Menu for Tomorrow

oldschool1982 · #1 07-03-2009, 09:06 PM

Tomorrow, as everyone knows, here in the States we celebrate our Independence Day. Understanding this is an international forum, it would still be nice to hear from fellow Americans (here and abroad) on what you are planning for the festivities.

We're having my Cousin and his family as well as a couple neighbors over so.......... we're gonna fire-up the smoker tomorrow. Have chicken in the brine right now, wings are dry rubbed and then I have a chipotle maple glaze for sauce, Pork Shoulder will be done NC style pulled (Vinegar, salt and 3 types of pepper for marinade) and I do have some of my apple-jack BBQ Sauce for that. Haven't decided on burgers or not yet, but we are having hotodgs for the kids. Isn't a 4th celebration without hot dogs.

Made some German style potato salad (cousin hates mayo so.....) I may do a twice baked potato salad tomorrow but haven't decided yet. fresh ambrosia salad.......mini marshmallows, fresh Hawaiian Pineapple, Fresh orange segments, coconut and Fresh Dark cherries. I use sour cream sweetened but also added some gelatin for it to set up. The fresh fruit was really juicy, especially the pineapple. Our guests will be bringing stuff as well but not sure what. Ohh yeah, can't forget the watermelon. Finally remembered to pick one of those up today. Still have a good bit of Mich lite in the keggerator so beer is good, may whip up a batch of Hurricanes or Long Island teas as an alternative.

In non-food related festivities.........If the weather holds up we're gonna catch the fireworks display at Ft. Lee. We did the Williamsburg thing last week with the DW's parents. That was a treat. Reenactments of when the British occupied Williamsburg so the town was full of re-enactors the whole day. British, Hessians. Indians, separatists and loyalists The camp near the armory was the highlight. They had a camp kitchen set up and they were doing everything circa 18th century. What a great thing that was.

It was the biggest week of the year we were told.

phatch · #2 07-03-2009, 09:11 PM

I'm smoking a pork shoulder too. Some potato salad, pickles, olives, chips, carbonation. Nothing fancy.

Phil

MaryB · #3 07-03-2009, 09:40 PM

2 seven pound butts, dozen buffalo ranch wings, homemade baked beans, pasta salad, corn on the cob, my version of a carolina ketchup/vinegar sauce, KC masterpiece for the uneducated

Gunnar · #4 07-03-2009, 10:36 PM

3 smoked pork shoulder (i am sensing a theme) and 3 chickens roasted, with potato salad, a garden salad (just everything you could imagine) and deep fried okra. and BEER

Happy 4th all

mattie405 · #5 07-04-2009, 12:37 AM

Picked up 17 pounds of pork shoulder, a dozen chicken pieces, some beef hot dogs and will be making stuffed potatoes, simple salad and fruit mix for desert.........all for hubby and myself but sons found out I was going to get the smoker going so they are coming by to pick up a load for each of their places. The one sons girlfriend is upset that I'm not making burgers, he told her to take herself to Mickey D's if she wanted those, the other sons wife is just so appreciative that she doesn't have to cook anything and they can spend time with the little grandkids having fun.

MaryB · #6 07-04-2009, 08:43 AM

Tarp stretched over the smoker, raining hard, but the pork is cooking

I hope the weather breaks soon!

Pete · #7 07-04-2009, 03:14 PM

We (me, the wife, and daughter) are just taking it easy this 4th, but I am overseeing the neighbors as they roast a whole pig for their family get together. Helped them get it in the roaster, on the spit, seasoned and stuffed this morning. Now I just run over there every few hours to help them check on it. It's only an 85 pound pig so I expect about a 9 hour cook time, give or take.

Schuster · #8 07-05-2009, 12:03 AM

Worked of course. About 200 covers from 4-8. Then went out back to the parking lot and set off illegal fireworks. Nothing blows off steam like watching things blow up.

MaryB · #9 07-05-2009, 10:33 AM

Well the food was a hit, I sent leftovers home with everyone(I always make extra). Had a nice bonfire last night with toasted marshmallows. Today is recovery day from yesterday!

henry · #10 07-05-2009, 11:01 PM

34 lbs. total, 4 big butts.

I've been saving some here and there in the Foodsaver, and when the weather cools, I might make tamales with it.

Just curious what you guys paid for pork shoulder for the 4th. Mine was $1.68/lb (from Sam's). Seems to vary a lot, but that was the most of I've paid.

MaryB · #11 07-06-2009, 03:15 PM

$1.19 from a local grocery chain, the only one near me that carries non-enhanced pork.

oldschool1982 · #12 07-06-2009, 08:18 PM

Mary, Sounds like the tarp made everything work out. Shame you had to use it. Been there done that but we have an umbrella.

Our stuff went off without a hitch too. Waayy too much food but it was planned that way. Figured since we were firing up the smoker for some then why not for more. It's a real pain to clean the thing so hen it get's used........it gets loaded up!

I'd have to agree there was certainly a trend with all those that posted. From what we have been told..... a BBQ was how they celebrated the first celebration after the Revolutionary War. It was also explained that it was one of George Washington's most favorite ways to celebrate. I'd have to say one too.

Struggled with trying to keep things simple and kid friendly but mostly simple. Funny how that never really works out.

I ended up doing a second tater salad. Originally I mentioned a Loaded Baked Potato variety but I misjudged the Russets we had on hand. Could swore I had 3-4lbs. Thought about a roasted corn and B-red but out of corn too. So I combined the two and ended up with a Roasted Loaded B-Red salad. Actually IMHPO......I'd have to say it made a more palatable salad .The potatoes were more moist and held up better when mixed. This may be the new method and...... best of all.....it went over better with the guests.

Cousins brought Mac'n'cheese, Deviled Eggs and Fruit Falad. Never a party in the South without Deviled Eggs. Hehehe Neighbors brought a Mississippi Mud cake All in all it was a great time. Danged if we forgot to crack open the watermelon we bought though. Forgot all about it. Doohhh!!!! We have a party to go to this weekend, maybe we'll do an old fashioned Spiked watermelon (with rum). Just have to pick up a second, smaller one for the kids.

Everyone enjoyed the food unfortunately, after smoking all the meats, I could have gone for a burger.....but that would have been way too much food had we done those too. We did do some franks in the smoke too and those were really good! After all was done, we did our own little fireworks display here at the house. The kids enjoyed that one as did the adults not having to navigate the traffic at Ft. Lee