If you are good at hosting barbecues, what’s your secret?

[MouldEight]

I like hosting for people and I’ve got a built in brick barbecue so feel I should use it. But I’m just not good at it. I struggle to get the timings right for the barbecue whilst trying to be a good host to everyone.

If you are one of these people who hosts barbecues looking lovely and put together whilst serving up lovely tasting food which is all timed right, what’s your secret? All advice appreciated.

What's this "main event" "serving stuff at the same time" nonsense? The whole idea is it's casual and relaxed and people and food turn up at different times. It's not a dinner party with a three line whip to turn up at 7pm.

The first rule is don't worry about "elevating a barbecue beyond normal" or showing off.

Ask a friend/guest to manage the BBQ / cooking, then you can concentrate on food and hosting. Or ask people to cook their own food from the selection of sausages, chicken, halloumi, veg kebabs etc you provide. Hopefully someone will take charge.

I don’t have a bbq but we do have people over sometimes.

What makes it easier is doing as much as you can in advance. Do some lovely side dishes like potato salad, homemade coleslaw, roasted veg cous cous, chopped salad. All that can be done before people arrive. Any meat can be prepped and marinated. Get some nice flatbreads or crusty bread.
I actually try and get food on the table soon after people arrive, which means you aren’t messing about cooking whilst they’re sat drinking and chatting.

Tonight I have visitors and I’m doing marinated chicken thighs with herby roast potatoes and salads and all the sides will be done this morning, the meat and potatoes will be in the oven before they arrive so it’s just plates out and serve up as soon as they all have a drink in hand!

Hubby has a hot side and a cooler side fof keeping food when cooked. He also has a gadget for getting the charcoal hot quickly, looks like an enormous metal cup. Uses wood spiral starters with wax also.

OP, you can’t host a barbecue on your own. As far as I’m concerned, I have two excellent ovens and any cooking I do is in one of them. I’m happy to do all the prep and make the salads beforehand, then I leave the barbecuing to those who enjoy it - usually my DS or SIL.

I would still say, ‘yes, I know BBQs are lovely, but too difficult to do on my own’

and then put out stuff you can prepare earlier!

You’re doing too many different dishes. Focus on two types of meat that cook in a similar time plus one type of skewer. Nothing in the oven so you don't need to go to the kitchen. Have two salads prepped in advance.

I use timers on my phone. For example, I put the chicken on the bbq and set a timer for 7 minutes. Then I go socialise with the guests. When the timer goes off I check on the meat. That way I don’t feel I need stand by the bbq the entire time.

The more I think about it the more I think you should just move to eating outside instead of cooking outside. Make whatever you want in the oven or slow cooker etc and then socialise. I don’t think anyone particularly cares how the food is cooked if it’s yummy and plentiful.

They do! It’s quite flattering because I’ve had requests for the barbecue food.

Yes, I think this is what I’ll do. The oven food like the drumsticks I will cook in advance and serve them cold, and so literally only have to barbecue on the day rather than trying to monitor both the barbecue and the oven.

I think that mistake that's often made is trying to cook loads of different things on the BBQ and ending up with quite a disjointed menu and people having plates of random food.

I always pick a cuisine and cook a meal in the way that I would always do, except its on the BBQ instead of the hob/oven. For instance, if I'm going Greek, I'll do souvlaki kebabs, a veg/fish option, Greek salad, cous cous salad, spicy potatoes, flat breads, sauces and pickles.

I wouldn't do burgers then drumsticks then sausages then kebabs in the same way that I wouldn't cook loads of random food if friends were coming to eat without it being a BBQ.

I think if you’ve had more than one guests request that you do a BBQ for them on your own because THEY prefer it to what you find easier, is frankly taking the piss!

How about THEY invite you to their house whilst they BBQ instead?

People seem to expect sausages, burgers and kebabs at a barbecue though. I think they’d be disappointed if I didn’t serve them. The chicken drumsticks are indulging myself, I love them.

They’re not being dicks. They’ve just said things like ‘remember those potatoes you did on the barbecue? They were lovely’, sort of thing.

I do host the most and have never had reciprocal invitations from some of them because they’ve got young kids or no gardens or whatever’. It doesn’t bother me at all, I enjoy it and am pleased I can have them over.

I hope they atleast bring drinks and/or dessert. Otherwise you are just being used. We live in a flat so can't invite many people at the same time. We always ask what to bring. Saturday we are bringing dessert to a friend's house for bbq- if they say nothing and insist we bring flowers and a good wine. We do have a couple with teens (well off) who always show up with absolutely nothing. And always say "Oh, we forgot.." when they see others bringing stuff. It's now a running joke between guests "What do you think the Smith's will bring this time.."? 🤣

They always bring their own drinks and either wine for me or some food contribution, despite me always saying to bring nothing.

OK all good then. You sound so nice so I wouldn't want your friends to be cheeky fuckers.

Beer.

Best answer on this thread!
😂

Make sure some of the pre BBQ nibbles are near the BBQ, then people will stand near and chat with you.