The Best Black Cookout Food Menu Ideas & Recipes

Black cookouts are a tradition in which African Americans celebrate by gathering for a meal and spending time with family and friends. An outside gathering featuring a menu of soul food favorite dishes.

 

 

A Black cookout is a lively get-together of family and friends. At the center of it all is the love poured into the cookout food menu. Often with a focus on the barbeque and slow-cooked soul food. 

Black cookouts have taken on many different names and themes, from family reunions to church potlucks and even elevated all-white-attire parties! 

 

Black people summer cookout food

 

But the key factors that define a cookout are the relaxing, “come as you are,” fun-loving affair. And the host will tell you that you won’t need to worry about anyone helping clean up – just relax, grab a plate, and stay for a while! 

 

 

What foods are at a Black cookout?

Whether you know it or not, a typical Black family cookout menu is based on a tried-and-true soul food formula. 

You can bet that ribs, fried chicken, potato salad, mac and cheese, and collard greens will be front and center. And don’t forget the homemade cornbread!

What you may not realize is that the way those dishes are prepared impacts whether it’s a good cookout. Or not. 

This is why a Black cookout food menu matters!

 

Black cookout food recipes

Maybe you’ve only had fried chicken with a side of mashed potatoes. At a Black folks gathering, that type of menu is all wrong!

There’s more than one way to serve chicken and what to serve it with. 

You may’ve never had collard greens at a cookout. But I can assure you that once you do, no one will be able to stop you from reaching for seconds!

Many different foods are served at a Black cookout. The food can be pretty diverse with various West African and African American influences. 

 

 

What is usually served at a soul food cookout?

A cookout is a social gathering where delicious food is the party’s centerpiece. 

But what foods are good for a cookout? And what should you bring to a Black BBQ?

These are the most common foods you’ll find on a Black cookout food menu:

Black cookout food list

• BBQ meats
• Black folks potato salad
• Southern soul food baked beans
• Southern pulled BBQ chicken
• Black folks coleslaw
• Soul food BBQ chicken
• Southern soul food fried chicken
• Soul food macaroni salad
• Watermelon tomato salad
• Southern corn salad
• Southern pasta salad with Italian dressing
• Soul food deviled eggs
• Soul food burgers
• Soul food collard greens
• Black folks baked macaroni and cheese
• Grilled corn on the cob
• Soul food homemade cornbread
• Southern fruit salad
• Soul food sweet potato pie
• Black folks banana pudding
• Southern soul food pig pickin cake

 

Or maybe you like to get out on the grill and barbecue yourself some chicken and ribs to eat with a side dish of baked beans and potato salad?  

Check out these soul food grill recipes!

You’re also likely to find on a Black cookout food menu a sweet soul food beverage. These vary from lemonade to Southern sweet tea, red drink, and soda. 

Alcoholic drinks like beer and wine are also welcome on the Black cookout food menu!

 

Why is food so important to Black culture?

Soul foods are an African American culture of hearty homecooked meals that you can point out by dishes with plenty of seasoning and rich with flavor! 

Black people have a culture that goes deeper than our African roots. And the food we eat reflects our rich culture. 

Black music, the way we talk, what we eat, and the way we talk about the things we love are all entwined in our food. So often referred to as swag and flavor.

Food is vital in Black culture because it brings people around the table and puts a pause on the constant oppression of our people, along with fast-paced living. Replacing it with good times, comfort food, happiness, and laughs. 

Black people gather, connect, and celebrate with soul food. Food is a way to show how much another person is cared for. 

Being able to feed someone is a significant and respected part of Black food culture. 

 

 

What are some traditional African American foods?

Collard greens, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, chicken and dressing, candied yams, sweet potato pie, and banana pudding are just a few soul foods menu favorites. 

 

What do you serve at a Southern cookout?

If you want to serve something different at your next cookout, you should try out these delicious and simple soul food cookout menu recipes.

 

The best Black cookout food menu ideas & recipes

What should be on a BBQ menu? And what are traditional Black BBQ foods?

 

Do Black people like BBQ sauce?

Is fat meat greasy? The answer is the same to both questions – Yes. And always!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What side dishes go with hamburgers and hot dogs?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need easy grilling ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black cookout food menu drinks

 

 

 

 

 

Black cookout food menu desserts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How can you get started making soul food at home?

After looking at the Black people food favorites list above, you might be thinking, everything looks and sounds so good, but where do I start?

When it comes to Black people’s food, the current generation is often asked: 

“How is it possible that you spend so much time helping your elders with food preparation without learning the specific recipes?”

This is why I’m committed to archiving and sharing our ancestor’s classic soul food recipes. Black people’s food and African-American cuisine for a home cookout or simply at home!

 

Black cookout rules

It’s important to point out the one mandatory main dish to show up at every potluck, party, and on every Black BBQ menu – The Black potato salad recipe!

🎙 Listen to The Soul Food Pod episode: Black Cookout Food

Check The Soul Food Pod episode 7 recap for a must-have list of Black cookout rules!

 

 

What is a Black folks’ potato salad recipe?

Simply answered – it’s flavorful.

The same way Persian people feel about their beloved fesenjan recipe is also how Black folks cherish soul food potato salad.

If Black folks Southern fried chicken is Michael Jackson. 

Black folks’ potato salad is Prince.

Its fans are Die. Hard!

People will wait in line for Black folks’ potato salad. And if it were to ever die, people would mourn it for months. (If not years!)

All of what I just said might be lost on you, so let me explain…

 

What is a good recipe for potato salad?

A classic soul food Southern potato salad. A dish that consists primarily of potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, celery, and onion with a dressing of mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip), mustard, and various seasonings. 

There are many ways to season the dressing, and some recipes include relish, pickles, horseradish, or hot sauce.

 

What’s special about Black America’s potato salad?

Soul food is all about seasoning to perfection. The flavor! The same holds true for a Black folks’ Southern potato salad recipe. 

 

 

Who made the potato salad?

If you’re African American, you’re all too familiar with this question about potato salad!

This question could also be asked this way: “Who brought the potato salad?”

In essence, what we’re trying to get to the bottom of is this…

Who made the potato salad at the cookout?

 

Does every Black person over 50 know how to make potato salad?

Pretty much. Except for a small batch of 5-percenters. That being not of the 95% of Black people over 50 who know how to make Southern-style potato salad. 

I’m speaking specifically of those who brought a cookout potato salad recipe that made everyone sick. 

Now you understand the question…

“Who brought the potato salad?”

So you may have heard of the Patti Labelle potato salad recipe? 

Yep! It’s a trusted and approved Black Southern potato salad recipe!

 

Black folks Southern potato salad recipe 

Kitchen equipment soul food potato salad

What kitchen tools are needed to make this?

• Instant Pot electric pressure cooker (optional)
• Instant Pot trivet rack (comes with the Instant Pot) or egg rack
• Potato peeler

 

 

Ingredients for soul food potato salad

What will you need to make this Black folks potato salad recipe?

• 4 russet potatoes
• 4-6 small red or purple potatoes (optional)
• 2 cups of water, divided
• 4 boiled eggs
• 1 boiled egg, sliced to garnish (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• ⅓ cup of sweet pickles, diced (or sweet relish)
• ½ a cup of celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons of yellow onion, diced 
• 1 tablespoon of mustard
• ⅓ cup of mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ a teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika to garnish

 

 

Instructions for Black cookout food menu soul food potato salad

• For an easy soul food potato salad recipe, you can use the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker to quickly boil the eggs and potatoes.

1. Peel the russet potatoes and leave them whole. (If you’re using the optional small red or purple potatoes, do not peel them.)
2. Open the Instant Pot lid and place the Instant Pot trivet rack inside the stainless-steel inner pot. (The trivet rack isn’t required – but it keeps the potatoes above the water in the pot, so they’re steaming instead of boiling on only one side.)
3. Add 1 cup of water and then the potatoes on the trivet rack.
4. Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
5. When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes.
6. To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
7. Use an oven mitt to remove the trivet rack with the potatoes.
8. Allow the cooked potatoes to cool enough so they’re still warm to the touch (but not hot).
9. Then coarsely chop the potatoes into medium-sized chunks and add them to a large mixing bowl.
10. Pour the vinegar over the chopped potatoes while they’re still warm, and set the bowl aside.
11. Add the trivet rack or egg rack inside the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
12. Add the eggs to the racks and then pour 1 cup of water over the eggs.
13. Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
14. While the eggs are boiling, dice the pickles, celery, and onion and add the diced vegetables to the bowl of chopped potatoes.
15. Add the mustard, mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper to the bowl and set the bowl aside.
16. When the cooking time for the eggs is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
17. To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
18. Open the cover immediately after the pressure release. Using tongs (because the eggs will be hot!), place the boiled eggs into an ice bath to cool off.
19. Once the eggs are cool to the touch, coarsely chop four eggs and add them to the large bowl of potatoes and seasonings.
20. Gently fold the ingredients into the potatoes so that the vegetables, seasonings, mayonnaise, and mustard are evenly mixed to coat the potatoes.
21. Garnish this Black folk’s potato salad recipe by sprinkling paprika and then slicing the remaining boiled egg to garnish on top. Serve right away and enjoy!

Pro tip: Some Black folks’ potato salad recipes get really fancy and garnish with deviled eggs for a soul food deviled eggs potato salad!

 

What do you serve with a Black folks’ Southern potato salad recipe?

BBQ! Or really any food on the Black cookout food menu. 

 

On which occasions do you enjoy eating potato salad, and which foods do you enjoy eating it with the most?

Of course, at Black cookouts, barbecues, potlucks, and parties. 

What are the traditional side dishes?

Serve Black potato salad with barbecue sauce foods, burgers, buttermilk fried chicken, soul food baked macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, macaroni salad, or baked beans. 

 

 

Black cookout food menu: potato salad recipe FAQs

Why is potato salad called salad?

It’s called a salad because of the dressing. The definition of salad is a variety of cold dishes from pasta, meats, vegetables, or fruit mixed with a mayonnaise or dressing.

 

 

Can you cook the potatoes and eggs in an Instant Pot?

People often ask if you can steam the potatoes in your Instant Pot?

Yes, the potatoes and the eggs. You can use the Instant Pot to quickly pressure cook them. 

 

Should you leave the yoke from the eggs or take them out?

You’ll use both the egg white and the yolk from the hard-boiled eggs.

 

What kind of potatoes are best for Southern potato salad?

Use waxy potatoes like russet or Yukon gold. They’re high in moisture and starch and have a floury and crunchy texture ideal for this recipe. 

And since russet potatoes do not have a high protein or sugar content, they hold their shape well when cooked.

 

How many russet potatoes do you recommend?

4 russet potatoes and optionally 4-6 small red or purple potatoes.

 

How many servings does this recipe make?

This recipe serves 6.

 

How much potato salad for a crowd?

Suppose you want to make more of this recipe. In that case, you can use the dynamic recipe card below to adjust the serving size for the proportionate amount of ingredients you’ll need.

 

How long do you boil potatoes to make potato salad?

With an Instant Pot, close the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

 

How do you make potato salad not mushy?

Waxy potatoes like a russet potato or Yukon Gold potatoes work best for potato salad. They do not break down or turn mushy when boiled or overcooked. 

Using these long-cooking potatoes is best because they’re good for baking or boiling and hold their shape well when cooked. 

 

Should you peel the potatoes?

Potato peeling is totally a personal preference. In a soul food potato salad recipe, both ways work perfectly fine – peeled or un-peeled. 

The russet potatoes are peeled in this Southern Black folks potato salad recipe.

 

One of the biggest potato salad controversies is, do you cut potatoes before boiling for potato salad?

I think it’s easiest to cut the potatoes after they cook because they’ll get softer.

 

Should the potatoes cool first?

Yes, then it’s easier to cut them.

 

How do you know when the potatoes are done?

Pierce the middle of the potato using a fork. If you can pierce the potato easily, then it’s ready. 

 

What are your thoughts on boiling the potatoes in broth instead of just plain water?

Boiling the potatoes in chicken or vegetable broth can only intensify the exquisite flavor!

 

 

What type of mayonnaise should you use?

What folks really want to know is “Is it OK to use Miracle Whip in potato salad?” Or can you use mayo instead of Miracle Whip?

The answer is yes. Either is acceptable. 

It’s a personal preference, and the amount to use is the same whichever one you choose.

 

What mustard do you use?

Yellow mustard. Nothing fancy.

 

What if you only have celery salt?

You can substitute with celery salt or celery seed if you don’t have fresh celery. 

 

 

What other substitutes will work in a Black potato salad recipe?

Dill pickle relish can be used in place of sweet pickle relish. Using chopped dill pickle or dill relish is a personal preference to add more tang to the recipe. 

Either sweet or dill, you won’t need the pickle juice.

Just don’t get overzealous when swapping ingredients. Because this isn’t a loaded baked potato salad recipe! 

Excessive swaps will take away from your dish being a soul food recipe. 

 

Instead of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing, you used olive oil or sour cream? 

Using those substitute ingredients would no longer qualify your potato salad as a signature Black folks’ potato salad recipe!

 

Can you serve potato salad warm?

The Root explains this best: “Since prime potato salad making and eating season occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day, temperature is an issue too. If you leave it sitting out in the sun too long and try eating it, you will die. Like, literally.”

While you can serve potato salad both warm or cold (German potato salad is served warm). Black people eat potato salad as a cold side dish during summer. 

 

So how long can potato salad sit out?

Because it’s a moist recipe made with eggs, potato salad should be refrigerated overnight. However, it can be left out for several hours at room temperature without going bad.

How long does potato salad last?

Salads made from potatoes can be kept for approximately one week if stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

How long will potato salad keep in the refrigerator?

How long does potato salad last?

Salads made from potatoes can be kept for approximately one week if stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. But most Southerners will tell you that this is one of those Southern recipes best enjoyed right away!

 

Black cookout food menu FAQs

What is a Black cookout?

A Black cookout is a community get-together of African American family and friends over a barbeque or outdoor cookout. 

 

Why is it called a cookout?

The word “cookout” is an amalgamation of the words “cook” and “out. 

A cookout is an informal feast in a backyard or a park where people tend to cook food like steak, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, and so on. 

 

Are cookouts an American thing?

It’s a prevalent practice in the United States, where most people prefer to eat outside when the weather is fine.

The term refers to the gathering of people. The idea is for community union and a celebratory experience among family and friends. Good times. 

 

What do you need for a cookout?

Family, friends, food, and fun are the essential ingredients for a cookout!

Barbeque grills and beverage coolers are also the best for hosting a cookout. And any time is a good time for a Black cookout!

A cookout can be a small get-together with friends and family or a big party, where one host is responsible for cooking and grilling.

 

 

When did the cookout phenomena start?

Cookouts have been happening as early as the 1400s, with the American South barbecue being the most iconic. 

Black folks’ cookouts have become so popular and anticipated that Black TikTokers make trend videos exclaiming, “We outside!”

It’s the best occasion to get together and enjoy a meal with friends, family, and neighbors. 

The food is delicious, the company is excellent, and the weather is fantastic because cookouts usually happen during summer. 

So gather around your BBQ, grab your friends, and start enjoying the summer!

 

What is Black soul food?

Soul food, in essence, is African American traditional food.

Black soul food is a term that refers to the cuisine of African Americans. A legacy of African American recipes.

Soul food originated as the cuisine enslaved people on plantations created along with any additions made by the African-American community today as the legacy of Black recipes passed down generations.

It’s a melting pot of different cultures brought together in the African-American experience in the United States. It is the main reason Black American cuisine is among the richest and most diverse in the world. 

It’s mainly associated with the Southern United States. It combines traditional Southern cooking and some Native American cuisine. Various cooking styles and dishes appear in the states of the US that the cultures of its black citizenry have influenced.

 

 

What to expect at a Black barbecue?

Black barbecue, also known as BBQ, is a popular outdoor grill gathering. Black barbecue is usually held in a backyard or someplace around a house. The food at a Black barbecue is traditionally grilled and sometimes old school (the best) cooked on an open fire pit.

You can expect a lot of fun, music, dancing and not to mention food that is the core reason for all this gathering. The food eaten on a Black cookout menu is usually ribs, chicken, and hamburgers. 

You can also find hot dogs, green beans, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and baked beans. 

And for dessert, banana pudding, peach cobbler, or a down South pig pickin cake!

 

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

Many use the terms’ barbecue’ and ‘cookout’ interchangeably, but there is 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. 

It’s a friends and family picnic. A get-together where food is made and prepared for cooking outside.

 

What is a home cookout?

A home cookout is one of the most memorable, classic, and favorite of all Black cookouts. It’s a special gathering at a family member’s or friend’s backyard at home.

Home cookouts are an integral part of childhood memories growing up Black!

 

How do you throw a BBQ party on a budget?

Potluck style! Ask friends and family to arrive with a dish. 

And what to ask people to bring to a cookout? 

Any item from the Black cookout food menu above!

The same holds true when people ask what do you need for a last-minute cookout?

Friends, family, and a potluck-style setup!

 

What do you serve at a southern BBQ?

The answer to this question depends on the region of the US you’re talking about. 

It also depends on what kind of BBQ event.

If it’s a family event, the essentials are ribs, collards, potato salad, baked beans, chicken, cornbread, and corn on the cob.

If it is a larger BBQ, you can include more delicacies such as a seafood boil, pig roast, Cajun food, BBQ chicken wings, and so on.

 

 

What do you think about this recipe for Black folks’ potato salad?

In a Black family, you have to earn the right to bring the iconic Black potato salad recipe! 

Black people will ask the who, what, when, where, and why about potato salad brought to a cookout!

Because it’s a sacred and protected dish. (It ain’t called “Black folks potato salad” for nothing!)

 

How do you make potato salad with a base of potatoes and pickles?

You make it easily with this recipe! Classic soul food potato salad ingredients and a host of flavorful seasonings. 

Have you had a Black folks’ potato salad recipe?

Or have you tried this recipe and have a question?

Comment below and lemme know. 

Then subscribe HERE for all the soul food!

 

Did you enjoy this Black cookout food menu?

Then you’ll love these other soul food recipes!

 

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