Juneteenth Cookout 2021 | List Of The Best Juneteenth Food & Drink

Looking for ways to celebrate Juneteenth? This is the ultimate Juneteenth guide from inception to celebration with dozens of recipes to curate your own Juneteenth menu.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is the oldest national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. We traditionally enjoy red foods on Juneteenth to symbolize the resilience of enslaved people. Many people also throw cookouts, shoot off fireworks, and attend festivals in honor of the holiday.

Video: Why All Americans Should Honor Juneteenth

Source: Vox.com, Juneteenth Explained

How to celebrate Juneteenth

While historically Juneteenth has been celebrated with community activities like outdoor BBQs, parades, rodeos, pageants, festivals, church prayer, and singing spirituals. For many the holiday has been a recent pandemic discovery, limiting participation in the traditional activity. Whether you are alone, with a small group, or beyond here are few ways that you can celebrate Juneteenth this year:

Find & attend a community-led Juneteenth event
Have a small gathering including red foods and drink
Read the Emancipation Proclamation
Look up educational resources about the holiday
Have a movie night, and watch High On The Hog
Support a black-owned business or black author

However, you are able to celebrate, just make sure that you do and share it. Juneteenth is not just about Black history but American history and should be celebrated by all who believe in the value of freedom and equality.

This year I’m celebrating with a small group of family and friends, with plenty of red drink, gratitude in tow, and ample tombstones to pass out at the spades table.

What is the Juneteenth Virtual Cookout

The Juneteenth Virtual Cookout is a collective of black content creators (organized by Meiko Temple) who set out to practice and pass down culinary traditions while honoring the culinary contributions of the black diaspora. Participants in the round-up develop and share personal recipes to contribute to the theme of each round and collectively share their virtual real estate to promote the cause. Round-ups take place annually during Juneteenth, Black History Month & Holiday.

The 2021 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout includes 40+ black creators with “cookout friendly” recipes as a Freedom Day tribute. Join in, share, and help us continue the legacy of celebrating progress by checking out the list of contributors down below. Additionally, you can easily follow each participant by using the hashtag #JuneteenthCookout2021 on Instagram.

Acknowledgments

We are beyond grateful for our media partners who continue to support this initiative by allowing us to share our food traditions with their audiences. Here are some of the amazing media outlets that we partnered with this year:

An Introduction to Juneteenth: Learn About the Holiday’s History and Traditions

– marthastewart.com

Celebrate Juneteenth with hot links, chow-chow and a virtual cookout

– washingtonpost.com

Meiko Temple’s 2021 Juneteenth Celebration Is Filled with Joy, Family, and Lots of BBQ Chicken

– thekitchn.com

2021 Juneteenth Virtual Cookout

– thespruceeats.com

44 Recipes From Black Food Bloggers to Celebrate Juneteenth

– food52.com

Juneteenth Cookout Recipes from 40+ Black Creators

– thepinkreportnews.com

Juneteenth Is Now A Federal Holiday. You Can Celebrate With Recipes From Black Food Bloggers

– texasstandard.org

Check out the full list of participants in the 2021 Juneteenth Cookout Takeover.

Appetizers

photo cred: Just Add Hot Sauce

1. Red Hot Pepper Shrimps by Chef and Steward

Red Hot Pepper Shrimps by Chef and Steward Get the Recipe

2. Tamarind BBQ Wings by Just Add Hot Sauce

Tamarind BBQ Wings by Just Add Hot Sauce Get the Recipe

3. Deviled Eggs by Slight Kitchen Werk

Deviled Eggs by Slight Kitchen Werk Get the Recipe

4. Juneteenth Soul Rolls by Black Girls Who Brunch

Juneteenth Soul Rolls by Black Girls Who Brunch Get the Recipe

5. Red Hot Pepper Shrimps by Chef and Steward

Red Hot Pepper Shrimps by Chef and Steward Get the Recipe

6. Tamarind BBQ Wings by Just Add Hot Sauce

Tamarind BBQ Wings by Just Add Hot Sauce Get the Recipe

7. Deviled Eggs by Slight Kitchen Werk

Deviled Eggs by Slight Kitchen Werk Get the Recipe

Main

8. Jamaican Jerk BBQ Ribs by Cooks with Soul

Jamaican Jerk BBQ Ribs by Cooks with Soul Get the Recipe

9. Brisket Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes by Dude That Cookz

Brisket Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes by Dude That Cookz Get the Recipe

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

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

11. Smoky Party Style Jollof Rice by Immaculate Ruemu

Smoky Party Style Jollof Rice by Immaculate Ruemu Get the Recipe

12. Crab Boil & Garlic Butter Sauce by Jamieson Diaries

Crab Boil & Garlic Butter Sauce by Jamieson Diaries Get the Recipe

13. Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Mash & Spread

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Mash & Spread Get the Recipe

14. Grilled Hot Links & Chow Chow

recipe for chow chow and grilled hot llinks on a table

Grilled Hot Links & Chow Chow

Juneteenth is about community. Barbecue brings community together. And no Juneteenth barbecue is complete with juicy hot links. Whether charred on the grill, sauced up, or my favorite, buried in chow chow, hot links and their classic deep crimson hue, are emblematic and customary inclusions at any Juneteenth celebration.