Is there really anything better in life than a rack of slowly cooked ribs that are doused with a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce? I don’t think so. Whether you celebrate the Fourth of July tomorrow or this coming weekend with family and friends, it’s time to start thinking of great grilling recipes.
These Sweet Cola Ribs from the Neelys’ are the perfect addition to your Fourth of July celebration. They cook nice and slow over your grill so they become smoky and tender, then you add the sweet cola sauce and it’s a match made in heaven. You can use any kind of dark cola for this recipe, but I think my favorite has to be Dr. Pepper.
This year I’m hosting my own Fourth of July party and you can bet that there will be multiple Sweet Cola Ribs on my grill throughout the day. Be sure to whip up extra of the barbecue sauce; you might even want to double the recipe because it’s great on all sorts of other fun Fourth of July sides like corn on the cob and potato salad. Plus, you can throw some on the side for your guests to dip their ribs into while they eat.
Read more »
This Fourth of July, whether you’re throwing a backyard barbecue, hosting a neighborhood get-together or simply watching fireworks with family, celebrate all things red, white and blue with a collection of our best Independence Day eats and drinks. Food Network’s menu of party-ready recipes, including juicy grilled pork, succulent fried chicken, patriotic cake and more, will help you prepare a star-filled spread in no time. Check out Food Network’s top Fourth of July recipes below, then tell us what your favorite all-American dishes are.
5. Grilled Pork Tenderloin With Corn on the Cob – To prepare Food Network Magazine‘s hearty plate (pictured above), marinate lean pork tenderloins in a cumin-garlic mixture, then grill them over medium-high heat and serve with a sweet and tangy brown sugar-ketchup sauce and fresh summer corn.
4. Classic Fried Chicken – With crispy, golden-brown skin and tender, moist meat, this buttermilk-soaked chicken is a no-fail cookout dish.
Get the top three recipes
This summer, Food Network’s Grilling Central is packed with recipes for the entire family’s taste buds, boasting the best in burgers, dogs, chicken and more all season long. But with so many recipes, where do you start? Each Friday, FN Dish is giving you a complete menu that is stress-free, and this weekend’s spread is fit for an Independence Day celebration.
The Fourth of July falls right in the middle of the week this year and while you may not be able to party like it’s 1776 on a Wednesday, you can surely do so this weekend. Food Network Magazine’s Philly Dogs (pictured above) are inspired by the City of Brotherly Love’s famous cheese steak, and they take just 10 minutes to put together. Nestle a grilled, snappy hot dog on a chewy hoagie roll and add sweet peppers and onions and a drizzle of cheese sauce to create a backyard version of the Philadelphia classic.
Get the menu
We often refer to Pat LaFrieda, Jr. as the “Magician of Meat,” but we seem to forget that Pat LaFrieda, Jr. comes from a meat empire — a family-run meat empire. Pat Jr. runs a third-generation wholesale meat purveyor business in New Jersey with his dad, Pat Sr., and while we see the dynamic duo take viewers on a high-”steaks” ride with a side of humor on Meat Men, we wanted to know just how much the two agreed on meat.
We asked father and son the same questions to see how different (or similar) their answers would be, including who’s the better grill master in the family.
What’s the best cut of pork in your opinion?
Pat Jr.: Pork butt
Pat Sr.: Rib chops
If you had to choose between having beef, pork, veal or chicken as your last meal what would you pick?
Pat Jr.: Boneless loin lamb chops
Pat Sr.: Shake ‘N Bake pork chops with applesauce (laughing out loud) — because they’re good.
Find out who the grill master is
Father’s Day is all about chocolate and letting Dad watch whatever TV he wants that day. At least it is in my family. You see, in our family of four, there is only one guy, my dad. We out number him in everything. He wants to watch football? Too bad, we’ve got the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy to watch. Game seven of the playoffs? Nope, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills just started. So you see, the girls win almost all of the time. But not on Father’s Day. We’ll let Dad watch just about whatever he wants and we promise to only complain a few times.
My dad is a chocolate fanatic. I don’t know how he manages to stay so fit when he always has a constant supply of homemade chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate brownies, chocolate layered cake etc., stocked in the freezer in case of a sweet tooth “emergency.” So when Father’s Day rolls around, it’s a no-brainer that we’re going to make him something that’s going to satisfy his chocolate sweet tooth.
This year’s Father’s Day treat is The Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Sheet Cake.
It’s decadent to say the least and it’s exactly what Dad needs this coming Sunday. Plus, it makes a boatload of cake that you could share with your neighbors or fellow dads celebrating this special day.
Get the recipe
Sure, tool sets, golf lessons and automotive magazine subscriptions are all fine Father’s Day gifts, but those presents are pretty been-there-done-that, right? This year, give Dad the one thing he never can have enough of: home-cooked meals. Below is Food Network’s list of the top five Father’s Day recipes, made into a can’t-miss menu of Dad-approved breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert dishes that are easy to prepare and beefy enough to satisfy the heartiest appetites. Check out our favorites below and tell us what you’re cooking for Dad this weekend.
5. Baked French Toast Casserole With Maple Syrup – Warm, soft and laced with fragrant cinnamon and nutmeg, Paula’s five-star breakfast bake can be prepped at night and quickly cooked the next morning.
4. Baltimore Beef Bad Boy – Guy’s mile-high sandwich is stacked with slices upon slices of herb-marinated grilled beef, a generous spread of a creamy horseradish sauce and crunchy raw onions.
Get the top three recipes
This year, wrap Dad’s Father’s Day gifts to look like a big, juicy cheeseburger. Each set of this wrapping paper includes six sheets that look like buns, a patty, lettuce, tomato and cheese; when they’re stacked, they look like dinner. Creators Sarah Fay and Justin Colt came up with the idea when they were wrapping a gift for a McDonald’s-loving friend. Coming soon: s’mores and birthday cake sets. $25 per set; giftcouture.com
Here in Food Network Kitchens, we love simple, classic recipes. We are also paid to think about food all day. So we’ve taken classic foods and drinks and reimagined them into three, four or five different ways. No standard recipes here, just the occasional technique and pictures. Think of it as a picture recipe.
We love grilled wings. Spicy, sweet, salty: No matter which wing you choose, you’ll make Dad happy this Father’s Day. I can’t help but love the classic Buffalo hot wing, so that one was my favorite.
First, start with the classic
Though ribs, burgers and brats may be all the rage today, you can still maintain a meatless Memorial Day by opting for flavor-packed veggie side dishes that are as satisfying and hearty as mains. Our three simple sides below are bold, creative takes on traditional dishes, and are sure to star at your holiday cookout.
A classic picnic pick, potato salads are quick to prepare and guaranteed to feed a crowd. Spring Garden Potato Salad (pictured above) from Food Network Kitchens celebrates the season’s bounty and is made with such fresh ingredients as English cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, red-skinned potatoes and more. A no-fuss garlic-mayonnaise mixture dresses this colorful bowl, best finished with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Ready in only 15 minutes, Food Network Magazine’s Avocado Salad is filled with a bright, refreshing combination of mango, pineapple, creamy avocado and crunchy jicama, and is tossed in a sweet mix of lime and orange juices, shallots and fragrant cilantro. Be sure to season liberally with salt, as it marries the flavors and complements the sugars in the fruits.
Read more »
Last year, we polled FN Dish readers: Burgers or hot dogs for Memorial Day weekend? While 44 percent said they would be indulging in both, 35 percent said they were all about the burger. To ensure you cook up tender and juicy burgers this upcoming long weekend, we asked the “Magician of Meat” Pat LaFrieda, Jr. to offer up some tips.
5 Things to Avoid Doing to Your Burger
• Never place your burger on a grill that is not preheated. Always make sure your grill is hot enough and ready to cook on before placing the burger down. Too often people turn on the grill and immediately place the meat down to start cooking — and the end result is never pretty. If the grill is preheated to the right temperature, you’ll notice the difference.
Don’t do these four things to your burger
