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Independence Day is a great reason for outdoor entertaining. To help you plan your party, we've rounded up different chefs' takes on the perfect July Fourth menu plus favorite recipes from our archives.

For a sensational cookout, fire up the grill for one of our top 10 burger recipes (serve it with one of our favorite Fourth of July sides, like Crunchy Coleslaw with Cayenne and Toasted Caraway Seeds). Or, plan a laid-back picnic based on menu of star chefs Tom Colicchio, Paul Bartolotta, Todd English, and Bradley Ogden.

Gallery: 56 Cookout Party Recipes

All-American Celebrations

All Star Chefs Picnic in the Valley of Fire
A group of celebrity chefs with outposts in white-hot Las Vegas gather for a cool Fourth of July picnic in the Nevada desert.

A Banner Day
On July 4th, two of Los Angeles' best chefs fire up the grill and the sparklers for a kebab party at their new Laurel Canyon house.

Celebration by the Lake
In small-town Indiana, a former farm boy turned world-class chef and his mom, nicknamed the Biscuit Queen, preside over a sensational Independence Day party.

Hill Country Cookout
Mississippi chef John Currence celebrates Independence Day by setting up the horseshoe toss, firing up the grill and mixing up a batch of... mojitos? his annual Fourth of July parties, which combine high-stakes horseshoe games and great food, including rosemary-Cheddar biscuits with sausage and cheese and molasses-marinated chicken with mustard glaze.

Patriot Games
In a country that pledges allegiance to California vintages, Long Island wines are fighting for recognition—and getting it. At a July 4th picnic, East End winemakers tout their region.

A Porch Picnic
A portable Fourth of July feast from a former F&W Best New Chef.

A Yankee Cookout
Chef Daniel Bruce went from the backwoods of Maine to a hotel restaurant in Boston without losing his independent spirit. He shows it off at a July 4th barbecue.