The Most Popular 4th of July Dish in Every U.S. State

In the Land of the Midnight Sun, grilling salmon on the 4th of July is more than delicious—it’s deeply Alaskan. With daylight stretching well past bedtime and cool air thick with the scent of spruce, locals take to the rivers and coals. Wild-caught sockeye, brushed with a spruce tip glaze or birch syrup, is a tradition rooted in the harvesting practices of Indigenous peoples.

Why salmon? Because it’s fresh, abundant, and celebratory. While others sizzle burgers, Alaskans celebrate independence with the same wild pride found in their wilderness—bold, flavorful, and pulled straight from the water that morning.