By Michele E. Buttelman
Signal Staff Writer
If you’re looking to Top Chef-up your Fourth of July BBQ game you’ll want to forgo the obvious choices of traditional American fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad. Here’s a Fourth of July BBQ menu that will impress the most discerning palate.
Smoky Grilled Chicken Wings
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 lime
1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
3 lb. chicken wings (about 36) split
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Heat grill to medium-low. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, and chipotle.
Place the sour cream in a bowl. Finely grate the zest of the lime on top, then squeeze in juice (about 2 tablespoons). Add cilantro and feta and mix to combine; set aside.
In large bowl, toss the wings with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brush the remaining tablespoon oil on the corn.
Grill the chicken wings, covered, turning occasionally for 12 minutes.
Continue to grill the wings, basting with the chipotle sauce until chicken is cooked through (165 internal temp). Serve with any remaining chipotle sauce and sour cream sauce, for dipping.
Motley Que Pulled Pork Sliders from King’s Hawaiian
1 package King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Slider Buns
1/2 cup garlic butter, melted
2 tbsp. Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
1 lb pulled pork (recipe below)
5 slices cheddar cheese
1 cup pineapple, julienne
1 cup slaw mix
Mayonnaise to taste
2 kosher dill pickles, finely sliced
1/2 cup crispy onions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make pulled pork:
4 pounds boneless pork butt
2 tbsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tbsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. hot dry mustard
1 tsp cayenne
Prepare the pork shoulder Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. In a small bowl, combine black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, dry mustard and cayenne. Rub mixture all over the pork.
Cook pork in smoker for 6-8 hours until tender. Alternatively, you can cook in the oven if you do not have a smoker: Arrange the oven racks in the middle and lower parts of the oven and preheat to 225 degrees F. Put a tray on the lower rack and the pork directly on the middle rack, uncovered. Put the cast iron pan with the hickory chips on the floor of 2 of 2 the oven. Remove the chips after 2 hours of cook time. The entire cooking time will be 6-8 hours.
In the last hour of cook time, remove pork, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then in aluminum foil and return to the oven for 1 more hour. Remove the pork from the oven to a work surface. Let rest until cool enough to pull the pork.
Prepare slaw by combining pineapple and slaw mix. Add mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Separate the King’s Hawaiian Slider Buns and brush the insides with garlic butter. Top and bottom pieces. Toast the buns on a griddle until golden brown on both sides.
Evenly place a few slices of pickle on the bottom buns and place 1/4 cup of pulled pork on each bottom bun. Drizzle each with BBQ sauce then top each with slice of cheese. Place under broiler for 40 seconds until melted. Top with pineapple slaw, crispy onions and top half of bun.
Grilled Corn
Buy fresh sweet corn and shuck. Place on BBQ grill and cook until corn is roasted and slightly charred.
Sliced Tomatoes with Green Goddess Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
2 1/2 lb. beefsteak tomatoes (about 4)
Salt
Black pepper
In a medium bowl, whisk together they mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, anchovy, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir in the parsley, chives, and tarragon.
Slice the tomatoes and arrange them on a platter. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with additional pepper.
Peach Caprese Salad
2 ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/2”-thick wedges
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1/4 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cup baby arugula
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
Salt
Black pepper
In a large bowl, toss the peaches, tomatoes, corn, onion and mozzarella with olive oil and 1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Toss with arugula and basil, then transfer to a platter.
Patriotic Pops
1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries
1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
6 popsicle molds
Remove ice cream from the freezer to soften.
Scoop out softened (not melted) ice cream into a medium bowl and stir until creamy.
In a small bowl, add enough ice cream for one ice cream pop. Take a handful blueberries or sliced strawberries, mix gently with ice cream.
Carefully spoon ice cream and fruit mixture into popsicle mold. Repeat until all molds are filled.
Place lid of ice pop mold on top. If needed use wooden craft sticks in the molds. Freeze ice cream pops overnight.
