Independence Day is just around the corner, and it’s time to fire up the grill once again! I don’t know about you, but at my house nothing says “Happy Fourth of July” like a warm sun, friends and family relaxing on the deck, kids playing in the backyard, and fresh meat sizzling over an open flame. It’s a summer tradition, and not one I plan on changing any time soon.

At my cookouts over the years, hamburgers and hotdogs have long been the old standbys, but I’ve been thinking of changing, and spicing, the menu up a bit this year. My momma always told me, “Son, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke,” and that advice has served me well over the years. Even so, sometimes a man craves a little variety. After all, if someone didn’t occasionally feel the urge to try something new, we’d still be hunting with rocks! Mixing things up is sometimes the best way to carry on a long-held family tradition, keep the spirit but fiddle with the details.

With that in mind, I did a little experimenting of my own, and have located a few recipes that taste so good, I can’t help but share them. If you’re looking for something different for YOUR outdoor cookout this 4th of July, take a quick gander at these three simple and delicious options.

Buffalo Style Hot Wings on the grill

This recipe is available with varying degrees of heat. I’m going to list the ingredients I use for the hottest sauce, which will leave your lips burning and is definitely too hot for children. Leaving out the jalapeno will reduce the heat significantly, and leaving out the powdered cayenne pepper will bring it down to almost nothing at all. No matter which way you choose to go, the flavor is amazing!

I’m normally not one to use pre-made ingredients in my recipes, but Frank’s Cayenne Pepper Sauce is widely considered to be the premiere base to any hot wing recipe.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Frank’s Cayenne Pepper Sauce
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 tbs vinegar (white or apple cider for taste)
• 1 jalapeno, chopped, with seeds
• 1 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
• Pepper grinder with black pepper corns
• 2.5 lbs of chicken wings and drumettes

Instructions

As you start the sauce, you have a choice of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar adds a nice twang that I enjoy, but it is a subtle difference and not a big deal either way. As I mentioned before, if you want to reduce the level of heat in the sauce itself, the jalapeno and extra cayenne pepper are optional. Place all the above ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Do not boil. Once it’s reached a simmer it’s finished. Set it to the side while you cook the chicken!

Place the chicken on the grill using low heat. The one thing you don’t want is to burn the outside while the middle remains pink. If you have a tiered grill, placing the chicken on the top-tier is probably your best option. If you only have the one level, try to group your chicken at the edges of the fire and not directly over it. Cook the chicken until it is just shy of your preferred level of doneness. Remove the chicken from the grill and coat it thoroughly with sauce. Place the chicken back on the grill and grind the black pepper corns over the top.  Finally, cook until their done. Time to sink your teeth into greatness!

The Inside-Out Cheeseburger

The cheeseburger has long been a staple of American cuisine, but have you ever had a burger with the cheese on the inside? There’s nothing like biting into a freshly grilled burger and getting a mouthful of melted cheese. You’ll have your guests begging for more!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chuck (makes 4)
• cheese of your choice, sliced/shredded/crumbled
• BBQ sauce of your choice (for added heat, try Famous Dave’s Devil’s Spit)

Instructions

You have the option of adding a little BBQ sauce directly to your ground chuck or waiting until after it’s cooked. For a true inside-out cheeseburger, you should add it pre-cooked, but I do both. If you want to add beforehand, measure out about 2 tbsp of sauce. This won’t be enough to keep the meat from adhering to itself, but it will give the burger that BBQ flavor.

Separate your meat into eight patties. These will be the circumference you want your final product to be, but very thin. Place your cheese on four of the eight patties. If your cheese is sliced, one slice will do fine per patty. You want to fold the slice into four pieces and place them on a single patty, overlapping but not stacked on each other and not hanging over the edge. You want to leave at least an eighth of an inch margin all the way around the patty.

You may be tempted to over-cheese, but let me caution you. If you put on too much, it will split the seam when it melts and the cheese will end up inside the grill instead of pocketed nicely in your burger. Place a clean patty on your cheesed patty and crimp the edges as thoroughly as possible. You are forming the pocket, and it should have no holes for the cheese to escape.

Now season your burger as usual and grill. It’s okay to press on the top of the burger with the spatula while it cooks if that’s your preference, but try to use an even pressure and don’t press too hard as you could force the cheese through the side. Once the burger is nearing your preferred level of doneness, brush BBQ sauce across the top. When they’re finished, place on a bun, add your toppings, and enjoy!

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
• 4 tablespoons Ranch Dressing
• BBQ sauce of your choice
• 8 jalapeño peppers

Instructions

First mix the cheese with the ranch dressing in a bowl and set to the side. Next grill the peppers until they begin to blister and then remove them from the heat. You’ll want to let them cool for a bit, maybe five to ten minutes, and then slice them open length-wise, removing the seeds and core. Spoon the cheese mixture into the peppers, and then place them on the grill just long enough to melt the cheese. Once you’ve placed the peppers on a platter, drizzle them with the BBQ sauce and serve! It’s both tasty and spicy!