Independence Day means parades, BBQ’s, and thousands of celebrations all around America. We are here today to bring you some fantastic grilling ideas to make your 4th of July barbecue even more spectacular. We have our Grilled Chicken breasts and Caribean Style Ribs for you as well as our Grilled Potato Salad and Premium Pasta Salad recipes.
Grilled Ribs And Chicken = Fireworks
The 4th of July falls on a Thursday this year. Being in the middle of the week can put a damper on BBQ’s, however, we know you will survive. The recipes we have are pretty easy to create and will bring great joy to your guests!
Independence Day Origin
Before we begin, it’s time to reflect on the 243 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. For a little more on the history of America’s birthday, here is this from military.com:
“The process of revision by the Continental Congress began July 1, then continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted. Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two — Pennsylvania and South Carolina — voted No, Delaware was undecided and New York abstained.”
“John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock’s signed his name “with a great flourish” so England’s “King George can read that without spectacles!”
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th in 1776 and that day thankfully became a tradition of parades and BBQ’s.
Grilled Boneless Chicken Breasts Done Right
Grilling boneless chicken breasts is one of the most popular choices made by grilling enthusiasts. They taste incredible on the grill and are easy to make in many different ways. They are also one of the healthier meat options available to grill. Imagine that, you are grilling and doing something good for you and your guests.
There is however a downside to the popular boneless chicken breasts. It is extremely easy to over-grill them and dry them out. Grilling properly takes patience and a lot of practice. It is very similar to grilling boneless pork chops. They too taste incredible grilled but can dry out in the blink of an eye.
So what is the secret of the perfect grilled chicken breasts? You will want to grill them indirect and low & slow. They should only take 15-20 minutes to be grilled through. As they grill watch their appearance and texture. They should be limp like a wet noodle when they hit the grill grate, then flexible and tender when they are done. You do not want chicken breasts that are as stiff as a wooden board. There is no amount of BBQ sauce that can rescue a dried-out chicken breast.
Always remember the grill master’s rule of thumb. If they look like they need another minute, take them off! Allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes and check the platter to see if the juices are clear or bloody. If bloody, back to the grill for another 4-5 minutes. You can also cut into the thickest part of the breast to check on the doneness. It takes a lot of practice but you will eventually get there.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- granulated garlic, Lawry’s Seasoning Salt, black pepper
- 1 bottle of teriyaki marinade
- 1-2 gallon size resealable bags
- teriyaki flavored BBQ sauce
Prep Time
Take the chicken breasts and place them into the resealable bags and add in half the bottle of teriyaki marinade. You will want to do this at least an hour before you start grilling. (For a different flavor option, you can substitute the teriyaki marinade with light Italian dressing. You won’t need any BBQ sauce with this option)
Grill Time
Place 15-20 charcoal briquets in the center of your grill in a pyramid pile. Light the grill and wait for the coals to reach that perfect gray. Place the chicken breasts around the outside edge of the grill grate and season with the spices on both sides. Close up your grill lid and allow them to grill for 5-7 minutes indirect. After that, gently flip the chicken breasts over and reclose the lid.
Follow these steps for one to two more turns until you feel the breasts becoming less rubbery. You will notice the difference in the texture, just be careful to not over grill them. Remove them when ready and allow them to rest as described earlier. Lastly, return them to the grill and slather on the teriyaki BBQ sauce on all sides. Grill them 3-5 minutes only and remove. Serve your grilled chicken breasts solo or with sturdy sandwich rolls like kaisers.
Carribean Ribs
Making these incredible ribs requires very little grill time. You will only use your grill to finish them off with BBQ sauce. For this recipe, we are using pork spare ribs. Prep the spare ribs the same way as you do baby backs by removing the membrane from the bottom side. You will then season them on both sides with a rub consisting of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt, black pepper, Cajun spice, cumin, paprika, and brown sugar.
You will also need a large foil pan, honey, several cans of pineapple rings, and some dark rum like Myers.
Spare Rib Prep and Baking
Take the large foil pan and line the bottom with the pineapple rings, and add the juice from one of the cans. Season your spare ribs with the rub and lay them onto the pineapple rings. Drizzle the honey onto the ribs and add 6-8 ounces of the dark rum into the pan.
Cover with foil and let sit for 30-45 minutes. Take the pan and put it into your oven at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the ribs to rest for 15 minutes.
Grill Time
Prep your grill with the direct method using 20-25 charcoal briquettes. After the coals are ready, spread the ribs out across the grill grate. Cover the spare ribs liberally with your favorite BBQ sauce then place them over the coals. You will only need to grill the spare ribs for about 5 minutes per side. Your goal is to caramelize the BBQ sauce without burning it. Serve these amazing ribs with your favorite island-themed drink using the remaining dark rum.
Grilled Ribs & Chicken Side Dishes
Nothing says the 4th of July better than our grilled potato salad and premium pasta salad. These two side dishes are incredible and will make your Independence Day BBQ a hit. To see the instructions and ingredients just click on the links below:
Independence Day Grilled Ribs & Chicken Wrap Up
We have provided you with two incredible items to grill up for your 4th of July BBQ. These along with our side dishes will make your BBQ memorable. Reaching the 4th of July means that we are fully into the summer barbecue season. We will continue to bring you more delicious grilling ideas and recipes as the summer moves into fall. After that, it will be football season and that means more Game Day Recipes to get you through the long NFL season. Stay tuned!