Looking for the traditional cookout menu this summer? That will depend largely on whether you are looking for the northern or the southern style.

If you it’s a typically Southern cookout you are looking to create, you will need to grill pork, or perhaps chicken, and serve it with that irresistible sweet, tangy, barbecue sauce. If you want to do the Southern recipe with a difference, you could try the beer can chicken.

The way to do this is to buy a can of beer, drink half of it (the fun starts right away, as you can see), and pack the can with onions, garlic, celery, and seasoning. Remove the giblets from the chicken and put the rear end first over the can of beer. Spread melted butter on the outside of the bird, and then sprinkle it with seasonings to seal the skin. Place in the grill, but try to keep the lid down to cook the meat evenly. It will take approximately two hours to cook a chicken in this manner, but the results will definitely be worth it. Add barbecue sauce for the last part of the cooking, and serve the dish with potato salad and corn on the cob.

For a Northern style cookout, make brats, hamburgers, or hotdogs. The burger is the all-time Northern favorite, though, and can be cooked along with onion, garlic, and peppers. These can be served along with the burger in the bun as well. Add a dash of steak sauce, hot mustard, and catsup, a slice of cheese and a bit of crunchy lettuce to complete the perennial burger.

Traditional side dishes include potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and salad. Fresh corn, garlic toast, and mozzarella are welcome options as well.

No summer cookout is complete without the accompanying cool drinks. Fresh lemonade or iced teas are traditionally served along with the barbecue. Beer is best among the alcoholic beverages.

For the traditional dessert, make either cakes or pies. Blueberry pie is what everyone loves, but you could try strawberry shortcake too. Cookies and brownies are favorites too. And what never fails as a fresh cookout dessert is the watermelon – fresh, juicy, hydrating, and American.

Most summer barbecues will feature at least one of these all time favorites: cole slaw, barbecue beans, and potato salad. One of the reasons why these dishes have endured is that they can be prepared beforehand, freeing the host to concentrate on the main dish when the grilling starts. This is not the only reason why these dishes remain popular, though. They have been found to go well with traditional barbecued dishes and people love the taste. Dwelling on one of the favorites, the cole slaw, we can see what makes it tick, as well as ways to play around with this traditional dish without sacrificing its authenticity.

Remember that the traditional cookout is basic, without many frills. The emphasis is on the taste and the fare rather than on innovation and variety. So try a patriotic, traditional cookout this summer to savor a taste of the American heritage.

Author Bio: For more information about outdoor grills and cooking accessories visit our website at http://www.outdoorgrillcenter.com/

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