A highly opinionated yet completely essential Foodist guide to cookouts:
A proper cookout calls for
charcoal--the real hardwood stuff. And please, no lighter fluid (use a charcoal chimney instead).
Beer should be extremely cold. A few hours before guests arrive, layer a big cooler with as much ice and beer as humanly possible.
There is nothing worse than pasta salad or any
mayo-filled treat baking in the sun. Set over a bowl of ice and keep in the shade.The
music should be fun, breezy, and personal. Pandora is acceptable, but go the extra mile with a curated playlist. You love ABBA? Own it!I don't care if you're the Great Gatsby throwing a white party in the Hamptons.
THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE POTATO CHIPS! Give me some Lay's Classics, and no matter how dry your BBQ chicken is, I'll come back.
On July 4, I'll feel particularly patriotic with my sturdy, American-made
Star Spangled Spatula ($65; areaware.com). It's not cheap--good design rarely is--but it beats flipping burgers with one made overseas.
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