From top left, clockwise: Blue cheese potato salad; Butterflied grilled chicken with spicy watermelon glaze; Fresh corn and polenta cornbread; Rum and coke ribs; Cabbage kohlrabi slaw with Salsa Verde  Luckily, the old adage that simpler is better is especially apt when it comes to outdoor cooking. You can make a perfect barbecue by sticking to a few American classics. We culled five recipes from some of our favorite chefs, including racks of ribs from Australian chef Pete Evans, Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country's crispy-skinned butterflied chickens and the warm wedges of cornbread that have done nothing to dent New York chef Marcus Samuelsson's reputation as a palate-pleaser.  Basic doesn't have to mean bland: The sweet-tart baby back ribs are given a double dose of rum and Coke, and that bird gets brushed with a glaze of lime-spiked watermelon. A potato salad is drenched with a creamy-beyond-compare blue cheese dressing, while a slaw gets a bright kick from a lemony herb dressing with mint, parsley and thyme. And let us not forget Mr. Samuelsson's polenta and fresh corn loaf. When served with a bit of honey and butter, it's practically all you'll need to end the meal.  From watermelon glaze-slicked chicken to sweet ribs seasoned with rum and Coke, these five recipes attest to why it isn't called 'the pretty good outdoors'  Butterflied Grilled Chicken With Spicy Watermelon Glaze  The brilliant pink glaze for this bird is beautiful and delicious; it adds the perfect sweet snap to juicy flesh and crispy skin. Serves 4.  Melt 12 ounces apple jelly in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup fresh watermelon juice, zest and juice of 1 small lime, 2 teaspoons red chile flakes, 1 teaspoon jalapeño hot sauce and a pinch of salt. // Pat dry a 3½- to 4-pound butterflied chicken and cover both sides with olive oil, about ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. // Tuck wing tips under the upper wing and place the chicken skin-side up in the center of a hot grill. // After 20 minutes, turn chickens over and brush on glaze. Grill for 10 minutes. Turn chickens breast-side up and brush glaze on the skin. // Grill for 20 minutes, brushing with glaze two more times, until juices run clear and the thigh registers 180 degrees. // Let rest for 5 minutes, carve and serve.  These tangy ribs are nearly as simple to prepare as the classic summer highball that inspired them, and they go down just as smoothly. Serves 4.  In the refrigerator, marinate 2 racks of pork ribs overnight in 1 cup rum, 3 cups cola, 1 1/3 cups ketchup, 1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves and 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce. // Prepare a grill so that just coals are moved to one side or where only one burner is on.  Reserving marinade, place ribs in a heavy roasting pan and grill, covered, on the cool side of the grill for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with marinade every 20 minutes. // Add more coals to the fire or turn up the burner so the grill is medium-hot. Remove ribs from the pan and place directly on the grate. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until caramelized and lightly charred. Let rest for 5 minutes. // Meanwhile reduce marinade by half.// Cut racks into individual ribs and serve with the thickened sauce.  It's rare to find a potato salad that draws more attention than some of the meats at a barbecue, but the creamy blue cheese bite of this classic summer side is no wallflower. Serves 4-6.  In a blender, purée 1 cup blue cheese crumbles, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream, ½ teaspoon white pepper, 1/8 cup white vinegar, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and ½ tablespoon salt. Fold in 1 cup blue cheese crumbles, season to taste and set aside. // In a large bowl, mix 3 cooked and cooled Idaho potatoes cut into large dice, 4 stalks of celery cut into medium dice, 3 whole finely chopped scallions and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. // Add 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce, 1½ cup of reserved blue cheese dressing and 2 ounces good-quality crumbled blue cheese. //Mix well, season to taste with kosher salt and serve.  Sweet and crunchy, kohlrabi is a cousin of cabbage and broccoli. It's excellent dressed with this extra-flavorful Mediterranean herb vinaigrette. Serves 4.  Cabbage-Kohlrabi Slaw With Salsa Verde  In a colander set over a mixing bowl, mix 2 cups shredded green cabbage and 1 cup grated kohlrabi with 1 teaspoon sea salt and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. // In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves, ½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon minced shallot left to sit for 20 minutes in 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar. Season salsa verde to taste with sea salt. // Squeeze excess water from cabbage and kohlrabi and toss with ¼ cup julienned red onion. Dress with salsa verde and season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice.  Chef Marcus Samuelsson typically adds aromatic spices to this recipe, but simple is stellar when paired with the deep flavors of most barbecue dishes. Dense and delicious, it's best served with butter and honey. Serves 6-8.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. // Boil 4 fresh corn cobs for 20 minutes. Remove kernels and set aside 1 cup. Place the remaining kernels in a blender and purée. // In a medium bowl mix 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup polenta, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 2 chopped poblano chiles with seeds and ribs removed, corn kernels, corn purée and 2 cups water. Mix to combine. // Butter two 8½- by 4½-inch loaf pans and divide the batter evenly between them. Let rest for 20 minutes. // Place the pans in a shallow baking dish filled halfway with water and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour. // Cover with aluminum foil and bake for another 30 minutes. // Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack and serve with butter and honey.  If you want to know how to cook a whole head of cattle over live fire, ask Jeff Bannister. He recently lived his dream of hosting a steer roast with a group of local businessmen and friends. WSJ's Katy McLaughlin reports from Greenville, SC.  Lighting the charcoal is painless if you invest in a charcoal chimney starter, which is essentially a giant metal mug with holes in the bottom. Crush a few sheets of newspaper into the bottom, cover it with coals and strike a match. Then pour out the coals when they're ready.  The easiest way to clean your grill of charred-on food is to use half a large peeled onion. When the fire's good and hot, run the allium up and down the grates with a fork to remove the residue. The bigger the bulb the better, to help you keep your grip.  An instant read thermometer is the easiest way to tell when your steak is done, but chefs can tell by touch: The more done your meat, the firmer it'll feel. Pay attention to what a steak feels like when medium-rare—give it a poke in the center and sides—and soon you won't have to slice yours open five times to check for doneness.  White-hot heat is not always a winner: Fish, vegetables and ribs prefer lower heat. Create warmer and cooler cooking areas on the grill by mounding most of your charcoal to one side or turning down the gas a bit under one burner.  Dessert | Grilled fruit such as peaches, watermelon and even bananas are great without any garnish. All you'll need to do is cut them into slices before you toss them on the fire at the end of the night. If you want to get really fancy, sprinkle them with sugar and lime zest or slivered mint or basil when they come off the grill.
From Pete Evans's rum-and-Coke ribs to Marcus Samuelsson's beloved fresh corn and polenta cornbread, five updated classics for the ultimate barbecue.