The Best Black BBQ Menu Ideas

This post may contain affiliate partner links. View our privacy statement HERE.

Black BBQ menus and cookouts have evolved as a cornerstone for gathering families and friends, embodying more than just a meal. These events have flourished into celebrations of heritage, where culinary traditions pass from generation to generation. 

Such gatherings remind us of the bonds created over flavors, from the BBQ ribs recipe to the sweet essence of candied sweet potatoes. They weave a tapestry of resilience, showcasing how food becomes a medium of storytelling and community.

The Best Black BBQ Menu Ideas

What is served at a Black BBQ?

Barbecuing is a US favorite way of cooking with a rich history dating back to West Africa before 1500, including deep frying fish and barbecuing meats.

These barbecue traditions are what we know today as a Black BBQ menu. An integral way of cooking that has shaped American food culture. Today, we’ll look at some of the most popular and delicious soul food recipes for your next BBQ cookout. 

Black BBQ menu ideas and recipes 

Black BBQ menu ideas and recipes 

During summer or football tailgating season, tantalize your taste buds with classic soul food recipes from a Black BBQ menu. Just add your favorite soul food cookout side dishes like Black potato saladSouthern coleslaw, or soul food macaroni salad. Then indulge in the season of BBQ grill and chill!

Main dishes for a Black BBQ 

Main dishes for a Black BBQ 

At every Black BBQ, the main dishes tell a story of soul food, culinary excellence, and tradition. BBQ ribs glisten under the sun, their sweet and smoky layers of flavor captivating anyone who lays eyes on them. Slow cooker BBQ brisket melts tenderly at each bite, epitomizing slow-cooked perfection. Meanwhile, a seafood boil brings a taste of the ocean to the table, its spicy aroma mingling with the laughter and chatter around. 

Steve Harvey Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
Steve Harvey’s Homemade BBQ Sauce
An easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe, perfect for slathering your favorite BBQ and cookout meats. 
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food BBQ Ribs Recipe Card
Soul Food BBQ Ribs
Many African Americans will tell you that it's not an official Black BBQ cookout menu without the sticky, sweet goodness of Southern BBQ ribs!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food BBQ Chicken Recipe
Soul Food BBQ Chicken Recipe
Thanks to this easy recipe, you can confidently bring the classic savory and soulful BBQ chicken flavors to your next cookout or BBQ event!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Pulled BBQ Chicken
Southern Pulled BBQ Chicken
Chicken plus sweet, sticky Southern BBQ sauce. This recipe is the epitome of finger-lickin’ good! 
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Homemade Burger Recipe
Soul Food Homemade Burgers
This burger is crafted with soul food seasonings, spices, flavorful bell pepper, and sweet onion for a thick, juicy, and well-seasoned cookout classic!
Check out this recipe!
Curry Chicken Kabobs
Mango Curry Chicken Kabobs
These kabobs are an easy Afro-Caribbean recipe for a unique twist to your summer cookout event. The combination of sweet and savory tropical flavors for chicken is a main dish island treat!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Shrimp Boil
Southern Low Country Shrimp Boil
This recipe is a Louisiana and Deep South favorite for outdoor events. It's easy to feed the masses while complementing saucy BBQ meats. 
Check out this recipe!
Black BBQ sides

Black BBQ sides

A Black BBQ is incomplete without its stellar side dishes. Mac and cheese, collard greens, red beans, slow-cooked to perfection. These recipes offer a taste of Southern tradition. Not to overlook the cool summer must-haves like Black cookout potato salad,  soul food macaroni salad, and a Southern coleslaw recipe, each an old favorite. These sides do more than fill plates. They elevate the meal, ensuring every bite is memorable.

Black Folks Potato Salad Recipe
Southern Potato Salad
Black cookout potato salad is a staple side dish for cookout and BBQ grilling season. While it may seem like an easy everyday dish, it's imperative for Black BBQs that it's made the Black people's soul food way!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Southern coleslaw is a classic recipe staple for pairing with smoky BBQ meats. This recipe is prepared and seasoned the Southern soul food way.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Macaroni Salad
Soul Food Macaroni Salad
Macaroni salad is an essential part of Black BBQ season. The combination of flavorful seasonings and spices elevates this recipe to making macaroni salad the soul food way.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Soul Food Baked Beans
Southern Baked Beans 
Baked beans are a Southern BBQ favorite! This recipe elevates them with sweet and savory flavors, including brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, barbecue sauce, and soul food seasonings!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Shrimp Spaghetti Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing
Soul Food Southern Pasta with Italian Dressing
This is Black folks' creative way of elevating spaghetti pasta! It's also a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad recipe for summer BBQ and cookout events. 
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Tomato Watermelon Salad
Southern Tomato Watermelon Salad
Every cookout and BBQ menu should include this modern heirloom tomato salad twist, which features chopped tomatoes, watermelon, pickled peppers, apple cider vinegar, and the wild card but necessary ingredient—feta cheese! 
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe
Southern Deviled Eggs
Southern soul food deviled eggs start as hard-boiled egg yolks mashed, seasoned to perfection, and stuffed into the egg whites to create the South's favorite appetizer and easy bite-size cookout recipe!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Baked Mac And Cheese
Baked Macaroni And Cheese
A Black BBQ is incomplete without stellar side dishes like African American baked mac and cheese. It's a creamy, cheesy delight with a handful of soulful seasonings that always leave guests asking for more!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Collard Greens Recipe
Soul Food Collard Greens
Collard greens, slow-cooked to perfection, offer a taste of Southern tradition. So, you'll always find them on a Black BBQ menu.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Chicken Salad Recipe
Southern Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is more than a traditional Southern recipe made with mayo and chicken chunks. A soul food chicken salad recipe is bursting with seasonings and flavor, so it's a fantastic addition next to the potato salad at a summer cookout or BBQ event.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Soul Food Red Beans And Rice
Soul Food Red Beans And Rice
This hardy yet super flavorful Southern soul food recipe is ideal for summer cookouts, Sunday dinners, and holiday feasts!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Candied Yams
Soul Food Candied Yams Recipe
Candied yams are a traditional Southern African-American dish that many folks who are not from the South may not realize is an absolute favorite, from fancy holiday dinners to outdoor cookout feasts!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Cabbage Recipe
Southern Cabbage Recipe 
Black folks will enjoy a flavorful Southern cabbage recipe all season long, from the holidays to the cookout season!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Homemade Cornbread
Southern Homemade Cornbread
This is a scratch Southern skillet cornbread recipe. It uses the traditional oven, but Southern OG cooks know how to do this using the grill's heat!
Check out this recipe!
Best desserts for a Black BBQ

Best desserts for a Black BBQ

Pig pickin’ cake, sweet potato pie, and grilled peaches for Southern peach cobbler have woven their flavors into the fabric of Black BBQ festivities. They serve as the finale to a scrumptious meal and envelop the gathering in sweetness and joy. Each dessert, bursting with sweet, soulful tastes, highlights the culinary diversity and heritage cherished in these African American outdoor celebrations.

Southern Soul Food Pig Pickin Cake
Southern Pig Pickin Cake
Pig pickin' cake is a moist yellow cake with whipped pineapple frosting and vanilla pudding with sweet mandarin oranges baked in. It's a legendary creation derived from Deep South pig-pickin' feasts!
Check out this recipe!
Black Southern Banana Pudding
Southern Banana Pudding
It may be blasphemy in the Black community to host a Black BBQ without a Southern dessert banana pudding recipe!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
This soul food dessert is made with ripe summer peaches. However, canned peaches can be used because Blak folks love to savor this recipe beyond cookouts and all seasons!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Red velvet cake may look like a holiday dessert recipe. But this cake is considered the soul food of the South and has a rich African American history. So, it's customary to find it on the table all year, even at BBQs and cookouts.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Apple Pie Recipe
Soul Food Apple Pie Recipe
Apple pie is Southern food royalty, so it's a favorite dessert for summer holidays and BBQ cookout events. 
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe™
This recipe is quintessential soul food cooking and a dessert bound to appear at every Black BBQ and cookout event.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Ambrosia Recipe
Southern Ambrosia Recipe
While the ambrosia of the gods bestowed immortality on all who ate it, our human version bestows a divine and refreshing taste that's the perfect complement to cookout food like BBQ chicken and potato salad!
Check out this recipe!
Lemon Fruit Dip With Cream Cheese
This quick and easy fruit dip recipe is light and refreshing for your favorite juicy summer fruits!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Southern Tea Cake Recipe
Southern Tea Cake Recipe
These sweet Southern treats are a dessert with African American roots, so you'll find them on many Black BBQ and cookout menus.
Check out this recipe!
BBQ menu drinks

BBQ menu drinks

In crafting the perfect Black BBQ menu, we’ve ventured through a delectable journey, from mouth-watering mains like BBQ ribs to the irresistible sides that include mac and cheese and collard greens. But don’t forget the drinks! Beverages like Southern iced tea embody the spirit of togetherness and celebration, making them indispensable to the feast!

Black Folks Southern Sweet Tea
Southern Sweet Tea
Southern sweet tea is so popular during summers in the South that you'll find plenty of it, like water, at Southern BBQs, gatherings, and meets!
Check out this recipe!
Juneteenth Southern Hibiscus Sweet Tea
Southern Hibiscus Sweet Tea
Southern hibiscus sweet tea is a drink with Black history. It's also a refreshing summer beverage with a beautiful red hue for a festive twist!
Check out this recipe!
Juneteenth Watermelon Red Soda Recipe
Watermelon Red Soda
Red foods and drinks are delicious and symbolic for BBQs and cookout holidays like Juneteenth. Yet, this recipe is easy to make all season.
Check out this recipe!
Disney Dole Whip Recipe
Pineapple and Watermelon Dole Whip 
You can make this fabulous Disney favorite concoction at home! It's such a treat for summer cookouts and BBQ menus.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Moscato Sangria Recipe
Moscato Sangria
If you enjoy sweet wine, this is the perfect beverage for winding down after dinner and is especially suited for summer outdoor gatherings and events.
Check out this recipe!

What’s the difference between a barbecue and a cookout?

Many use the terms “barbecue (BBQ)”‘ and “‘cookout”‘ interchangeably. But there’s a difference between the two. 

A barbecue is usually a significant event with meat and other foods cooked on an open fire. It’s an event where hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausages are grilled outdoors.

On the other hand, a cookout is more of a social event, with more of a focus on preparing food outdoors using a grill or open fire. 

Whatever you call it, get ready to elevate your grilling game with these delicious Black BBQ recipes!

The Best Black BBQ Menu Ideas

The Best Black BBQ Menu Ideas | Steve Harvey’s Homemade BBQ Sauce

A Black BBQ menu is a fantastic collection of recipes featuring mouth-watering soul food dishes like sticky sweet BBQ chicken, ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. This Southern BBQ sauce is perfect for slathering your favorite meats for family cookouts, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, or any other occasion!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Instant Pot cook time: 1 hour
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 16 bastings
Calories: 125kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot or Instant Pot multi-cooker

Ingredients

  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 7 tablespoons pure cane sugar
  • 15.25 oz BBQ sauce Rufus Teague Honey Sweet BBQ Sauce
  • 15.25 oz BBQ sauce Rufus Teague Touch O’ Heat BBQ Sauce

Instructions

Stovetop Instructions

  • Place all ingredients (apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, and 2 Rufus Teague BBQ sauces) in a large pot on the stove on warm.
  • Fill an empty 15.25 oz. Rufus Teague bottle with water 1 ½ times, and add the water to the mixture in the pot.
  • Stir to combine the ingredients.
  • Simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes and cover with a lid.
  • This recipe makes 4 ¾ cups of BBQ sauce.
  • Approx 2 ¾ cups will sauce a whole chicken or a rack of ribs. You'll have approx 2 cups (a 16 oz. mason jar amount) to save for later.
  • Use approx 2 ¾ cups of BBQ sauce to coat your desired meat (Steve Harvey slathers his sauce on ribs). 
  • Store the remaining sauce in a mason jar or an airtight container.
  • Cook your BBQ sauced meat, serve, and enjoy!

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Place all ingredients (apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, and 2 Rufus Teague BBQ sauces) inside the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
  • Fill an empty 15.25 oz. Rufus Teague bottle with water 1 ½ times, and add the water to the mixture in the pot.
  • Stir to combine the ingredients.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid and turn on the ‘slow cook’ setting for one hour.
  • This recipe makes 4 ¾ cups of BBQ sauce.
  • Approx 2 ¾ cups will sauce a whole chicken or a rack of ribs. You'll have approx 2 cups (a 16 oz. mason jar amount) to save for later.
  • Use approx 2 ¾ cups of BBQ sauce to coat your desired meat (Steve Harvey slathers his sauce on ribs). 
  • Store the remaining sauce in a mason jar or an airtight container.
  • Cook your BBQ sauced meat, serve, and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Save it so you can make it!Pin this recipe to remember it later.

Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest Soul Food Recipes board!

Best Black BBQ Menu Ideas
The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!

 

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Captcha loading...