3 Best Summer Eats for the Perfect Meal on a Hot Day

Summer is here and one of the best ways to celebrate is taking advantage of the season’s fresh produce to make incredible meals to share with family and friends.

Great American Family has put together three of the best summer recipes for the perfect meal on a hot day. Whether you’re sharing with friends backyard-barbeque style or gathering with your family at the dinner table, these recipes are sure to delight your tastebuds.

Matt Moore’s T-Bone Pork Steaks with Tangy Caper Salsa

When you hear the words “T-bone,” a lot of people automatically think of beef, but Southern chef and author of "Butcher on the Block," Matt Moore, loves pork in the summer. That’s why this recipe utilizes the same type of T-Bone steak in pork form! His tangy caper salsa over the top adds a good amount of brightness to balance out the smoky grill flavors.

Ingredients

Pork Steaks 

• 4 bone-in T-bone pork steaks (10 to 12 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Caper Salsa

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 scallion, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper

Instructions 

4. Combine oil, soy sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and pour over steak. Marinate for at least 30 mins.
5. Create a two-zone fire on your grill (you can use a gas or charcoal grill) and place steak on direct heat. Cook for 6-7 mins per side or until internal temp reaches 130-135°F.
6. Transfer the steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. (It will continue cooking as it rests.)
7. In a small bowl, combine the capers, shallot, garlic, parsley, scallion, vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper. The salsa can be made up to 4 hours in advance and kept at room temperature.
8. Serve the pork steaks with a generous dollop of caper salsa.

Jamie Tarence's Southern Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad

The star of the show always needs a great supporting cast. Jamie Tarence’s Southern Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad is the perfect side dish for any summer gathering. It’s quick, it uses readily available, in-season produce, and the best part is, you can make it the day before!

Ingredients

Salad

• 3 large ripe beefsteak-style tomatoes, cored and cubed into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
• 1 large English or seedless cucumber, peeled and quartered lengthwise, then diced in 1/2-inch chunks

Dressing/Marinade

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. salt-free Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Chop all produce and mix in a large container with air-tight lid.
2. Make dressing by combining oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.
3. Pour dressing over produce and cover with lid.
4. Store in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally to ensure the dressing is mixed through.

Emily Hutchinson's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

A great meal is not complete without a delicious dessert and Emily Hutchinson’s Strawberry Rhubarb pie does not disappoint. Inspired by her beloved Grandma Loopie’s rhubarb pie recipe, this pie (with the added strawberries!) is tart, sweet, and old-fashioned in the best possible way.

Ingredients

Pie filing

• 4 cups rhubarb, cut ½ inch thick
• 3 cups strawberries
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• 1/2 cup grated cold butter

Pie Crust

• 2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups AP flour plus more for rolling
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
• 5 Tbsp. cold water

Instructions

1. Slice rhubarb and strawberries. In a bowl, mix rhubarb, strawberries sugar, flour and corn starch together and set aside to let juices work. (Wait to grate in butter.)
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. With a pastry cutter or knife, blend the shortening into the flour until the lumps of shortening are smaller than pea sized.
4. Add in cold water. Incorporate and make a ball by scrunching it together but don’t knead it. The less you work the dough, the flakier it will be.
5. Cut dough ball in two halves. Flour surface and thinly roll one half of dough for bottom crust. Place dough in 8-inch pie pan and remove excess edges.
6. Roll out second ball of dough and cut into lattice strips, with a combination of ½ inch and 1 inch strips.
7. Grab filling and grate in 1/2 cup cold butter and mix. Pour filling onto the first pie crust in the pan.
8. Place strips on top, creating lattice. Place final lattice pieces along edge of pie and then crimp the crust all the way around to close up the pie. (Can cut other shapes with any leftover pieces of dough for further decoration if desired.)
9. Sprinkle sugar on crust for a sweet and crunchy top. Put pie on middle rack in oven and bake at 425°F for 45-50 minutes. Juices will be bubbling. Let rest until cooled.

We hope you’ll give these recipes a try this summer and let us know how it goes! For more recipes, watch episodes of Faith & Home from Great American Family right here on Great American Pure Flix.