Summer is one of the favorite times of the year reserved for partying. This is also the ideal time to throw a barbecue for your guests and long-term friends. The main objective of organizing a barbecue is to have fun, enjoy grilled foods, drinks, and have entertainment that will make the event lively and memorable.
Preparing ahead of time is one of the secrets to having a decent barbecue. Most hosts who plan late for this thrilling event end up being disappointed. This is because time will be running out, forcing them to omit some of the barbecue’s critical aspects, which would have made it more exhilarating. As a host, beforehand, preparations are essential as they help you list all the items that you feel will bring excitement to your barbecue and make it unforgettable. The worst thing you can do is to invite guests for a BBQ, only for them to get disappointed in the end, not come back again, and talk bad about you to everyone at work the next week. This is usually the case with last-minute preparations.
With that in mind, here are the essential tips for hosting your first BBQ
Pick Out a Grill if You Don’t Have One
Buy a grill from your local hardware if you don’t have one. The average cost for a 2 burner propane gas grill ranges from $200-$600 depending on surface area. A top tier three burner weber grill will cost more but comes with features like smart cooking abilities . This cost may vary depending on your country and location. These grills are designed purposely for backyard cooking. For those in possession of a grill, the most important thing you need to do is get it ready for use. Both new and used grills should be cleaned inside and outside to ready them for the job. If the grill has not been in use for quite some time, you can consider disinfecting it to eliminate potential bacteria. Also, test your grill to ensure it is working properly. This will help you avoid last-minute disappointments. If something is faulty, get it fixed before the eve of the BBQ. Also ensure you have enough propane in the tank. The last thing anyone wants is for your tank to run out half way through grilling through Salmon or Steak for your friends and families. Trust me I know this from experience. I always keep an extra tank in my garage handy just in case this happens.
Also remember to pick up a grill cleaner, some tongs, and some serving platters if you don’t have those already.
Clean Your Home
Home cleaning is one of the critical aspects of barbecue preparations that is also the most overlooked. It would be absurd to have everything set right and ready for use but have an untidy environment. This would certainly spoil the mood for a great BBQ, prompting the guests to leave earlier than anticipated and forever remember you as that dirty bird. A clean home creates a lively atmosphere for both the guests and the host. This is one of the things that make a BBQ memorable amongst yourself and guests. If you find yourself you’re too busy consider these reasons to hire a cleaning service before your big event.
Besides cleaning, decluttering your home is also important. It creates adequate space to engage one another, your guest can move freely without causing unnecessary disturbances like knocked over junk piles, have space to enjoy meals, and participate in various forms of entertainment like card games on your coffee table. It’s therefore important to get your home ready in regards to cleanliness. Also consider setting up the spaces of your home for certain areas like socializing, eating, adding condiments to those delicious grilled burgers and hot dogs, lawn games, card games, and washing up. Also try to keep paths to your rest rooms clear for convenience for your guests. If your house can fit 10 people don’t invite 50 people and expect running to the bathroom to be a good time. Which bring us to the below subject.
Think About Your Average Guest Count
Like any other bash, you have to invite friends through various forms such as invitation cards, sending messages through phone or mail, or making phone calls. Regardless of the method used, the message will get everyone’s happy self over to your place for hopefully a great time. Before inviting guests, there is a need to consider several factors such as home size, seating capacity, budget, is Trevor getting along with Steve now, etc. Once you have analyzed all these, the next step is to think about the number of guests to invite to your BBQ. Before you start even sending the invitations, handpick the date for the BBQ though it can be subject to changes. Once you have a date in mind, send invitations to your friends and colleagues informing the BBQ, date, time, and venue.
A few days before the BBQ, send invitation reminders to all those invited, and request that those who won’t make to attend the event to inform you in advance so you can make impromptu invites to those medium tier friends. This will make sure you don’t waste the extra shrimp you bought. This will help you solidify your plan for the event based on the possible number of guests who have pledged their attendance and will help you set up your spaces the day of.
Buy Foods that Meet Your Guests’ Dietary Requirements
As a BBQ host, there is a need to get an insight into your guests’ dietary requirements beforehand. It’s undeniable that what is good for you can be a bad omen to another person. Some people are comfortable with almost all sorts of foods, while others are allergic or develop digestion problems when they eat certain foods. It’s thus important to ensure everyone is catered for in your BBQ. For instance, some people are prohibited from taking sugary foods/drinks, while others are advised not to take salt for their wellbeing. Therefore, this is something that you must take into account even as you go ahead with preparations. Some people are vegetarian, meaning they don’t eat meat from slaughtered animals and even animal by-products. Hence, as you prepare for your BBQ, these people should have other delicious alternatives reserved for them, and no that doesn’t mean a raw vegetable platter will be enough. Consider making vegetable bbq skewers with peppers, zuchini, eggplant, and onions. A favorite among our BBQs are grilled sweet potato wedges and southwest corn and black bean quesadillas.
Also people from some some religions don’t eat pork while others don’t eat beef and using the same utensils for each meat would be insulting to them. Ask your friends if they have any preparation concerns if you are unsure so that everyone has an enjoyable time.
Don’t Forget Condiments
No matter how delicious the food is, it won’t live up to your guest expectations if you forget condiments. These are substances that add flavor to food. They include salt, ketchup, mustard, pickle, relish, among others. Therefore, as a host, there is a need to avail the guests with various condiments. For instance, some people take too little salt, while others take an average. It’s thus important to provide these substances to your guest. If possible, place them at an easily accessible central location. This will help the guest to enjoy the BBQ to fullness while having fun with their colleagues. This will, in return, make the BBQ exhilarating and memorable.
Have a variety of drinks. If you are serving alcohol make sure those people limit themselves and don’t drive home if they’ve had one too many. In this case it’s good to have your guest room ready for people to stay over if the need arises. Alternatively you should offer to get someone an Uber if staying at your place isn’t an option as this is much cheaper then a DUI or from causing an accident.
No party can be considered complete without drinks and beverages. The same applies to BBQ. It’s important to have various beverages for your BBQ to allow guests to pick their favorite drinks. Some people prefer soft drinks over alcohol and vice versa. Having a handful of drinks will render the guests the freedom to pick the beverages of their choice. Some people cannot manage to engage in various forms of entertainment without the influence of alcohol. This means such people must take one or two before participating in dancing, karaoke, or among other entertainment forms, I am a person that falls into this category.
Whichever drinks you do end up picking up remember to also get a cooler like the one pictured below to have extra room to store them close to where the action is. I recommend a collapsible one so it is simpler to store when you are not using it.
Pick Up Some Fun Outdoor Games
Outdoor games can make your barbecue thrilling, especially if you have an extensive compound. There are several outdoor games for both children and adults. The kind of games you pick will depend on the age bracket of your guests. If, for instance, most are teenagers, then choose outdoor games for them and vice versa. Games are a form of entertainment for both the players and the spectators. This means even those not taking part in such games will still be entertained.
Use a Time Table and a Meat Thermometer for Grilling
Since barbecue is more about roasting meat over an open fire or grill outdoors, it is essential to have a meat or cooking thermometer to determine the internal temperature of roasts, steaks, and any other food cooked in this manner. A cooking thermometer helps the grillers to tell when the desired cooking has been achieved. This is typically the case for meat and other foods. If not cooked properly, meat can pose serious health problems since most of its bacteria are still alive. A cooking thermometer is intended to help the cooker know when the food is ready for consumption. This minimizes the risk of diseases and other dangers of consuming unripe meat and other foods.
| Protein Type | Cooking Temperature |
|---|---|
| Fish | 145 |
| Beef Steaks / Lamb Chops | 145 (medium) |
| Ground Beef | 160 (medium well) |
| Chicken | 165 |
Take Aways
BBQs present an avenue for the host and guests to have fun and memorable moments and have some great food while you’re at it. A barbecue cannot live to its expectation if the preparations aren’t done ahead of time. Also, the planner has to choose the best time of the year to conduct a barbecue. In most cases, it is done towards the beginning or end of the summer unless you have a nice pool that your guests can cool off in. As a host, the discussed above barbecue tips will help you to plan and create long-lasting memories for both you and your guests.