Celebration Menu

Tomorrow, we  will be celebrating the 🇺🇸 holiday by getting together with friends and sharing some popular and easy foods. As we did during our regular pandemic and dominoes playing meet-ups, we're splitting the food tasks. We'll also share eating 😋 and game playing.

Top, pork butt with spice rub; bottom, coleslaw & potato salad

The above photo shows what foods we will be bringing. All of these were being readied or prepared today, which is why this post was much later than usual. The coleslaw and potato salad (bottom left and right) have been made earlier today. The pork has been seasoned with a dry rub and is marinating overnight in the fridge. It will go in the crock pot very early Friday for a low and slow cooking and then shredding.

There are many different recipes for pulled pork rub and just as many preferences. A basic pulled pork rub includes a mix of sweet and spicy flavors. Often used ingredients include brown sugar, paprika (smoked or sweet), salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, chili powder, and optional cayenne pepper for heat. Some recipes also add in mustard powder, cumin or even cinnamon or coffee. I add in a bit of liquid smoke, a flavoring used as a substitute for cooking with wood smoke while retaining a similar flavor

Dry Rub for Pork Butt

As a general rule, use 1-2 tablespoons of dry rub for every pound of meat. You can experiment with different spices to personalize a rub. 

• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp paprika
• 1-2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 TBSP onion powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 TBSP chili powder
• 1 TBSP smoked paprika
• ½ TBSP fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard powder
• Optional: 1 TBSP cayenne pepper to taste 

Pat pork dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Rub pork with some olive oil.

Generously apply rub, cover all sides and crevices. (Use one hand for the rub and the other for applying, so you save any leftover rub.) Massage rub into meat and let meat sit at least 1 hour, preferably overnight in fridge for best flavor.  When ready, put in crockpot,(no need to add any liquids). Cook on low for 7-8 hours until meat shreds easily. Cool before shredding. You can strain some of the oil from the crockput and skim off the fat, then apply to the shredded pork to add moisture OR you can use a homemade or bottled BBQ sauce.

Rather than shred a head of cabbage, I buy a package already shredded, then shred and add extra carrots as there's never enough (if any) in the package. The dressing used was originally included on a package of Dole shredded cabbage..

Cole Slaw Dressing

This recipe provides a base that captures the key characteristics of the Dole coleslaw dressing. You can adjust ingredients to your taste, like adjusting the amount of sugar or adding other spices.

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package classic coleslaw mix (optional)

1. Mix together dry mustard and celery seed in a small bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and lemon juice.
3. Add spice blend to mayonnaise mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Chill dressing for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Before serving, drizzle  chilled dressing over coleslaw mix (or your chosen coleslaw ingredients) and toss to coat evenly. 

The potato salad recipe I have been using most recently is from Joanne and Adam, the couple behind Inspired Taste. I've made a few substitutions and additions here and there, but here's the basic recipe.

Creamy Red Potato Salad

You can use dried herbs for this salad; add 1 to 2 tablespoons, dill and chives are recommended.

• 2 lbs small red potatoes
• 2 TBSP red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or dill pickle juice
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup  mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, substitute Dijon or whole grain mustard
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
• 1 to 2 medium dill pickles, finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with 1 ½ inches of water. Season with salt (one tsp for every quart of water).
2. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer (boiling potatoes can cause them to hit one another and break apart). Cook for 15 to 20 min. until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Set up an ice bath. Add cold water to a medium bowl filled with ice. Drain potatoes, then place into ice bath.
4. When cool enough to handle, chop potatoes into bite-size chunks and add to a large bowl. Scatter vinegar over potatoes, lightly season with salt.
5. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, mustardtogerther.
6. Add mayonnaise mix, celery, pickles and herbs to potatoes. Gently stir to combine, being careful not to mash potatoes.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Optional: Sprinkle with smoked paprika before serving

Storing: Make potato salad up to 3 days in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

Sour cream: Substitute 1/2 cup crème fraîche for sour cream.

And there you have the basic prep of food we will be bringing to our friend's home. They will be providing everything else including appetizers, drinks, dessert; however, the best thing about the day is sharing our continued friendship. Hopefully, this post didn't make anyone too hungry today. 

Your turn — are you preparing any foods for the July 4 holiday?