13 best summer bbq appetizers

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A TOAST FROM MICHAEL SYMON, James Beard Award-Winning Chef

I’ve always loved Andy and Will’s approach to food.

They both take everything that they’ve learned as classically trained chefs and put it together with their passion for all things barbecue. Then they add their own personal food memories—Andy’s from growing up in Washington State and summering in New England and Will’s from his childhood in Florida.

That combination is what makes The Smoke Shop a truly magical experience. Andy and Will know that barbecue is never just about the food. Great barbecue is about food and fun and family.

I’m reminded of that every time I’m lucky enough to get to The Smoke Shop. There’s an energy and happiness in the dining room and in the kitchen. Every bite of barbecue makes you more excited about the next bite and the conversations that will follow it. You’ll feel that same energy—it’s love, really—as you try the amazing recipes in this cookbook.

So, fire up your pit, make yourself one of these fabulous cocktails, and get in your most comfortable chair to tell and listen to your favorite stories. It’s time to party like a pit master!

MEET ANDY AND WILL

Say the word “barbecue” and some people will think “smoked meat” and others will think “party!” We think that everybody is right—and that’s what this book is about: great food and good times. We take barbecue (the smoked meat) pretty seriously, but we think barbecue (the party) should be no thing but a celebration, for both the pit master and the guests.

THE BACKYARD BBQ

The backyard barbecue might just be the perfect party. We think of it as classic rock—everybody knows it, everybody likes it, and they’ll probably sing along. (Especially after some charred cayenne lemonade with a kick, page 44.) For the guests, a backyard barbecue is easy, comfortable, and familiar. And for the cooks, it’s nice to know that if your neighbor shows up unannounced, there’s always plenty of food to go around.

THE COCKTAIL PARTY

Say the words “cocktail p arty” and people picture Sex in the City . And we do have a pretty pink drink for you—a classic Brown Derby dolled up with pomegranate tea (page 71). See, our smoky version of a cocktail party is a little more fun than your typical high heels and bow-tie affair. Here, you can nibble on Oysters on the Half Shell (page 58) and Pigs in a Blanket (page 60).

TACO TUESDAY

Tacos are not just for Tuesdays. They are a party any day of the week. Andy and Will learned that at an early age. They both still fondly remember taco days in their element ary school cafeterias.

THE BIG BRUNCH

There’s something special about a brunch. It’s often the only meal of the week where no one is in a hurry. No one is rushing to work; no one is rushing from work. This—sharing a meal with friends—is the only thing on the agenda.

THE FANCY PARTY

You might have noticed that we like to keep things casual around here. Our parties are usually come-as-you-are affairs with delightfully messy food meant for eating with your hands. But sometimes—graduations, weddings, baby showers, the Kentucky Derby— we like to put on our seersucker and put down the Solo cups.

TAILGATE

Andy’s been tailgating at Patriots games, well, basically forever. That pregame gathering might even be more important to him than the football itself. But Will has never been to a tailgate; Andy had to teach him a few things about the art of turning a parking lot into a party.

THE HOLIDAY PARTY

You don’t need an excuse to throw a party. We hope we’ve proven that to you with this book. You should throw a shindig on a summery Saturday afternoon simply because there’s a brisket in the smoker, and tacos are more than enough reason celebrate on a Tuesday night. (We’ll be looking for our invite.) But the holidays—they are the cherry on top for the party planner. There’s already excitement in the air and people are hungry for food, friends, and fun.

Sagamore Rye and Peach Clafouti

When Andy first tasted Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey at the distillery in Baltimore, he liked it so much, he bought a barrel. (For the restaurant!) The sweetness and citrus and pepper notes of this rye a re a perfect match for summer peaches in this classic clafouti. (But he’s sure your favorite rye will be pretty good, too.)

Pork Belly Pastrami Skewers

Pastrami is not something people make at home very often. They should. It does take a couple of days to prepare, but most of the prep work is a t the beginning of the process, which makes it perfect for a party. On the day of the bash, you just have to light up your smoker and dust the skewers with the rub. We’ve made our pastrami with juicy pork belly, not the usual brisket, but it is just as good with mustard as the classic is. You can use a basic Dijon or our version, sweet and hoppy with caramelized onions and beer.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Bacon and Asparagus

Baked mac and cheese has to be creamy and it has t o be crunchy. To get the texture of the sauce just right, we use two different cheeses here. You need the cheddar for that classic flavor, but you need the Monterey Jack, too, because it’s a great melting cheese. For the topping, Andy insists on saltines. They are his guilty pleasure. If you were a Ritz cracker kid, you can use those instead for an even richer dish. The goal is to make this taste like something mom made—only better.

The Smoke Shop’s Famous Wings

We’ve been making these at the restaurant since opening day. People are always asking us what the secret is, and they a re always surprised to learn that there isn’t one. You really can’t mess this up. Just choose meaty wings for this—the bigger, the better. The only hard part is deciding between the sweet Agave Wing Seasoning and the spicy Hot Wing Sauce.

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Beautiful Boards: 50 Amazing Snack Boards for Any Occasion

The goal is to be able to prep the board in advance so that you can also enjoy the experience with your loved ones and have little maintenance to do throughout and minimal dishes to clean up afterward. Making a successful board does require some thought, but once you understand the concept, it will come to you as a meal and entertaining option over and over again.

ANYTIME BOARDS

You can make any occasion go from good to great with a beautiful and delicious food board. All of these anytime boards have a wonderful variety of goodies to make everyone happy. They are easy and quick to build, making them perfect for any gathering, big or small. My family knows that if I don’t have the time or the ingredients to cook a meal, there’s going to be a great board built with what we have on hand. So, go ahead and invite the neighbors over for a dinner of snacks on Sunday night, or put the kids to bed early so you can enjoy some peace and quiet with your partner—a beautiful board can be built at a moment’s notice.

ENTERTAINING AND SPECIAL OCCASION BOARDS

I strongly believe that any gathering of friends and family is a special occasion, a reason to celebrate. And special occasions call for special spreads. These are the boards that are sure to wow your crowd with their beauty and deliciousness. They’re inviting and celebratory. Whether it’s a birthday, the big game, an engagement, or just a special Saturday night dinner with great friends, these stunning boards will keep everyone happily grazing for hours.

SEASONAL AND HOLIDAY BOARDS

No decorations are needed with these creatively designed holiday boards, as they are masterpieces in themselves. Everyone will rave over how festive and delicious they are. They are almost too beautiful or too cute to eat . . . ALMOST! With coordinating colors and seasonal snacks coming together in very thoughtful arrangements, these boards are a great way to get into the spirit of any holiday season.

BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH BOARDS

From bagels to booze, I’m here to help you make the most important meal of the day the best meal of the day. These epic breakfast and brunch boards will get everyone up and at ’em, whether they’re a morning person or not. These boards are built to bring everyone together and let them get creative with their meal or cocktail. Seeing the eagerness in everyone’s eyes as they dig into these boards is what it’s all about. This is a great way to start or end the day, especially if you’re big on “brinner” (breakfast for dinner) like we are.

MEAL BOARDS

These are our meals—our go-to dinners and weekend lunches. When I prepare a meal, more times than not, I will serve it on a board. We’ve had great success eating as a family this way. Our kids are engaged in the meal and actually eat the food. Everyone gets so excited about what’s on the board, and we all take such pride in preparing our own plates. It’s astonishing how much better the kids eat when the meal is presented on a board compared to when I pre-plate the same exact same food for them. These boards are also great for entertaining because they initiate conversation and inspire creativity, making mealtime memorable.

DESSERT BOARDS

Dessert boards are the way to go when treating a crowd to something sweet. These spectacularly sweet boards can be mostly prepped in advance, making it easy to quickly serve dessert when you’re ready. They are the perfect ending to any dinner party or the main event at a special celebration. Most of these boards are build-your-own—an experience to remember. We can all agree that building our own s’mores or ice cream sundaes is pretty special!

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Into-the-Fire Steaks from How to Grill Everything

I’m serious: You’re going to put meat directly on the coals. And instead of getting burnt bricks, the results are a sublime balance of charred crust and juicy interior. The best cuts for this are porterhouse, rib-eye, and strip; bone-in or boneless—it’s your choice.

Directions

1. Prepare a hot direct fire using hardwood charcoal; make sure to use enough so you can spread the coals out thickly and still lay the steaks fully on top.

2. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. When the coals are blazing hot, spread them out into an even bed. Put the steaks directly on the coals so they’re not touching each other. Cook until 5° to 10°F shy of the desired doneness, turning and moving them as needed. Timing will be extremely variable, depending on the thickness of the steaks and temperature of the fire, but figure boneless cuts release with few coals stuck to them at 3 to 4 minutes before the first turn. Then start checking with an instant-read thermometer after a couple more minutes. (Bone-in or thicker cuts will take a little longer.

4. Pull or shake any embers off the meat above the fire and transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, continuing to check the internal temperature. (Or nick with a small knife and peek inside.) Cut across into ½-inch slices, transfer to a platter, pour over any accumulated juices, and serve.