4th of July BBQ

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

Frank Mendoza, the executive chef at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah, home to Valhalla, adds coffee to his barbecue sauce for smokiness and depth. The sauce is wonderful with pork and lamb, as well as with chicken.

Elizabeth Karmel grew up eating pulled pork in North Carolina. Now the creator of the consulting company Girls at the Grill and a competitor on the Swine and Dine BBQ circuit team, she has just published her first book, Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ. In it, she explains the benefits of grilling fish on a wood plank (this method prevents scorching and sticking) and shares her recipe for salmon in a fragrant blend of juniper berries and pink peppercorns.

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

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

These enchiladas take only 10 minutes to prepare and are surprisingly addictive. They'll be a huge hit with both kids and adults.

"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.

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

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."

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.