So, what is your July 4th Menu Looking Like?

[jfmorris]

For those of you celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States on Saturday, I am curious what your menu looks like.

I've talked to one daughter and my wife, and both are kind of pushing me towards just a simple hamburgers and hotdogs type cook. I had thought of more ribs on the PBX, but everyone had those on Father's Day weekend, and I cooked chicken halves on the PBX the week before that. SWMBO is very partial to Nathan's, doesn't like bratwurst like the kids and me, so I am thinking several packs of Nathan's, plus hamburgers. I just gotta decide if they are charcoal grilled on the kettle or kamado, or smashed on the griddle... the griddle and kamado are both next to the pool, so likely one of those. I am leaning towards kamado, so I don't have to stand over a hot griddle.

I'll have cold watermelon, a cooler of drinks out by the pool, and home made ice cream - vanilla, or possibly peach. And let the kids bring chips or sides. I will pickup some fireworks before the weekend - they are in all the stores here these days. Stuff that shoots up into the air like rockets you have to chase after at an actual fireworks store.

Post your plans. Inspire me!

[tstalafuse]

If we are able, it will be a rack of ribs/brats on the smoker, coleslaw, potato salad and a feta watermellon salad. Haven't thought about dessert yet, but it will be something simple. We also have a pork belly that needs to be cooked, so it might get added just encase we don't have enough food for just the two of us. All while listening to the traditional baseball game out on the deck, shelling peanuts, and having something cold and refreshing.

If we can't fire up the smoker, it will most likely be bacon wrapped hotdogs in the air fryer.

[Purc]

On July 4th, pasmom and I, her son, DIL and grandson are going to Riverdance Restaurant at River Gore Ranch, just outside of Chattanooga for a Southern BBQ buffet, special event menu
and a performance by the Chattanooga Symphony.
www.rivergorge.com

[barelfly]

We will be spending time at the lake and enjoying the fireworks show The Friends of Elephant Butte fundraiser for throughout the year. It’s usually a pretty good show that you can see great from above and on the bluff where we like to sit. You can see the fireworks as well as the reflection on the water, which is pretty cool!

but for menu, my parents are smoking a pork butt before they head down on Wednesday, so we will reheat that and then have a bunch of sides to go with. We plan on reheating and then going to our parking spot and hanging out for the evening until the fireworks go. The wife needed to go to Hobby Lobby Saturday, so while walking the aisles, I found some Stars and Stripes paper boats to use for service, thought they would be fun to have for the dinner. But sides will be coleslaw, potato chips and probably that’s it since we will be picnicking.

But excited for the show - there will be 14 of us there for the weekend, gonna be busy!

Hope everyone has a great 250th Celebration!

[shify]

Am going to a friends place for the weekend so doing my July 4th (ish) cook on Wednesday. Not sure if we'll eat it on the 2nd or the 4th but the point is the same.

St. Louis Spare Ribs on the PBC - MMD rubbed and a *very* light glaze of bbq sauce for the last 20-30 minutes - I don't like to sauce my ribs but find very light coating cooked on makes a great crust.

Smoked and pulled chicken thighs on the Kettle - Bought a huge back of bone-in, skin on thighs from Costco and will likely stick with the traditional BBQ flavors and make a homemade bbq sauce to mix in with the pulled chicken. Got some potato buns and wIll also make some pickled jalapenos for sandwiches.

[LA Pork Butt]

Right now it is smash burgers, a St Louis Ribs experiment on the pellet cooker to get more smoke on the ribs, potato salad, slaw and I plan on making collards. Sam Adams is supposed to have a 250th variety pack. I thought I would try to locate it. Oh, I’’ll do some poppers and the wife with do her mother’s deviled egg recipe.

[jfmorris]

Thanks for the tip! I'll be looking for that Sam Adam's pack on my next trip to the store!

[Hulagn1971]

I'm not sure yet. It is our wedding anniversary and I just may take my wife to dinner, especially since temps this week starting Wednesday will be around 100 degrees. Plans might change as they often do. Maybe smashburgers cooked on the sidewalk?

[Oak Smoke]

Our anniversary is July 3rd! We’re keeping it simple this year. Dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant then home. Oh for the old days! A man can dream!

[Jerod Broussard]

Might be grilling Sunday. Welding on Saturday with no real food plans.

[Murdy]

Nothing etched in stone, but probably smash burgers at some point over the weekend and, I'm going to try to work in some bacon-ribs (for research purposes). And, just got word, I'll probably be assembling a Hasty Bake grill at some point.

[jfmorris]

Have fun with the Hasty Bake!

[Mosca]

Honestly I still don’t know. Our guests are hot dog/hamburger people. If I also did brisket or pulled pork, there will be a serious freezer load of leftovers. I might do a single rack of baby backs, just to get something smoky in there.

Otherwise: burgers and dogs, corn, potato salad, baked beans.

[jfmorris]

Many years ago we always had 30+ extended family members over on the 4th, as we are the only ones in the extended family with a pool, and I remember doing a huge array of meats - burgers, dogs, brats, butts, ribs, brisket and chicken. I worked my butt off all day in the heat. I'm keeping it simple this year, for a smaller crew.

[Michael_in_TX]

I have not fully decided. I want to do ribs, but wife wants some pork tenderloin thing. But, to me, pork tenderloin doesn't say '4th of July.'

Might do smoked burgers. I've been doing smash burgers quite a bit....feel like something something with a 1/3 lb patty.

[SheilaAnn]

Do some Juicy Lucy’s!!!

[Michael_in_TX]

SheilaAnn I watched some videos on those -- and I actually was gifted a dedicated Juicy Lucy burger press -- but they just seem so over the top.....

[jfmorris]

Over the top is what's IN dude! Do it!

I'm going back and forth myself on smashed burgers or grilled on the kamado or kettle. I can tell you that there is less grill cleanup if I do it over charcoal, and probably less sweating on my part. But everyone loves a good cheese smash burger double stack...

[TripleB]

Grilled Tri-tip, fresh corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes, mashed pots and homemade strawberry shortcake.

The HS up the street has fireworks every year. So, we will put chairs up on the driveway to watch and I'll keep an eye on my 2 yr old Golden Retriever (Toby) to make sure he does not freak out .

Don't know if anybody has watched it, but the American Experiment (documentary on the US constitution) on Netflix and produced by Tom Hanks is excellent. I'm on the last episode.

[BKYDBBQ]

Usually I cook pork butts for a friends party but this year is different. One of my Dad's oldest friends passed away last month and he always hosted a 4th of July party which my parents often attended. His family is still doing the party as a Celebration of Life for their dad.

I am cooking Pork Belly Burnt Ends to take, I was going to make this the inaugural cook on the PBX but since the forecast is for temps to be just this side of Hades on Saturday I am going to fire up the Searwood XL to cut down on how much time I have to spend with the smoker.

[RichieB]

No cooking for me. We'll be on Cape Cod with my daughter's family. So it depends on what type of food and match that to a restaurant.

[dubob]

At my age, I don't plan for anything food wise more than 2 days ahead. I might have a clue on Friday.