" on outdoor chores (eating out, hanging out). In the South the phrase drew a line against Northerners who call any backyard cook a barbecue. Food writers and Southern pitmasters still use grilling out or cookout for direct-heat backyard cooking.
Frequently asked questions
Is grilling out the same as barbecue?
Not down South. Grilling out is hot and fast over the grate. Barbecue is smoked low and slow. Mix them up and somebody's uncle will correct you.