Early-Fall Grill Roundup: Apples & Squash

Some apples handle heat better than others. Honeycrisp keeps a juicy snap and caramelizes beautifully; Granny Smith’s acidity holds up against sweet glazes; Pink Lady balances sugar and tang, so it browns without collapsing. Choose firmer fruit if you want pieces that keep shape next to meat, and softer, sweeter apples for dessert or finishing touches.

How you cut an apple changes the cook. Halves or thick wedges (about 3/4–1 inch) are forgiving for indirect heat and pair well with pork; rings or thinner wedges char quickly over direct flame and are good for quick skews or burgers. Cored grill rings speed caramelization because heat hits both sides; whole-apple halving slows cook time but gives a lovely stage for brown butter or blue cheese.

Apples like a little acid or fat to balance smoke. Try a cider glaze or a drizzle of browned butter and maple after a quick sear, or toss slices into a pan sauce that’s spooned over grilled pork or chicken. These matchups are easy to test with the Grilled Pineapple and Rum-Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Sticky Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, or use apple slices alongside a charred ribeye topped with compound butter for a sweet-savory finish.

Winter squash covers a range of textures. Butternut is creamy and sweet when roasted or par-cooked, acorn has denser flesh with a nuttier note and holds slices for direct grilling, and delicata’s thin skin can be grilled raw and eaten without peeling. Pick delicata when you want quick char, but choose butternut or kabocha when you want a silky interior.

Par-cooking is often the right call. Large halves or thick wedges benefit from a brief roast or steam to soften the center—microwaving or a quick oven roast reduces time on the grill and avoids burned edges. Delicata and thinly sliced kebab pieces can go on raw; aim for even thickness so char and tenderness finish together. For par-cook ideas, roast butternut at 400°F until just tender or microwave wedges for a few minutes before grilling.

Season simply and finish boldly. A savory herb oil brushed before grilling keeps edges from charring too fast; a maple-balsamic glaze adds late-season sweetness and gloss. Expect 6–10 minutes per side for wedges over medium-high heat after par-cooking, and 3–6 minutes total for delicata rings. Use these squash pieces as a side to smoked lamb kabobs or grilled shrimp for a rounded plate.

Size and shape determine technique. Portobellos are large and meaty, so they make an immediate main or a burger substitute; creminis are smaller and work well skewered or mixed into kebabs; shiitakes have a firm cap and a shorter cook window but concentrate umami. Choose caps for a steak-like bite and smaller mushrooms when you want multiple charred surfaces.

A marinade that clings matters more than a long soak. Oil carries flavor and promotes browning; acid (like a splash of vinegar or soy) brightens but don’t overdo it or the mushrooms will soften. Salt timing is important: a light seasoning before grilling is fine, but heavy salting long in advance can draw water. For best char, pat mushrooms dry, brush with oil-based marinade, and grill over medium-high heat until edges darken and juices concentrate.

Serve mushrooms in several roles: a grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger stands in as the main, cremini skewers make a hearty side, and sliced, charred shiitakes top a salad or steak. The Portobello Mushroom Burger with balsamic onions is a good reference for plating and proportion when you want mushrooms to take center stage.

Not every pear should be grilled. Bosc and Anjou keep their shape and hold up to heat; choose fruit that’s firm but gives slightly under gentle pressure at the stem. Overripe pears will collapse into mush on a hot grate; underripe ones won’t develop sugars quickly enough for a good caramel crust.

Cutting matters. Halve pears lengthwise and leave the skin on to help them keep shape; for a quicker sear try thick crosswise slices. A light brush of oil or melted butter prevents sticking and encourages even browning. Grill over medium heat so the sugars caramelize without burning; remove when a skewer slides through with slight resistance and edges have a golden lacquer.

Pears welcome both sweet and savory partners. Blue cheese and honey sharpen the fruit’s richness; toasted nuts add crunch, and prosciutto gives a salty counterpoint. For a simple, grill-friendly board, pair grilled pear halves with crumbled blue cheese and a scattering of walnuts as in Grilled Pears with Blue Cheese, or slide slices alongside pork for a composed main.

Smoke comes from many small decisions: the wood you choose, whether you use smoked salt or chipotle, and how you introduce smoke to a gas grill. Fruit woods like apple or cherry add a subtle sweetness that pairs cleanly with apples and squash. Smoked salts and smoked paprika give a hint of smoke without running a long smoke cycle.

Balance is the key when fruit and squash have sugars that can be overwhelmed. Counter sweet smoke with acid—cider vinegar or lemon—and a bit of fat, like brown butter or olive oil, to carry smoke into the palate. If a dish already has a sweet glaze, use lower-smoke woods or apply a finishing dusting of smoked salt so smoke doesn’t read as bitter.

On gas grills, a foil pouch of wood chips tucked near a burner gives a short, reliable hit of smoke; on charcoal, add small soaked chips to the coals for steady flavor. For finishing, sprinkle a smoked spice blend or add a compound butter while the protein rests. These techniques show up in the ribeye and smoked lamb approaches and also lift sides such as a Carolina vinegar slaw alongside smoked meats.

Assemble a small toolbox of marinades and glazes so you can pivot when the evening cools. A honey-soy-ginger mix brightens chicken with sticky caramel notes and is an easy reach for boneless cuts. A yogurt-based tandoori blend pairs well with chicken thighs or leg cuts and tolerates cooler cook times. For squash and fruit-forward sides, a maple-balsamic glaze or simple cider-mustard finish adds that warm, late-season gloss.

Keep marinades simple: an acid (vinegar, citrus, or yogurt), a sweetener (honey or maple), oil to carry fat-soluble flavors, and an aromatic (garlic, ginger, or smoked paprika). The Honey-Soy-Ginger Marinade and Tandoori Yogurt Marinade named here are handy templates you can scale for weeknight cooking. Use them as a flavor starting point rather than a strict formula.

Practical tips for cooler-weather grilling: preheat the grill a little longer, keep lids closed to hold heat, and move coals or burners closer for the same sear you get in summer. Have a windbreak handy if gusts are strong, and finish sauced or glazed items off indirect so sugars caramelize without burning. Try one main and one grilled fruit or squash side: it simplifies timing and lets fall flavors sing.