# 4th Ideas?



## Namaxy (Jun 27, 2012)

Cooking for a crowd on the 4th (20 ish plus a lot of kids). Anyone doing anything new or different this year? Long range forecast looks good, so I'll likely be doing a lot outside on the grills. One year I did a full BBQ (ribs, brisket, pulled pork), another I did steak and lobster on the grill. Looking to mix it up...I keep thinking of cool ideas, but they don't feel 4th of July - ish if that makes any sense.


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## WildBoar (Jun 27, 2012)

We're boring, and usually go for grilling sausages and white hots. We mix it up sometimes with some jerk chicken (it's always a hit); you might want to consider making a batch. We also grill portebellos -- mainly for the non-meatetarians, although even the dog/ burger lovers seem to like them.

Some interesting sides we got from Cooks Illustrated are a grilled banana salsa and a corn salad. The sweetness of the grilled banana salsa is a nice relief from the fiery heat of the jerk chicken, and the corn salad is pretty vinegary, so it's cooling.

A good finger food is BBQ shrimp wrapped in bacon.


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## knyfeknerd (Jun 27, 2012)

If you don't do a clam bake,
I say keep it fairly simple with lots of variety. Do several different proteins(including some fish) and just do a million different ways to eat them -corn or flour tortillas, different breads/buns, flatbreads, pita, etc. And a ton of different toppings-salsas from spicy to sweet, crema, tsatziki, relish, chow-chow, cheeses, slaws, greens. Use your badass knives to do all sorts of knife-heavy prepped stuff! 
Sides: Tomato/feta/h2oMelon-with fresh mint is great. You're a New England guy, so I know you do some good baked beans. Black bean salad with grilled corn, big chopped salad, quinoa tabouli, lentil salad, slaw(s),etc.
Variety is usually king in my line of work. It just depends on your crowd and how adventurous they are. Always keep with the seasons and it will feel like the 
4th no matter what you're having.
I wish more people would send you some ideas, that way you could just do a mishmash of kkf ideas!


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## foreleft (Jun 27, 2012)

knyfeknerd said:


> Sides: Tomato/feta/h2oMelon-with fresh mint is great.



This is my absolute favorite BBQ side. A big pile of fatty brisket or pork shoulder, and that fresh light salad is my idea of heaven. 

If you've never had them try some ABT's. Halved jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, a lil smokie (or better yet a piece of a hot link), then wrapped in bacon and smoked (you can probably grill over indirect heat too). And make twice as many as you think you'll need, then double that and they'll still be gone.


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## cnochef (Jun 27, 2012)

My wife and I are embarking on a road trip from Toronto to Nashville to enjoy the Hot Chicken Festival, no cooking but we sure plan to do some serious eating!


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## add (Jun 27, 2012)

A big azz payaya would be da bomb _and_ tough to screw up... wonder if a guy could locally rent a monster skillet?


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## add (Jun 27, 2012)

Oh, and s'mores with the coals.

win/win


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## GlassEye (Jun 28, 2012)

add said:


> A big azz payaya would be da bomb _and_ tough to screw up... wonder if a guy could locally rent a monster skillet?



I read that as papaya and was rather confused for a moment.


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## Burl Source (Jun 28, 2012)

shishkabobs


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## Deckhand (Jun 28, 2012)

No way to give advice to someone at your cooking level, but brainstorming. Bacon wrapped scallops,rosemary skewered shrimp, crab cakes, king crab, grilled oysters. Also, chili is always a good add.


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## Namaxy (Jun 28, 2012)

Thanks for all the ideas everyone! Oysters!! Thanks Deck...I need to find a way to bring oysters into the mix.


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## Deckhand (Jun 28, 2012)

Namaxy said:


> Thanks for all the ideas everyone! Oysters!! Thanks Deck...I need to find a way to bring oysters into the mix.


Yep, when I was typing I thought that was the one that would catch your eye. I will send you a link.


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## SpikeC (Jun 28, 2012)

As one who is allergic to crustaceans, I want everyone to stop suggesting them!!!! :curse: I developed my allergy as a teenager, so I know what I'm missing, so everybody stop talking about them!!!!!! Wrap your bacon around your wiener, fer crying out loud!!!!!!


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## SpikeC (Jun 28, 2012)

Sorry, I just had to get that off my butt!


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## Jim (Jun 28, 2012)

How about a big honking rib roast on the BBQ, you can slice to serve- kill it with tons of great sides and salads.


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## oivind_dahle (Jun 29, 2012)

Main dish: 

Salt baked sea bass:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/seabassbakedinasaltc_90284

Dessserts:
Banana (oven baked) with vanilla icecream and hot chocolate sause and Pinapple flowers
http://annies-eats.com/2011/02/28/how-to-make-dried-pineapple-flowers/


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## Deckhand (Jun 29, 2012)

Hmm.... I will have to use those pineapple flowers sometime. Cool idea.


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## Crothcipt (Jun 29, 2012)

I saw Julia Childs do the salt crust on one of her later episodes. I still want to do it. She had to use 10#'s of salt for the fish though. Dam it looked so good, I am drooling just remembering that episode.


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## Namaxy (Jun 29, 2012)

I love doing the salt crust. But one of the awesome things about it is bringing the whole salt encrusted fish to the table, cracking the crust, and then painstakingly removing the crust and fileting/carving/serving the fish.


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## JasonD (Jun 29, 2012)

Trying my first smoked smoked whole turkey to bring to the neighbor's party. Just fixed up an old ceramic cooker and I'm always happy for something new to throw on there.


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## SpikeC (Jun 29, 2012)

I did a turkey on my BEG one year for the family turkey day, butt true to form my mom did one as well so my BBQ turkey ended up being an appetizer.


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## RRLOVER (Jul 2, 2012)

I was invited to a party that has a mexican food theme so I am making mexican corn in cup:hungry::hungry:






gratuitous knife shot!


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## rahimlee54 (Jul 2, 2012)

This looks interesting and good. It is not the same caliber as bbq or lobster but I'd like to eat it.

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/07/great-all-american-burger-dog-usa-usa.html


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## Boki (Jul 2, 2012)

:thumbsup:


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