2021 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout

The entire month of June is a great time for a BBQ, but there's something special about June 19th. Juneteenth National Independence Day (“Juneteenth”) is now a federal holiday observed in the United States, though it's a date many Black Americans have been celebrating for years. Two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, word finally reached Galveston, Texas and 250,000 human beings living in the United States of America were freed from slavery. Juneteenth is a pause taken for celebration, to honor ancestors, to recognize collective resilience, perseverance, creativity, and to express unmitigated joy.

And what better way to celebrate than a cookout? In 2017 Black food bloggers Meiko Temple of Meiko and the Dish and Aaron Hutcherson of The Hungry Hutch (and now a staff food writer at the Washington Post) convened what has become an annual tradition: the Juneteenth Virtual Cookout.

This year they've gathered nearly 50 accomplished Black food bloggers to share a menu that illustrates the dazzling diversity of Black America. There's shrimp creole and tamarind BBQ wings, Jollof rice and vegan baked beans, hibiscus rum punch, peach cobbler cinnamon rolls, and red velvet layer cake with chocolate-covered strawberries—because there's no holding back.

Check out recipes by this year's participants below. We are proud to announce that for the second year in a row, some of the talented bloggers, including organizer Meiko Temple, will be taking over Spruce Eats' Instagram on June 19. For more, follow #JuneteenthCookout2021 on Instagram and Facebook.

Appetizers

Juneteenth Soul Rolls by Black Girls Who Brunch

Red Hot Pepper Shrimps by Chef and Steward

Tamarind BBQ Wings by Just Add Hot Sauce

Deviled Eggs by Slight Kitchen Werk

Main Dishes

Jamaican Jerk BBQ Ribs by Cooks with Soul

Brisket Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes by Dude That Cookz

Crispy Gluten-free Baked BBQ Chicken Wings by Gristle and Gossip

Smoky Party Style Jollof Rice by Immaculate Ruemu

Crab Boil & Garlic Butter Sauce by Jamieson Diaries

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Mash & Spread

Grilled Hot Links & Chow Chow by Meiko And The Dish

Spicy Shrimp Creole by Pink Owl Kitchen

Strawberry Baby Back Ribs by This Worthey Life

Side Dishes

Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins by Chef Curl Ardee

Vegan Ranch Style Beans by Collards Are The Old Kale

Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw by Crumb-Snatched

BBQ Baked Beans by Food Fidelity

Black Eyed Pea Salad by FoodLoveTog

Harissa Honey Roasted Vegetable Skewers by Geo’s Table

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad by Heal Me Delicious

Grilled Maque Choux Salad by Savor and Sage

Savannah Red Rice by Seasoned To Taste

Country Style Potato Salad by Sense & Edibility

Beverages

Strawberry Collins by Brownbelle

Summer Watermelon Fizz by Handy Chef

Hibiscus Rum Punch by Kenneth Temple

Strawberry Lemonade Sangria by Nik Snacks

Strawberry Basil Pineapple Mocktail by Orchids + Sweet Tea

Rum Punch by Sweet & Sorrel

Mint Julep by Sweet Tea + Thyme

Desserts

Watermelon Ice Pops  by A Girl Called Adri

Honey Buttermilk Biscuits with Roasted Strawberries by Britney Breaks Bread

Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls by Butter Be Ready

Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake by Chenée Today

Strawberry-Basil Sorbet by D.M.R. Fine Foods

Red Velvet Layer Cake with Chocolate Covered Strawberries by Dash of Jazz

Red Velvet Cookies by Dish It With Tisha

Gluten Free Peach Cobbler (Vegan) by Good Food Baddie

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream by Lenox Bakery

Brown Sugar Caramel No-Churn Ice Cream by Open Invitation Entertainment

Lemon Meringue Tart by Peaches 2 Peaches

Strawberry Crunch Cake Brownies by Razzle Dazzle Life

Almond Peach Cake by That Green Lyfe

Strawberry Cobbler Galette by The Dana Renée Way