In Guy Fieri’s family, the Fourth of July is a major food holiday: The Fieris go to a cabin on a little lake in Northern California to celebrate, and the guest list usually grows to 20 or more. When it’s time to feed everyone, Guy goes big.

“The menu is always very eclectic—and very large,” he says.

Some years he’ll do barbecue, some years he’ll make Chinese food…anything goes, as long as there’s plenty of it.

“I’m terrible about portion control,” Guy says. “Running out of food is the absolute worst thing you can do.”

For this menu he grilled as much of the meal as possible: shrimp to start, corn and romaine for sides, ribs for the main event—and even the bananas for dessert. He’s a big fan of charcoal grilling, and this menu is a way to make the most of it: Once you’ve done the work and fired up the coals, you might as well grill the whole shebang!

Guy’s Grilling Tips:

Go with Briquettes

If you’re cooking on a charcoal grill (Guy’s choice), you’ll get more consistent heat with briquettes than hardwood.

“I’m a big Kingsford fan,” Guy says. “People don’t give charcoal enough credit for grilling consistently.”

Season Ahead of Time

This is a critical step, according to Guy. Sprinkle your food with salt, pepper, spices or whatever you like before grilling so the flavor really gets seared in there.

Avoid Medium Heat

Guy votes for cooking foods hot and fast or low and slow—and nothing in between.

“Anytime you go medium, it’s just mediocre.”

Don’t Be Timid

“When people get scared at the grill, they tend to lower the heat—and then the food just sits there and dries out.”

Sear your meat, remove it from the grill and let it rest and finish cooking.

Guy’s Grilled Fourth of July Menu:

Fire-Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Guy is not a fan of boiled shrimp, so he makes his shrimp cocktail on the grill. If he's going all out, he'll even grill tomatoes and whip up homemade cocktail sauce!

Chipotle Corn Salad with Grilled Bacon

“If there’s a vegetable that loves the grill, it’s corn,” Guy says.

The chef’s go-to method: Grill the corn in the husk so it stays nice and juicy. Just soak it in water first so the husk doesn’t scorch on the grill.

Grilled Romaine with Shiitakes and Blue Cheese

Grilling lettuce only takes a few minutes, but it’s a total game changer.

“That little bit of char adds such great flavor and depth,” Guy says. He usually piles bacon on top, but here he uses shiitakes instead, so it’s great for vegetarians.

Beef Ribs with Orange BBQ Sauce

Pork ribs get all the attention, but according to Guy, beef ribs deserve more love. Just don’t sauce them until the end.

“Most barbecue sauces have a good amount of sugar, which has a tendency to burn on the grill,” he says.

Tropical Grilled Banana Splits

These are not your average banana splits! Guy grills the bananas, then tops them with tropical ice cream, rum-roasted pineapple and toasted coconut. For a nonalcoholic version, use fresh orange juice instead of rum.

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