4th of July Summer BBQ Recipes; Burgers, Corn, Potatoes, Sweet Tea, and Strawberry Pie

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with an all American BBQ feast. The 4^th of July is a great time to invite family and friends over, heat up the grill, and enjoy the sun and warmth of the summer. Enjoy the following recipes for a delicious cheddar bacon burger, grilled potato wedges, and grilled corn on the cob with herb butter. The best way to round out this meal is with a freshly made glass of sweet tea and a cool slice of strawberry pie.

Delicious Cheddar Bacon Burgers

These burgers are juicy and delicious and the perfect way to start off your meal.

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef

½ Cup Sweet Onion, finely diced

2 Tbsp Garlic A-1 Steak Sauce

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Black Pepper

Pinch of Garlic Powder

½ lb Bacon, cooked

Cheddar Slices

Burger Buns

Burger trimmings such as lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, etc.

Mix beef with onions and steak sauce. Shape into burgers, size depending on your preference. Sprinkle each burger with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place burgers on a hot grill and do not touch for at least 5-10 minutes. Do not turn the burgers until the sides of the burgers have started to turn brown a little over halfway up. Flip your burgers ONLY once. Do NOT try to flatten with a spatula. This will help keep your burgers very juicy. Cook on second side about 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Place slice of cheese on top and melt. Serve on a bun, with a couple slices of bacon and all your favorite toppings.

Grilled Corn on The Cob With Herb Butter

Clean the corn silk off of all the cobs, leaving the husk leaves still attached. Wrap the husk back around the cobs and soak corn in water for at least an hour or 2 before grilling. Place soaked corn cobs directly onto hot grill. Be sure to turn every 15-20 minutes, and to cook for about an hour.

1 Stick of Butter, room temperature

2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped finely

1 Tbsp chopped chives

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Slather herb butter onto grilled corn cobs and serve.

Grilled Potato Wedges

6 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed but not pealed

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Slice the potatoes into thin wedges. Toss with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place potato sliced directly onto grill grate, or on a grill pan. They will take about 30 minutes to cook through. Make sure to turn them sporadically to prevent burning.

Sweet Sun Tea

3-4 large tea bags, I usually use Luzianne

1 Glass 1 Gallon jar with lid

1 Cup of Sugar (more or less depending on taste)

1 lemon, juiced

Fill the jar almost full of cold water. Add tea bags and tighten on lid. Place in direct sun light for at least 3-4 hours. If you like stronger tea, you can leave out a bit longer. While the tea is still warm, add 1 cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. You can play with the amount of sweetness to fit your personal taste. Pour over a glass of ice and enjoy!

Strawberry Pie

1 Pre-cooked pie crust

1 ½ quart Strawberries

¾ Cup sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

½ Lemon juiced

½ Cup water

1 Tbsp butter

Whipped Cream for garnish

Clean strawberries and cut off tops. Put half of the strawberries, whole, in the bottom of the pie crust. Slice the other half of the strawberries and place in a saucepan with the sugar. Heat over medium heat, bringing to a boil, stirring constantly, and smashing the strawberries as they soften. Mix the cornstarch and water together. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the strawberry and sugar mixture and stir constantly until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and butter. Mix thoroughly. Allow to cool before adding to the pie crust, this will help keep the crust from getting too mushy. Pour the cooled strawberry mixture evenly over the strawberries in the pie crust. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold with a dollop of whipped cream for garnish.

Stay safe, eat well, and have a wonderful 4^th of July!