Recipes for a Fourth of July Barbecue! — Katie Lee Biegel (2024)

All year long, I look forward to the Fourth of July. I love the all-American spirit, flags flying high, parades, and especially the fireworks. Every year, I like to invite my friends for barbecue at my house with all the fixin’s.

I keep it casual and set up a big buffet, and let everyone serve themselves. For decor, I keep with the Americana theme - lots of red, white, and blue. Once dessert has finished, I bring out the sparklers - a hit with the kids and the adults alike!

apl shrimp on the grill

Recipe by Katie Lee Biegel

Prep time: 1 hr, 30 min

Cook time: 8 min

Total time: 1 hr, 38 min

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients

For the Brine :

• 1 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 lemons
• 4 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme, lightly crushed
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, lightly crushed
• 3 - 4 cups ice

For the Shrimp :

• 24 jumbo (8 - 12 count) shrimp, shell-on
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup minced chives
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground coarse black pepper
• co*cktail sauce with fresh horseradish, and lemon wedges, for serving

Cooking Directions

1. FOR THE BRINE : Combine the hot water, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the cold water. Cut the lemons in half, squeeze the juice into the bowl, and add the lemons as well. Stir in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and ice.
2. FOR THE SHRIMP : Working quickly, use a paring knife to cut along the curve of the back of the shrimp . Keep the shells intact. Remove the vein inside the shrimp and rinse gently with cold water. Place the shrimp in the brine as you go . Refrigerate the shrimp in the brine for 1 hour.
3. Brush the grill with oil and heat to medium. Combine the red pepper flakes and boiling water. Drain and discard the water. In a large bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice , rehydrated flakes, and chives. Set aside.
4. Remove the shrimp from the brine and dry with paper towels . Toss the shrimp in the canola oil. Place the shrimp on the grill and cover with the lid. Grill for 4 minutes. Turn the shrimp and cook another 4 minutes, until opaque . Remove from the grill and add to the olive oil mixture. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste . Serve with co*ck - tail sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

all - American potato salad

It wouldn't be summer without potato salad . When I was a kid, I never really liked it and I think it was because it always had too much stuff in it. I like my potato salad really simple: no pickles, eggs , or capers , just potatoes , scallions , and some herbs. If I'm making it for the Fourth of July , I like to use a combination of red , yellow , and blue potatoes for a patriotic touch.

all - American potato salad

Recipe by Katie Lee Biegel

Prep time: 40 min

Cook time: 30 min

Total time: 1 hr, 10 min

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds whole small round potatoes
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool comp letely. Slice the potatoes about 1⁄4-inch thick.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, scallions, mustard, tarragon, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the potatoes and toss gently to combine. Chill until serving time.

bbq chicken

Barbecued chicken always makes me think of summertime. The sauce tickles all of the taste buds with both sweet and savory elements. My only complaint is that after cooking the chicken for so long on the grill, it tends to dry out. I decided to try cooking it partially on the grill and then transfer it to the oven. The chicken browns on the grill and takes on the smoky flavor and grill marks, and then I put it in a baking dish and cover it with sauce, and it braises at a low temperature until it is falling off the bone. You may need to make extra because people gobble this up like crazy!

bbq chicken

Recipe by Katie Lee Biegel

Prep time: 2 hrs

Cook time: 55 min

Total time: 2 hrs, 55 min

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken :

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chickens (each cut in 10 pieces, backbone removed)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the BBQ Sauce :

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup minced yellow onion
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cooking Directions

1. FOR THE CHICKEN : In a small dish, combine the salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with this spice mixture. Drizzle with the olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
2. FOR THE BBQ SAUCE : Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 °F and heat the grill to medium-high.
4. Brush the grill with oil. Place the chicken skin side down and cook 5 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes. Place the chicken in a baking dish in one layer. Pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until fork tender.

succotash salad

This salad looks so pretty and colorful, kind of like confetti made of the colors of summer. I like to make it ahead of time to allow the vegetables some time to marinate. It is great left over the next day as well. I also make this in the winter sometimes and use frozen vegetables.

succotash salad

Recipe by Katie Lee Biegel

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 4 min (to blanch green beans)

Total time: 24 min

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups corn, cut from 6 ears
• one 16-ounce package frozen lima beans, thawed
• 2 cups blanched green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 10 basil leaves, chiffonaded
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Cooking Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the corn, lima beans, green beans, tomatoes, onions, avocado, jalapeno, and basil.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.

strawberry fool

There's nothing foolish about this old-fashioned classic dessert. It is creamy and delicious and takes no time at all to prepare . I like to serve it with some shortbread cookies on the side.

strawberry fool

Recipe by Katie Lee Biegel

Prep time: 1 hr, 15 min

Total time: 1 hr, 15 min

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. In a blender, combine strawberries (reserve a few slices for garnish), sugar, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Push berry mixture through a sieve and discard seeds .
2. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream just until stiff peaks form. Take a large spoonful of the whipped cream and stir it into the strawberry puree to lighten the mix. Fold the strawberry mixture gently into the whipped cream. Gently spoon the fool into a chilled serving bowl and garnish with the reserved sliced straw- berries and mint leaves . Refrigerate before serving, up to 4 hours.