Juneteenth

When you have a big backyard full of people to feed, it’s tough to beat pulled pork that’s been smoked until it’s fork tender. 

Hibiscus punch with ground ginger, roasted pineapple, and fresh lime. Rum optional.

These fried green tomatoes from Nicole A. Taylor are the star of her Juneteenth menu.

Roasting the strawberries is a real game-changer and brings out such an intense, sweet flavor in this cake, which gets added fragrance from elderflower cordial.

I love the notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, sweet warming spices in these baby back ribs.

Marinate shrimp in a sweet-spicy mixture of apricot preserves, lime, habanero, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger—then throw them on the grill for dinner in 15 minutes.

These tender, fluffy cornbread muffins skip the butter and call for creamy whipped corn instead. A side of homemade jalapeño pepper jelly adds some spice.

Since the crunchy apple and kohlrabi are so refreshing, it would make the perfect palate cleanser between heavier courses at dinner, but most often I eat it for a light lunch.

Serve this spicy pepper jelly with fresh cornbread muffins.

The key here is using cornstarch and rice flour. Cutting the okra in half from top to bottom, the seeds cling to the rice flour and cornstarch so the batter isn’t going anywhere.

The secret to this version of potato salad is sweet pickle relish—not diced cucumbers, dill pickles, or cornichons.

This recipe from Bryant Terry highlights the earthy taste and the toothsome texture of collards, and offsets the greens with tofu that’s been soaked in a Jamaican-inspired marinade.

Seasoned with a spice mix of ground peanuts, cayenne, and ginger, these skewers are most often served with shaved onions and sliced tomato, here a tomato-cream dipping sauce quells the fiery heat.

Nothing says “Southern” like the smell of okra frying in a cast-iron skillet atop an angry flame.

Keep the fat rendered from good bacon in a crock in your fridge. It’ll make this the tastiest cornbread you’ve ever had.

The simple combination of sharp Campari and salty fino sherry makes for a spritz that quenches your thirst and works wonderfully with potato chips, olives, or aged cheeses.

This dish—both a backyard staple and street food treat in the Philippines—is slightly sticky when cooked and develops a nice char while the dark thigh meat stays tender and juicy.

Wake up grilled chicken by glazing it with a sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauce, and pairing it with a salad of grilled onions, raw tomatoes, and pickled green beans.

With an oatmeal cookie-like topping, this easy dessert makes good use of ripe summer peaches. But really, you can make it all year long with apples, pears, or whatever’s in season.

Toss a few extra cobs on the grill at your next cookout and stash them to make this smoky corn salad later in the week.