Summer is finally here! That means that it’s the season for get-togethers with family and friends, sitting in a garden in the sunshine and enjoying a well-deserved barbeque. For many there is nothing more enjoyable than this, though everyone has their own opinion about what makes a great BBQ party.
So what should you try and achieve when throwing your own barbeque this summer?
Get your guests to bring a pack of food
Although it would be great if you could supply multiple kilograms of meat for your barbeque, and you may go down in history with your friends as a bit of a legend, it’s not really practical, or cheap to buy all of the food for your barbeque if there are going to be more than about ten people. When the party is going to be pretty sizeable, its fair enough to ask your guests to bring a pack of burger, sausages or kebabs along with them to help contribute towards the party.
Consider your lighting
If your event is going to be running into the evening hours, you’ll need to consider what kind of outdoor lighting options you have at your disposal. These days there are some great options for lighting outside in your garden and companies have taken advantage of smoking bans imposed in 2007 to make it more comfortable for people to sit outside. It may even be worth investing in a joint light/heater system to maximise the time you can spend in your outdoor space.
Vary your food options
Not everyone will be happy just eating the basic sausage and burger options. Try to mix up the food you are offering; get lamb and chicken kebabs, pork chops, racks of ribs and even beef grill steaks. The great thing about barbeques is that almost anything can be grilled over a flame, and most things taste great when cooked this way. Also consider side options like salads, crisps and the sauces to go with the meat, as well as finding out whether you need to get any vegetarian options in.
When it comes to cooking
You may think that you are already an expert when it comes to cooking on the barbeque, but it’s a delicate process which, if done wrong, can end in disaster for your guests. With getting nasty bouts of food poisoning not very high on most people’s agendas, you want to make sure you are cooking your meat for long enough and at a high enough heat in order your party to not be remembered for all the wrong reasons!
Remember your guests!
Just because you are in charge of the barbeque, remember that you are also the host of the event. That means that you can’t just spend all of your time in front of the flames – you’ll also need to meet and greet people, make sure they have enough to drink and try to get involved in the conversations which are going on. The most important thing is that your barbeque party is also an enjoyable event for you!