What’s a celebration without a jubilant feast? There’s no better way to honor Texas Independence Day than by making any of these iconic dishes. From Austin’s famous brisket to a classic Cajun boil, show your Texas pride with a spread fit for royalty!
Skillet Queso with Charred Cherry Tomatoes
This gooey queso is surprisingly simple to make, yet will add some serious flair to your Texas Independence Day celebration. We like to make this dip in a cast-iron skillet because it conducts heat well and you can wrap a towel around the handle and bring it right to the table. We also suggest charring your tortillas first, and then wrapping them in foil to keep warm, so you’re ready to dig in at a moment’s notice!
Breakfast Tacos with Mexican Chorizo
Sometimes, you just need a hearty breakfast to get through the day ahead. These breakfast tacos from Simple and Savory combine well-seasoned potatoes, chorizo, and scrambled eggs to create a bite that’s worthy of a spot on your lunch or dinner menu too. Top them with hot sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or any type of salsa you have on hand!
Treebeards’ Jalapeño Cornbread
Creamed corn and cheddar cheese lend this cornbread from Treebeards exceptional moisture, and chopped jalapeño peppers give it a kick. You can adjust the amount of jalapeño peppers to accommodate your individual taste, and if you’re looking for even less heat, make sure to remove all pepper seeds before adding to the mixture.
24 Diner’s No-Bean Chili
This chili recipe is pure Texas! Austin’s 24 Diner calls for roasted poblano peppers and a local Mexican-style lager to bring big flavor to this dish, sans beans. We recommend using San Marzanos for your canned tomatoes—their thick flesh and sweet flavor will help give this chili great body.
Texas Sheet Cake
This rich, chocolate cake from House of Yumm is actually baked on a jelly roll pan, which makes it very thin—and quick to bake! The most challenging element of this recipe is ensuring the fudge frosting turns out smooth and glossy. Make sure your ingredients are free of any lumps or clumps before combining for the best possible final texture!
Pecan Pralines
Traditional Texas pralines are quite flat, hard to the touch, and should melt in your mouth. They absolutely should not be chewy, period! This foolproof recipe from Southern Living nails Texas-style pralines. Try sprinkling a bit of flaky salt onto your wax paper before dropping the praline mixture to help balance the sweetness.
Michelada
Classic Micheladas combine spicy Mexican beer with tomato and lime juice to create a refreshing summer beverage. House of Yumm recommends experimenting with other varieties, like subbing in Clamato, lime, or olive juice for the tomato juice, to create your perfect house blend.
Cook the Perfect Brisket
Miguel Vidal, the pitmaster at the famed Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ in Austin, is cooking up one of the most-lauded briskets in the country, sharing his smoking secrets with our viewers. He recommends purchasing a cut of meat with generous marbling, trimming as many jagged edges as possible, and covering the beef in his special spice blend before slowly rendering it over low heat.
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen’s Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Gravy
There are endless ways to dress up enchiladas. This version from the enchilada queen herself, served at her namesake restaurant in Houston, is stuffed with cheese and smothered in a savory and spicy gravy—indulgent enough for a proper celebratory meal.
Southerleigh Haute South’s Galveston Shrimp Boil
Nothing screams “party” like a shrimp boil! Gather your friends and family and whip up this authentic Cajun recipe from San Antonio’s Southerleigh Haute South restaurant, which combines shrimp, sausage, and corn in a sea of seasoned butter. Pro tip: You’ll want to purchase a bulk container of Old Bay Seasoning so you can double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.
Traditional Farmer’s Cheese and Peach Kolaches
Kolaches are sweet, doughy pastries filled with cheese or fruit. This treat was brought to rural Texas by Czech settlers in the mid-to-late 1800s, and since then, the breakfast staple has endeared itself to native Texans and visitors alike. This version from Little Gretel Restaurant in Boerne features the best of both worlds, with peach slices topping a pillowy cream cheese filling!
Boudro’s Stuffed, Grilled Quail
The only way to improve grilled quail is by stuffing it with a mixture of mushrooms, corn, peppers, and garlic. This recipe from Boudro’s Texas Bistro is ultra-simple but can be made even easier by cooking the rice the day before. You can also use a microwaveable rice packet to speed up the process.
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