4th of July BBQ & Grilling Ideas

Victor Protasio

Let’s face it—while Fourth of July fireworks tend to be pretty spectacular, what everyone’s really looking forward to is the food. It’s a holiday synonymous with burgers and hot dogs, barbecue chicken and sticky ribs, and piles of corn on the cob and potato salad. If you’re planning on hosting a cookout to celebrate, we have plenty of recipes to make sure your menu is the most impressive in the neighborhood. There’s skillet brownies on the grill (yes, really) and lamb burgers with onion soup aioli—click through to check out the rest.

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BBQ Baked Chicken

This simple homemade BBQ sauce makes a sweet and tangy sauce for baked chicken.

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Glazed Chicken Breasts with Coffee BBQ Sauce

Frank Mendoza adds coffee to his barbecue sauce for smokiness and depth. The sauce is wonderful with pork and lamb, as well as with chicken.

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BBQ Planked Salmon

In her book, Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ, Elizabeth Karmel explains the benefits of grilling fish on a wood plank (this method prevents scorching and sticking) and shares her recipe for salmon cooked with a fragrant blend of juniper berries and pink peppercorns.

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BBQ Shredded Pork and Quinoa Tacos

Tart avocado salsa and crunchy red onions accompany these full-of-flavor BBQ pulled pork tacos; quinoa adds a healthy twist.

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Red Chile BBQ Sauce

Add this BBQ sauce to any of your meats and rejuvenate your tasting buds.

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Easy BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas take only 10 minutes to prepare, and are a huge hit with both kids and adults.

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Watermelon and Arugula Salad with Walnuts

"In my hometown of Orosei, bitter greens like arugula and dandelion grow alongside watermelons, so this salad is a natural combination for me," says chef Efisio Farris. The recipe is a fabulous blend of juicy (watermelon) and crunchy (red onions and walnuts). For anyone who thinks raspberry vinegar went out with the '90s, this fruity vinaigrette will be a revelation.

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BLT Hot Dogs with Caraway Remoulade

These "BLT" hot dogs are topped with crispy bacon, fresh tomatoes and crunchy lettuce dressed with a creamy caraway-pickle mayonnaise.

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Grilled Watermelon with Yogurt

This is Michael Psilakis's modern take on the traditional Greek combination of watermelon and feta cheese. It features the creamy yogurt he grew up eating in New York's Long Island: "My mom made it at home all the time, and we'd snack on it with honey after school."

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Rib Eye Steaks with Pete's Barbecue Sauce

Pete Evans on grilling outside: "It's just more fun than cooking indoors—and it gets my kids off Facebook."

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Swiss Chard and Hominy BBQ Pizza

Swiss chard is an incredibly versatile cooking green. Here, it teams up with hominy, a tomato-based barbecue sauce and mozzarella for a delicious, quick and easy weeknight pizza.

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Mango BBQ Chicken

Sweeten up your BBQ marinade with fresh mango - guaranteed to please guests at any cookout.

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Barbecue Roasted Chickpeas

Barbecue rub isn't just for ribs and chops. Try this simple recipe on roasted chickpeas for a tailgating snack you won't want to share.

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Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sautéed Apples

Matt Neal's sister, Madeline, is a big hot dog fan who constantly comes up with ideas for toppings. She suggested this terrific, if unlikely, combination of cinnamony sautéed apples with slices of sharp cheddar cheese, served on top of hot dogs tucked into pretzel rolls.

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Potato Salad with Bacon and Barbecue Sauce

The mayonnaise dressing for this potato salad gets pungency from mustard oil (store-bought spicy mustard works fine, too) and a hit of smoky-sweet flavor from bacon and bottled barbecue sauce.

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Lamb Burgers with Onion Soup Aioli

John Kernick

Instead of putting caramelized onions on these tasty lamb burgers, Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple whisks onion soup mix into mayonnaise for an easy, savory spread.

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Pulehu Steak Tip Skewers with Maui Onion Finadene Sauce

Pulehu Steak Tips with Maui Onion Finadene Sauce

Victor Protasio

In this grilled steak tip skewer recipe from Hawaiian chef Sheldon Simeon, a punchy, bright basting sauce of sake, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry vinegar, garlic, ginger, and scallions flavors the beef. The secret ingredient, however, is the pulverized toasted barley—it thickens the sauce and helps coat the beef so it gets crispy when grilled.

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Santa Maria–Style Pinquito Beans

Victor Protasio

Stewed pinquito beans enriched with bacon and ham are a classic element of Santa Maria–style barbecue, traditionally served alongside grilled tri-tip and a fresh salsa. This recipe, from The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, California, has layers of smoky heat from ancho chile powder and Anaheim chile.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo

Victor Protasio

Chef Sheldon Simeon’s recipe for a Hawaiian twist on Mexican elote features grilled corn slathered in a creamy, cheesy calamansi mayonnaise, which gets its acidic tang from a sour citrus fruit native to the South Pacific (you can substitute Key Limes in a pinch).

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Greens Pasta Salad

Justin Chapple set out to improve pasta salad, which is often bland, thick and laden with mayonnaise. Here, he dresses pasta with a tangy and creamy mix of buttermilk, vinegar and mayo, then mixes in plenty of greens to add a fresh, bright flavor. It’s the best pasta salad ever.

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Skillet Brownies on the Grill

Victor Protasio

These brownies take on a deliciously smoky flavor from baking in a skillet set over hot coals.

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21 Recipes for the Best Fourth of July Barbecue Yet

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BBQ Baked Chicken

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Glazed Chicken Breasts with Coffee BBQ Sauce

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BBQ Planked Salmon

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BBQ Shredded Pork and Quinoa Tacos

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Red Chile BBQ Sauce

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Easy BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

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Watermelon and Arugula Salad with Walnuts

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BLT Hot Dogs with Caraway Remoulade

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Grilled Watermelon with Yogurt

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Rib Eye Steaks with Pete's Barbecue Sauce

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Swiss Chard and Hominy BBQ Pizza

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Mango BBQ Chicken

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Barbecue Roasted Chickpeas

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Hot Dogs with Cheddar and Sautéed Apples

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Potato Salad with Bacon and Barbecue Sauce

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Lamb Burgers with Onion Soup Aioli

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Pulehu Steak Tip Skewers with Maui Onion Finadene Sauce

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Santa Maria–Style Pinquito Beans

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Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo

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Greens Pasta Salad

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Skillet Brownies on the Grill

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