If you intend to host a 4th of July party or plan to grill some food for the family, you must ensure you deliver on barbecued favorites. What you will have on the grill will likely be your guests’ primary draw, so ensure you stock up on plenty of supplies in preparation for any plus ones. Here are five foods that are a must to have on the menu.
- Grilled Chicken
The great thing with grilled chicken is being able to get much of the prep work done even days before. Marinating is a great way to add a greater depth of flavor to your meat so consider doing so even as early as two days before and refrigerating till grill time. Remember to reserve about half of the sauce you prepare as a marinade to be used for basting while grilling the chicken. Bake the chicken for about 30 minutes before transferring it to the grill for another 15 minutes. Keep basting as you turn the chicken before serving with a sauce.
- BBQ Ribs
Pork spare ribs are the best choice here. Prepare a dry rub and a sweet basting sauce. Dry rubbing the rack of ribs before roasting for about an hour and a half will produce fork-tender meat. At this point, you can refrigerate the ribs for up to 3 days. This is another food you can prepare well ahead of time. On the day of the cookout, remove the ribs from the refrigerator to bring them up to room temperature before basting them with the sweet sauce and placing them on the grill at medium heat. Keep basting and turning the ribs as you grill for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Corn on the Cob
The combination of sweetness, juiciness, and crunch from grilled corn on the cob is a must-have at cookouts. Try to find corn as fresh as possible, with tight green husks and golden-brown tassels. Shuck the corn and place them on the grill to cook. Preheating the grill to a high temperature will yield the best results.
Be sure to turn the corn often while cooking, which should take about 10 minutes. Once the corn is ready, sprinkle on some salt and spread butter over the kernels. You can add more flavor with some herb compound butter, cracked pepper, and a squeeze of lemon as options.
- Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are a crowd favorite with both kids and adults. Consider using chicken sausage for some Chicago-Style Chicken Dogs to make them lighter and healthier. Be sure to grill the buns, and once you have loaded the slightly charred links, top it off with onion, tomato, romaine mix, and some mustard. If you like a touch of sweetness, you can mix some mustard, honey, and pepperoncini brine to add on. If you have the time and ingredients, consider adding some corn dogs to the menu for the kids.
- BBQ Pork Skewers
Though more of a Filipino favorite than traditional American food, BBQ pork skewers are a delicious variation on ribs that you can also get started on days in advance. Cut the pork belly or cut into strips and marinate at least overnight. On the cookout day, skewer 2-3 slices of marinated pork and keep the marinade for basting. Grill the meat on high heat and uncovered for about 5 minutes while repeatedly basting once the meat starts looking cooked. Turn to allow the other side to grill for five more minutes. Keep basting and turning till you see the pork fat is crunchy and the marinade caramelized. Serve with a dipping sauce.