Independence Day is special for a lot of reasons.

It combines the best American virtues of patriotism and love of country with our shared devotion to gathering with friends to blow up stuff on a grand scale.

Combine that with another prime American trait – the love of good food – and you have an excellent recipe for a midsummer party of epic proportions.

If tradition holds, and I have no firm reason to believe that it won’t, the main course will almost certainly be some sort of pork or beef product that has been cooked outdoors over a roaring fire. As if it’s not hot enough outside, we need to build a roaring fire to stand over all day and complain about the heat.

It’s just how we do it.

And what, you ask, is on the menu for this most American of all holidays? At my humble manse, the main event will almost certainly be some cut of pork ribs.

Most likely that will be baby backs, simply because they are much more forgiving than St. Louis-style or country-style or any other cut of pork rib. They are also meatier and much more tender.

And no, baby back ribs do not come from baby pigs. They are smaller than spare ribs, hence the name “baby” in their title.

They also cook quicker than other cuts, thus lessening the need to stand around over a smoker or grill all day.

But let’s say it’s too hot to spend the whole day outside. What’s another way to cook up tasty baby backs without the risk of heat stroke?

Cook them in the oven, I say.

It’s not only doable, the result is tender, tasty and delicious ribs cooked indoors. Here is a recipe I stole from Allrecipes.com, and it is pretty easy for home chefs of all skill levels.

Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

4 servings

• ½ cup ancho chile powder
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
• 1 rack baby back pork ribs
• 1 cup barbeque sauce

Gather ingredients and preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Mix ancho chile powder, white and brown sugars, salt, black pepper, cumin, dry mustard, cayenne, and chipotle pepper in a small bowl until combined.

Place rib rack, meat-side down, on heavy-duty aluminum foil. Prick back of the rack several times with a knife. Generously apply a coating of dry rub to all sides of the rack. Store any remaining dry rub in an airtight container for future use.

With the meat facing down, fold foil around the rack to create a tight seal. Transfer to a sheet pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until tender and cooked through, about 2 hours. Remove and cool 15 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Open foil, drain and discard any accumulated juices and fat. Brush barbeque sauce on all sides of the rack.

Turn the rack on the foil so the meat is facing up. Return to the oven, leaving the foil open, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush another layer of barbeque sauce on the meat side only. Repeat baking and brushing with sauce 4 more times, for a total of 50 minutes additional baking time.

Cut rack into individual rib segments and serve with more barbeque sauce.

There are a number of acceptable side dishes for a Fourth of July gala, anything from traditional sides like potato salad and baked beans to three bean salad to cole slaw.

Speaking of cole slaw (see what I did there?) here is a recipe that I have had for more than 40 years. I got it from a former colleague when I lived in North Alabama.

I fell in love with it because it is unlike any slaw I had ever tasted. It goes well by itself as a side or it really shines as a topping for a pulled pork sandwich.

Pool Room Slaw

Makes 4-5 quarts

• 1 gallon cabbage, shredded (one to two large heads)
• 3 onions, chopped
• 2 large bell peppers, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 3 cups sugar
• 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon plain salt (not iodized)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups prepared mustard

Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Refrigerate remainder. It will last for 3-4 days.

Finally, since July 4th is such a special occasion and it is right around the corner, I felt it only right and proper that we celebrate with a dish that is equally special.

Royal red shrimp are native to the Gulf Coast and have a unique flavor and texture unlike any other shrimp that I’ve ever tried. They are incredibly sweet with an almost lobster-like feel to them.

They cost a bit more than regular shrimp, but they are worth it. So are you, so splurge and try this one on for size.

This is a recipe from the good folks at Southern Living.

Grilled Royal Reds with Lemony Garlic Butter

6 servings

• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus 2½ tablespoons fresh juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 pounds fresh royal red shrimp
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat grill to medium (350-400 degrees).

Stir together butter, garlic, lemon zest and juice, thyme, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl until well combined.

Toss together shrimp, oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Grill shrimp, covered, just until shrimp are bright red and charred, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Toss with lemony garlic butter and serve immediately.