5 Ingredients or Fewer

This variation on the traditional method has never failed me. I learned it at the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue event more than two decades ago from an Arkansas cook. It's simple. Place a partially smoked pork butt in a paper grocery bag and finish cooking by slow smoking it. The paper absorbs some of the grease and keeps the meat from drying out. People ask me, "Won't the bag catch on fire?" The bag will be saturated with pork fat, but a bag fire hasn't happened to me yet. For true Southern pork butt, go with hickory wood. However, I like to use fruitwood—maybe even peach or cherry—mixed with pecan. Because pork butt slow smokes for 6 hours, this is not a recipe to try on a gas grill. Suggested wood: Hickory or a combination of apple, peach, or cherry and pecan

Adding grated orange peel amps up the melon's flavor, and layering whipped cream with the icy granita makes for an intriguing contrast of both texture and temperature.

Garlic, herbs, and potatoes are enclosed in foil packets and grilled.

Halloumi is a pleasantly salty Greek cheese that grills well.

These are equally delicious hot off the grill or cold the next day.

To ensure a crispy crust, the pastry shell is partially baked before it's filled.

Fiber-rich jicama is crunchy and refreshing; its texture is similar to an apple's. Sub chef Shaw's salad for classic Waldorf at your next picnic. No mayo means less fat, while chile powder and cheese add major flavor.

"Pbj's"

Inspired by Brazil's national drink, these boozy popsicles are made with cachaça, lime juice, and mint.

In their quest to achieve this drink's signature demarcation between stout and ale, some beer fanatics invest in a special Black and Tan spoon that can hook over the side of the glass. An inexpensive spoon bent at a 90-degree angle will work just as well.

Adapted from a recipe by chef Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix, this dough bakes up crisp and chewy.

Fennel and raisins are a classic combination, and they come together here with rice to make a gratifying side dish. Dried fennel seeds help boost the fresh vegetable's delicate anise flavor, while plump golden raisins thread the rice with sweetness.

In another case of less is more, at-their-peak green beans—an old favorite—are paired with a quick vinaigrette that sparkles with a generous amount of minced sweet onion.

With its ample doses of maple syrup, cream, and the freshest berries, this easy, elegant treat will knock apple pie off its pedestal. True to the spirit of Yankee thrift, any leftover berry mixture can be put to good use at tomorrow's breakfast table, as a topping for pancakes.

Buttery, flaky, quick—this dough has it all. See cooks' note, if you need to halve the recipe to make the plum-blackberry streusel pie .