Southern 4th Of July Menu
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Do you have plans to attend a BBQ or watch the fireworks this year?
Whether you’re planning a 4th of July BBQ menu at home. Or need to prepare a potluck dish to watch the fireworks with family and friends.
You’re in the right place for soul food Southern 4th of July cookout menu ideas seasoned to perfection, full of flavor, and sure to please!
Are you ready to eat?
A 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 focusing on barbeque and slow-cooked soul foods.
Even though most Black Americans acknowledge Juneteenth as our official freedom day, we’ll rarely miss out on the opportunity to get together, cook out, and celebrate.
So African American July 4th celebrations will take on many names and themes, from family reunions to church potlucks, July fourth red, white, & blue parties, and elevated all-white-attire parties!
How do you celebrate the 4th of July with soul food where you live?
What are some traditional African American cookout foods?
Whether you know it or not, a typical Black family cookout menu or 4th of July recipe 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!
You may not realize 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 – even when the focus is on a Southern 4th of July cookout menu.
Although it’s 4th of July food and a Southern cookout menu, essentially, Black people are preparing soul food.
Why is African American food called soul food?
The definition of soul food can easily be summed up as tender, juicy meats, flavorful gravies, and sauces. And vegetables seasoned so deliciously that you forget they’re good for you!
That’s soul food – a legacy of Southern cooking the Black way.
What is the difference in Southern food and soul food?
Soul food and Southern are often compared.
But enslaved African Americans developed soul food’s distinct character by creating outstanding meals from what was thought to be less-than-desirable cuts of meat and produce.
Southern food can be described as down South, home-cooked comfort food recipes where you can taste the hospitality.
What are some traditional African American foods?
Collard greens, cornbread, cornbread dressing, candied yams, black-eyed peas, sweet potato pie, and banana pudding are just a few soul foods menu favorites.
What do you serve at a Fourth of July party?
If you want to serve something different at your next 4th of July summer cookout or party, try these delicious and easy-to-make soul food cookout menu recipes.
Southern 4th of July cookout menu ideas
Planning to have potato salad on your cookout or picnic table this summer?
Did I mention this is an easy Instant Pot pulled chicken recipe?
These easy 4th of July celebration chicken recipes are sure to please!
Want a delicious spin on grilled chicken?
Try this spicy Southern kitchen chicken kabob recipe!
At what temperature do you cook soul food fried chicken?
Check out the step-by-step recipe below!
Southern 4th of July side dishes
What are some side dishes to take to a cookout?
Check out this list of favorite cookout soul food sides below.
At the end of the list, you’ll ask yourself, “What more could you want from your side dishes for 4th of July?”
Need easy grilling ideas?
Like delicious fruit and vegetable on the grill!
Why not add a little kick to your corn this summer with a spice rub before you grill it? Yum!
You can never go wrong with this Southern oven-baked dishes:
How do you make a Southern comfort food chicken pot pie?
Who says you have to have watermelon for dessert?
Southern 4th of July menu drinks
Southern 4th of July desserts
How did a traditional English country dish become one of the most beloved soul food recipes and Southern dishes?
Banana pudding has an old African American history.
Black cooks in the South took a native African fruit (the banana) and reimagined this layered, originally English custard dish to perfection!
What could be a more perfect ending to a summertime meal than easy peach cobbler?
Pro tip: Drizzle cut fruit with lemon juice to slow oxidation and browning.
Summer tea cake recipe
Grab your rolling pin and baking sheet for these light and airy Southern dessert treats!
Don’t forget the ice cream and popsicles!
Pro tip: Add a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, or red, white, & blue sprinkles to make any of your favorite Southern 4th of July desserts festive!
Southern 4th of July menu FAQs
What is the most popular food to put on the grill?
Black barbecue, also known as BBQ, or a ‘Q, 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, with the most popular food to put on the grill being:
- Steak
- Hot dogs
- Hamburgers
- Ribs
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 Southern 4th of July menu above!
The same applies when people ask what you need for a last-minute cookout?
Friends, family, and a potluck-style setup!
What do you do at a Black cookout?
Black cookouts are popular outdoor grill gatherings usually held in a backyard or around a house.
You can expect a lot of fun, music, dancing and not to mention food that is the core reason for all this gathering.
Check out episode 7 of The Soul Food Pod for a must-have list of Black cookout food and Black cookout rules!
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 are the best foods to bring to a cookout or BBQ? 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
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.
Did you enjoy these Southern 4th of July menu ideas?
Have you had a Southern 4th of July barbecue menu?
Would you make it for Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Juneteenth?
Comment below and lemme know.
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Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker optional
- Instant Pot trivet rack (comes with the Instant Pot) or egg rack
- Potato peeler
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- 4-6 potatoes small red or purple potatoes (optional)
- 2 cups water divided
- 4 boiled eggs
- 1 boiled egg sliced to garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup sweet pickles diced (or sweet relish)
- ½ cup celery diced
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise (Start with the recommended ⅓ cup of mayo, and add another ¼ cup if you prefer extra creamier potato salad.)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika to garnish
Instructions
You can use the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker to easily boil the potatoes and eggs.
- Peel the russet potatoes and leave them whole. (If you’re using the optional small red or purple potatoes, do not peel them.)
- 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.)
- Add 1 cup of water and then the potatoes on the trivet rack.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Use an oven mitt to remove the trivet rack with the potatoes.
- Allow the cooked potatoes to cool enough so they’re still warm to the touch (but not hot).
- Then coarsely chop the potatoes into medium-sized chunks and add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the vinegar over the chopped potatoes while they’re still warm, and set the bowl aside.
- Add the trivet rack or egg rack inside the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
- Add the eggs to the racks and then pour 1 cup of water over the eggs.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- While the eggs are boiling, dice the pickles, celery, and onion and add the diced vegetables to the bowl of chopped potatoes.
- Add the mustard, mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper to the bowl and set the bowl aside.
- When the cooking time for the eggs is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- 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.
- Once the eggs are cool to the touch, coarsely chop four eggs and add them to the large bowl of potatoes and seasonings.
- Gently fold the ingredients into the potatoes so that the vegetables, seasonings, mayonnaise, and mustard are evenly mixed to coat the potatoes.
- Garnish this Southern potato salad recipe by sprinkling paprika and then slicing the remaining boiled egg to garnish on top. Serve right away and enjoy!
