10 Dishes To Make Ahead At Your Next 4th Of July Barbecue

Barbecue baked beans are a summer cookout must-have. Their sweet and smoky flavor pairs well with grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, and steak.

Prepare a simple compound butter and the dry rub for these pork chops a few days in advance so you can whip up a steakhouse-quality meal at the drop of a hat.

Make a simple peach barbecue sauce up to five days in advance for this flavorful take on grilled chicken.

Prepare the dressing and citrus for this salad in advance. Avocado should be prepped as close to the start of the party as possible, but the lime juice in this dressing will slow the browning of the avocado.

You can't fail when you add bacon and jalapeño to, well, anything — including ooey, gooey macaroni and cheese. Cook everything the night before, store it in the refrigerator, and bake right before guests arrive.

This Texas-Style Potato Salad with Mustard and Pickled Red Onions is perfect to create and chill two days prior to serve time.

This easy but delicious barbecue staple is the ideal dish to make a week prior to your Fourth of July cookout.

This is a hearty veggie burger with some Southwestern flair. Spend a day in the kitchen making a big batch, and freeze the patties on a sheet tray before storing them in a freezer-safe plastic resealable bag. You'll have a healthy meal that can go straight from the freezer to the oven to the table in no time.

Shrimp salad is an easy make-ahead meal. For a kid-friendly twist, substitute diced red bell pepper for the chiles.

Bright and colorful, this pasta salad is filled with lots of summer's best ingredients, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and asparagus. A dressing made of sesame oil, soy sauce, and vinegar is easy to put together, but adds a lot of flavor.