July 4th Beach Barbeque Recipes

Celebrating July 4th at the beach with family and friends was something I dreamed about as a kid. As a Midwestern, the closest thing I experienced to a beach was our above ground swimming pool in the backyard.

In 2006, my immediate family relocated to Florida and I finally had the chance to celebrate July 4th at the beach. Since then, we've created a fun menu that is easy to prepare and transport to the beach. It has become our tradition and each year more people join in the fun.

Our beach barbeque menu consists of jerk chicken kabobs, pineapple BBQ shrimp kabobs, multi-colored peppers pasta salad, baked beans, fresh veggie platter with Beau Monde dip, and grilled banana boat S'mores.

JULY 4TH BEACH BARBEQUE MENU

Jerk Chicken Kabobs

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 24 2-inch chunks

1/2 cup Jerk Sauce

2 cups fresh Pineapple, cut into 2-inch chunks

2 Red Bell Peppers, cut each pepper into 12 wedges

1 medium Sweet Onion, cut into 12 wedges and separated into chunks

Directions:

1. In a resealable gallon-size plastic bag, add chicken and 1/4 cup jerk sauce. Gently toss to cover chicken then store in refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Using extra-long skewers, thread 4 chunks each of chicken, pineapple, peppers, and onion. Alternate ingredients and leave space between each piece. Lightly brush kabobs with remaining jerk sauce.

3. Cook kabobs over open-flame and rotate every 2 to 3 minutes for about 15 minutes or until chicken juice runs clear and vegetables are tender.

Pineapple BBQ Shrimp Skewers

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Barbeque Sauce

3/4 cup fresh Pineapple Juice

1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons fresh Cilantro, loosely chopped

24 large Shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups fresh Pineapple, cut into 2-inch chunks

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, and cilantro. Using a wire whisk, combine ingredients until well incorporated.

2. Pour half of mixture into a resealable gallon size plastic bag. Reserve the remaining sauce for basting and dipping. Add shrimp, seal the bag, and shake well until shrimp is coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Using extra-long skewers, thread 4 shrimp and pineapple chunks; alternating pieces and leaving space between each. Lightly brush pineapple with BBQ sauce.

4. Cook kabobs over open-flame and rotate every minute or two for 6 to 8 minutes or until shrimp begins to curl and turn translucent pink.

6. Serve with remaining pineapple BBQ sauce.

Multi-Colored Peppers Pasta Salad

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 (16-oz.) box Rotini pasta

1 each Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper

1 small Red Onion

2 medium Carrots

1 (7.5-oz.) can medium, pitted Black Olives

1/2 bottle spicy Italian salad dressing

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, slice peppers, onion, and carrots into thin strips. Drain juice from olives.

3. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

4. Transfer pasta, veggies, and olives to a large bowl.

5. Add salad dressing. Season with salt and pepper and mix until ingredients are well combined.

6. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour prior to serving.

Baked Beans

I'm a little bit lazy when it comes to baked beans. I buy 2 cans of beans and add a few ingredients to boost the flavor. My favorite combination is 2 strips cooked bacon crumbled, 2 Tablespoons diced white onion, 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons ketchup. I cook these in the slow-cooker for 4 to 6 hours and transport to the bonfire in a covered foil pan.

Fresh Veggie Platter with Beau Monde Dip

My sister's Beau Monde Dip recipe has been a family favorite for over 30 years. This dip is amazing with just about anything. It's perfect for veggies, chips, and pretzels.

Beau Monde dip is made with cream cheese, so must be kept on ice. I found a great serving bowl that can be placed in the freezer overnight and remains cold for 4 to 6 hours. If you often eat outdoors it's a product you might want to look for.

I serve a variety of veggies including Bell peppers, carrot and celery sticks, radishes, zucchini and cucumber slices. The dip is somewhat thick so it's best to use durable veggies. I arrange on a sectioned vegetable platter and insert a bowl of dip in the middle. If you don't have a chill platter, set a bowl of ice in the center and place the bowl of dip on top. Don't leave out in the heat for more than 15 minutes without ice underneath, and no more than 30 minutes with ice.

Grab the veggie dip recipe from my "10 Uses for Beau Monde Seasoning" article.

Grilled Banana Boat S'mores

I discovered the recipe for grilled banana boat S'mores at the Betty Crocker website. This is a great dessert for kids and grown-ups and is super easy to make. The original recipe is prepared by grilling bananas wrapped in foil. However, you can cook the S'mores over an open flame by sticking an extra-long skewer half-way into the banana.

Banana boat S'mores ingredients consist of whole bananas, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped pecans. We store the chocolate chips in a small plastic container placed in the ice cooler until ready for use.

Once you try these S'mores you'll be hooked. Grab the recipe for Grilled Banana Boat S'mores at BettyCrocker.com.

Even if you aren't able to make it to the beach for July 4th, you can create a beach-themed party and cook foods on the grill. Close the night out with sparklers and fire crackers, weather permitting. We're under a state of emergency in Florida, so might have to forego the fireworks this year, but that won't stop us from indulging in a delicious July 4th beach barbeque!