As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, traditional backyard barbecues and home-cooked meals remain central to Independence Day celebrations. A new Fox Nation special, "American Kitchen: An America 250 BBQ," highlights these culinary traditions with patriotic recipes and grilling inspiration.
The special, premiering July 3, features U.S. Army veteran and celebrity chef Andre Rush alongside chef David Burke, with appearances by chef Robert Irvine. Together, they present classic American cooking and popular Fourth of July dishes.
Among the recipes featured are oak-smoked salmon on a cedar plank, smoked bulgogi-glazed St. Louis ribs, and grilled clambake foil packets. The chefs aim to capture diverse culinary traditions from across the country.
Grilling Inspiration
Chef David Burke offers a recipe for Live-Fire Oak-Smoked Salmon on Cedar & Banana Leaf, a method designed to impart oak smoke while keeping the fish moist over live coals. The recipe involves submerging a cedar plank in water, preparing a herb and garlic marinade, and slow-roasting the salmon on the grill. A buttermilk herb sauce is recommended as a accompaniment.
For meat lovers, smoked St. Louis ribs are presented with a Korean-inspired bulgogi glaze. This recipe calls for a dry rub, a simmering glaze made with soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, Asian pear, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and gochujang. The ribs are smoked, then wrapped and finished with a barbecue sauce and reserved glaze combination for a caramelized finish.
Seafood and Sides
A grill-friendly version of a classic clambake is prepared in foil packets. The recipe includes littleneck clams, corn, smoked sausage, butter, white wine, lemon, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and peppadew peppers. The packets are cooked over indirect heat on a grill or directly over coals in a fire pit, ensuring the ingredients steam together to create a rich broth.
Classic Charred Corn on the Grill is also featured, a simple side dish involving grilling sweet corn until lightly charred and finishing it with butter, salt, pepper, and lemon. Other recipes include Oak-Smoked Cedar Plank Salmon (a simpler version without the banana leaf), Grilled Bulgogi-Glazed St. Louis Ribs, Heirloom Tomato & Beet Salad, and Dry-Aged Prime Porterhouse with Porcini-Coriander Dry Rub & Chimichurri Sauce.