Five soulful recipes to make for Juneteenth

Growing up, my family didn’t celebrate Juneteenth. But when I think back on our summer gatherings — usually kicked off on Father’s Day weekend and lasting through Labor Day — the spirit of the holiday feels ever-present.

Juneteenth, also known as Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, celebrates the end of slavery in America. A portmanteau of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” the holiday marks June 19, 1865, the day that Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform all enslaved people within the state, estimated to be 25,000, that President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had freed them, nearly 2 ½ years after the order was given.

The first Juneteenth celebrations were recorded in Texas the following year, and eventually spread across the South, Midwest, to both coasts and in pockets of northern Mexico. Treated as an Independence Day that acknowledges the lived reality of African Americans who were still enslaved on July 4, 1776, festivities involved church services, picnics, fish fries, barbecues and even beauty pageants.

Though Juneteenth stands out as the longest-running African American holiday, it wasn’t until 2021 that it was federally recognized and its history more widely shared.

“Homecoming, church picnics, fish fries — they all share the same music, food and cadence as Juneteenth,” said Nicole Taylor, author of “Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations,” the first Juneteenth cookbook released by a major publishing house.

And as I began to celebrate Juneteenth more formally, I realized that the essence of the holiday had long been present at my family gatherings. A tradition I’ve adopted is the sharing of red-colored foods such as watermelon, fried chicken and fish, and red velvet cake.

There are different theories around the significance of eating red foods on Juneteenth. Some believe that early celebrants simply worked with easily accessible and in-season ingredients that happened to be red: watermelon, strawberries, beans and fried or smoked meats. Others say that it honors the bloodshed and suffering of enslaved ancestors.

“Growing up, the pews in my church were red. All of the women that I admired, they were members of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and their color was red. There was so much red around me, and it always meant power,” Taylor said in an interview.

“Even going back to West Africa, the transatlantic slave trade brought the ritual of drinking sorrel, or what some people would call hibiscus. For Black people across the diaspora, that ritual has been with us forever. It’s inside of us,” Taylor said.

And Juneteenth celebrations don’t have to be limited to just one day. “Anytime you’re intentional about not working, about turning your phone off and playing music — you’re bringing the Juneteenth spirit,” Taylor said.

Whether you decide to make these red-colored recipes this week or later in the summer, as long as you do so with an air of relaxation and contentment, you’re honoring this holiday that’s rooted in freedom.

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Cherries Jubilee

This simple dessert from Taylor’s “Watermelon & Red Birds” cookbook involves lighting a whiskey, tangerine and cherry sauce on fire and pouring it over honey vanilla ice cream. Dating back to Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in the late 1800s, Taylor recommends using Bing, sour or Rainier cherry varieties for the boozy dessert.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 20 minutes. Serves 4.

(Beatriz de Costa)

Fried jerked catfish from Post & Beam

One of the star dishes from the dinner menu at now-closed Post & Beam, this fried jerked catfish is perfect for Juneteenth picnics. Feel free to use frozen, thawed fillets if you can’t find fresh ones and plan to marinate them for two to four hours before frying.
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Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Miso Barbecue Sauce

This recipe from former cooking columnist Ben Mims adds red miso to barbecue sauce for a burst of umami that counteracts the sweetness of ketchup and honey. The sauce can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
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Cook time: 45 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

(Silvia Razgova/Silvia Razgova)

Mary Sue Milliken’s Fennel And Herb Grilled Ribs

Chef Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill, Socalo and Alice B. says the trick to making these ribs is “planning and patience.” They require 24 hours of curing with a dry rub and you’ll have to turn them often when you roast and glaze them on the barbecue, but the end result is an addictive main course for your next summer cookout.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus overnight curing time, makes 1 rack of ribs.

(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Red Alert

This nonalcoholic drink is from actor-turned-restaurateur Danny Trejo, who’s been sober for over 50 years. Ripe strawberries get a kick thanks to charred red bell pepper, which you can throw on the grill or straight on the burner of your stove to release its smoky sweet flavors.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 50 minutes. Serves 4.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)