What is your best side

[The Butt Man]

The Fourth of July is quickly approaching us, and I can't wait to load my smoker for the celebration. Every year it is my job to cook the meat for our family get together. This year I would like to bring a side dish also. I would like to have something that is not the typical side dish that can be found on google. Something that would really WOW them.
Does anyone have any secret side dish they are willing to share for ideas.
Thanks in advance!

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

I made wild rice mushroom bake last Thanksgiving, https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/wild-rice-mushroom-bake
I used Cremini mushrooms. I added cooked, chopped bacon! It was delicious! I love mushrooms and that was the thing I really wanted to feature in the dish.
Word of caution, 2-3 hours in a crock pot on "keep warm" after it's done turns it to mush... and that's one of the MANY reasons I got a smoker. I need the oven space! I don't know what time and temp you'd do for this in the smoker.

Everybody loves when I make homemade mac'n'cheese, especially with bacon! But, you could add many things to that, jalapenos, mushrooms, ham, etc and that could be a hit. I smoked it a couple days ago and it was pretty good.

 

[dcecil]

What kind of meat will you be cooking. That might help with the suggestions

 

[The Butt Man]

What kind of meat will you be cooking. That might help with the suggestions

I am cooking a Boston butt, a couple whole chickens, and I think I am going to have to do some of these pork shots I've been seeing in the carousel.

 

[The Butt Man]

I made wild rice mushroom bake last Thanksgiving, https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/wild-rice-mushroom-bake
I used Cremini mushrooms. I added cooked, chopped bacon! It was delicious! I love mushrooms and that was the thing I really wanted to feature in the dish.
Word of caution, 2-3 hours in a crock pot on "keep warm" turns it to mush... and that's one of the MANY reasons I got a smoker. I need the oven space! I don't know what time and temp you'd do for this in the smoker.

Everybody loves when I make homemade mac'n'cheese, especially with bacon! But, you could add many things to that, jalapenos, mushrooms, ham, etc and that could be a hit. I smoked it a couple days ago and it was pretty good.

Thank you. I am a sucker for mushrooms.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

My go to side that you can't find just anywhere is Jack Daniel's Smokey Bacon Mac and Cheese. Couple that with some Bourbon Bread Pudding for desert and you'll have them talking about it till next fourth of July.

 

[oddegan]

I would suggest a savory (as opposed to a sugar added sweet) German potato salad. The acid in the vinegar is a nice foil to the fat in the pork and chicken.

 

[dcecil]

I am cooking a Boston butt, a couple whole chickens, and I think I am going to have to do some of these pork shots I've been seeing in the carousel.

Thats exactly what I was going to recommend. Chris did a great job with those.

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

You could get the tang/acidity to oppose the meat fat from the Mac'n'cheese by adding yellow mustard and mustard powder to the cheese sauce.

 

[WaterRat]

I have a simple yet delicious shrimp ceviche that I have taken to work parties, cookouts, etc. that always gets high praise. It's really awesome if you toss in some fresh scallops. Very different from all the beans/mac-n-cheese/potatoes sides, cool and refreshing. No cooking required just chopping things up. Let me know if interested. Oh, and I love the pork shots too! I did the cream cheese mixed with shredded cheese and some diced jalapeno version, really good.

 

[dcecil]

My go to side that you can't find just anywhere is Jack Daniel's Smokey Bacon Mac and Cheese. Couple that with some Bourbon Bread Pudding for desert and you'll have them talking about it till next fourth of July.

By chance would you be able to me me in the direction of those recipes. They both sound great.

 

[Bearcarver]

Here's a few to consider, in step by step form:
BLT Rollers
Dried Beef Roll-ups
Hot Bacon Dressing (Pennsylvania Dutch)
Corn Bread


Bear

 

[The Butt Man]

I have a simple yet delicious shrimp ceviche that I have taken to work parties, cookouts, etc. that always gets high praise. It's really awesome if you toss in some fresh scallops. Very different from all the beans/mac-n-cheese/potatoes sides, cool and refreshing. No cooking required just chopping things up. Let me know if interested. Oh, and I love the pork shots too! I did the cream cheese mixed with shredded cheese and some diced jalapeno version, really good.

If you get a chance, I would like to see that shrimp recipe.

 

[The Butt Man]

Here's a few to consider, in step by step form:
BLT Rollers
Dried Beef Roll-ups
Hot Bacon Dressing (Pennsylvania Dutch)
Corn Bread


Bear

Great!!! Thank you for the suggestions. I definitely have a lot of directions to go.

 

[WaterRat]

If you get a chance, I would like to see that shrimp recipe.

I'll write it up in the next day or so and get it to you ;)

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Going to just link a recipe I discovered and it's always been a hit..

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2017/04/slow-cooker-cheesy-creamy-corn.html#axzz5IbH7ugdS
The above I've done but the real winner to me? The one every one wants every christmas/thanksgiving?

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2014/11/winter-skillet-creamed-corn.html

**I think people just like to see the skillet but both recipes are good**

Another one I do that people love are my fancy ass Baked Beans, which I have no true recipe for from a book:
4 pounds of dried beans<Navy..Pinto..> That you then soak over night in water.
1 pound of the following; Ground beef. Ham. Bacon.
1 Jar of Pickled<Sweet> Jalapenos
1 Big can of Bush's Baked Beans, your flavour of choice.
2 cans Rotel Tomato+Chilles <These days they got a few kinds. Used to be just green chilles and tomatos!>
1-2 cup of BBQ Sauce
2 Sticks of Butter. Yes. Two. Sticks.
Sriracha to Taste
Heaps of Garlic. Heaps of Red Pepper Flakes. <Or really, to taste>.
Chilli Sauce.
Brown Sugar.

So you soak the dried beans overnight. Strain out the water. Then you fill the cooking pot up, cook the beans for a few hours, until soft. Drain again. Then you add in -every thing-. Keep in mind you want to cook the beef and bacon before adding them in. Your goal here is to heat it through and simmer it so the flavours meld. They do get quite soft, you can probably boil them for less time, but I personally like softer beans.

Now you can serve them like this which works fine, or put in a casserole dish at 350 for 30 mins or so. Till a crust forms on them. This part is optional. Some times we do it, some times we don't. Also this makes a -huge- batch, but it freezes well.

**RUM CAKE**

BACARDI RUM CAKE

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (18 1/2 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. cold water
1/2 c. Wesson oil
1/2 c. Bacardi dark rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan or 12 cup Bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all ingredients together and pour over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat until all glaze is used.

GLAZE:

1/4 lb. butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Bacardi dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Optional: Decorate with whole maraschino cherries and border of sugar frosting or whipped cream. Serve with seedless grapes dusted with powdered sugar.

A few notes on this one; I do not personally use nuts. I replace nuts for cranberries, blueberries etc. And I let the glaze cool enough that the rum can't cook off..I've been known to be a bit..liberal with the rum. We had some one get drunk off my rum cake before. It's easy to do, and people -always- rave about rum cake!

Also Shortbread..I can actually get out some of my Irish and Scottish cook books for some bang up Puddings...but I'll stop for now before I do a 12 page post on food. Which I can easily do LOL.

 

[CharlotteLovesFood]

I never really think in terms of sides always the whole plate so a tough one for me...

But I do like...

basmati rice with small chopped up salad mixed in or cous cous version

Baby potatoes boiled and tossed in butter + garlic and herb

Greek salad with chips/fries + feta cheese

Smashed baby baked potatoes with butter, garlic, sea salt and black pepper.

Turkey wrapped asparagus

Apple salad

Grilled artichokes + grilled peppers with a drizzle of oil and salt + pepper

Courgette/zucchini boats stuffed with salsa + cheese

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Derp, forgot another one that has -always- been a hit around here...

PICKLE WRAPS:
Pickles, we tend to use tobasaco pickles, or some sort of spicier pickle.
Cream Cheese.
Honey deli ham <The cheap thin stuff>
Flour Tortilla
Garlic Salt.

Roughly chop pickles, put in food process with softened cream cheese and garlic salt. Blend until it looks like pickle relish chunks with cream cheese. Smear a healthy layer on a flour tortilla, put piece(s) of ham on them. Roll up, cut into serving portions. Watch them disappear in short order.
*I don't use actual pickle relish because it tends to be a bit to watery, and sweet. Some times we add in a dash of hot sauce, etc.*

 

[SmokinAl]

We seem to always do ABT's, beans & coleslaw!
AL

 

[The Butt Man]

Going to just link a recipe I discovered and it's always been a hit..

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2017/04/slow-cooker-cheesy-creamy-corn.html#axzz5IbH7ugdS
The above I've done but the real winner to me? The one every one wants every christmas/thanksgiving?

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2014/11/winter-skillet-creamed-corn.html

**I think people just like to see the skillet but both recipes are good**

Another one I do that people love are my fancy ass Baked Beans, which I have no true recipe for from a book:
4 pounds of dried beans<Navy..Pinto..> That you then soak over night in water.
1 pound of the following; Ground beef. Ham. Bacon.
1 Jar of Pickled<Sweet> Jalapenos
1 Big can of Bush's Baked Beans, your flavour of choice.
2 cans Rotel Tomato+Chilles <These days they got a few kinds. Used to be just green chilles and tomatos!>
1-2 cup of BBQ Sauce
2 Sticks of Butter. Yes. Two. Sticks.
Sriracha to Taste
Heaps of Garlic. Heaps of Red Pepper Flakes. <Or really, to taste>.
Chilli Sauce.
Brown Sugar.

So you soak the dried beans overnight. Strain out the water. Then you fill the cooking pot up, cook the beans for a few hours, until soft. Drain again. Then you add in -every thing-. Keep in mind you want to cook the beef and bacon before adding them in. Your goal here is to heat it through and simmer it so the flavours meld. They do get quite soft, you can probably boil them for less time, but I personally like softer beans.

Now you can serve them like this which works fine, or put in a casserole dish at 350 for 30 mins or so. Till a crust forms on them. This part is optional. Some times we do it, some times we don't. Also this makes a -huge- batch, but it freezes well.

**RUM CAKE**

BACARDI RUM CAKE

1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (18 1/2 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. cold water
1/2 c. Wesson oil
1/2 c. Bacardi dark rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan or 12 cup Bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all ingredients together and pour over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat until all glaze is used.

GLAZE:

1/4 lb. butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Bacardi dark rum

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Optional: Decorate with whole maraschino cherries and border of sugar frosting or whipped cream. Serve with seedless grapes dusted with powdered sugar.

A few notes on this one; I do not personally use nuts. I replace nuts for cranberries, blueberries etc. And I let the glaze cool enough that the rum can't cook off..I've been known to be a bit..liberal with the rum. We had some one get drunk off my rum cake before. It's easy to do, and people -always- rave about rum cake!

Also Shortbread..I can actually get out some of my Irish and Scottish cook books for some bang up Puddings...but I'll stop for now before I do a 12 page post on food. Which I can easily do LOL.

Thank you so much!!! That bean recipe sounds REALLY good.