I have seriously overstretched with a barbecue and I am panicking.

[Theresip]

I decided to have a barbecue next weekend because I’ve got my garden looking the way I want it and I do enjoy hosting. I’ve been inviting people for the last couple of weeks or so. I thought I’d invited around 10 people but I haven’t. I’ve invited almost 20. I’ve only just counted them up and now I am seriously panicking.

I’m not a particularly good cook, never mind on a barbecue. How on earth can I do 20 burgers and sausages and time it so people aren’t sitting starving? It’s a charcoal barbecue so putting more charcoal on after one batch would mean some people waiting another 40 minutes whilst the coals cook and I cook again?? What can I do?

And also, my garden isn’t tiny, but it’s not particularly big. I have a garden sofa and stools that could fit around six people near the kitchen door, and then on the upper decking I’ve got a high dining table that would seat another six. I do have additional small stools but they’re too little for the high table and it would be very squashed round the other table because it’s right in front of the kitchen where everyone will be getting their drinks.

Any advice gratefully received. I have never hosted for this number.

Some many decline, don’t panic yet

Ask people to bring their own chair, cook the sausages in the oven and finish them off on the BBQ

18 of them have definitely accepted. They may drop out I guess but they’re not flaky people - I’m not friends with flaky people, I can’t stand it.

Thank you. I’m just thinking I could get hot dogs instead of sausages so I’m not risking poisoning people and it’s just warming them up.

If you’ve got a lawn spread a few blankets down there to provide additional seating.
depending on how big your bbq is you should be able to do the burgers and sausages and then add some more coal and do the next lot of cooking when it’s ready.

Just do a few huge salads like potato salad and a load of strawberries and cream. The rest is just chuck it on the barbie - when a space frees up just add more . . .

I pre-cook everything in the oven, finish on the bbq and then return to a low oven to keep warm. Takes all the hassle and worry about undercooking out. Does help if your oven is right next to the garden though!

Cook sausages in the oven, prepare salads / potatoes and have plenty of bread.

And people will be happy to bring stuff - be sure to ask them to (but not to bring the same thing of course!)

Definitely cook all the meat in the oven first - big bowls of chips and dips, salads, coleslaw, hummus with pitta etc so people fill up on the extras. Plenty to drink - everyone will be happy!

Do you have anyone to help such as a partner, close friend or someone already attending you could ask? Even if not them cooking, to at least help people with drinks, plates or whatever whilst you are cooking.

You either need to borrow more tables/chairs so people can sit, relax and eat or let people know they will be standing and just do finger food.

Edited to say I assume you have enough toilet facilities for 20 people?

Absolutely ask people to bring outdoor chairs

Proper sausages in the open, bring out by the platterful and def e with relish snd soft roles.

lots soft drinks , people will bring alcohol

enjoy xx

Thanks everyone. I’m not sure if the oven will help - won’t I then be trying to keep an eye on the barbecue and the oven simultaneously?

Chips! Excellent shout.

What bead said...pre cook all the food and finish on BBQ.
Do lots of salads .
Don't worry too much about eating because people can have a burger standing up ,good call about picnic rugs

Buy a few disposable bbqs to put on the side and half cook everything in the oven. Get the buns and sauces on one side and tell people to help themselves to toppings.

I think you'd have everything cooked and out of the oven before everyone arrives and then you can just finish them on the BBQ when ppl are there.

Sausages and burgers are cooked 3/4 through and finished on the bbq at our house...
Stick them on an oven tray with foil on top next to bbq and off you go

I’ve got more than enough chairs, it’s just the tables. I’ve got three tables in my garden. I’m using the largest to lay out the barbecue food. Another is a circular table which seats six, but the table and chairs are high off the ground so normal sized stools will have people sitting much lower than the table.

Then the third is a sofa with stools, but it’s right in front of the kitchen patio doors (the only back doors), and so people could put extra seats there but it will be cramped and hinder people who need to go into the house for any reason.

Hotdog sausages are brilliant in a slow cooker if you have one!

And yes to cooking burgers in an oven and then finishing on the bbq.

I always ask if I need a chair when invited to BBQs. I wouldn't expect anyone to have seating for a whole party!

Buy ready sliced rolls - it’s a game changer!

Cook the sausages the day before keep in fridge. Reheat on bbq. Same with burgers.

We had a BBQ recently with no tables apart from the ones with the food on. It was fine. Just need plates and ppl can eat standing up or on their lap.

Well I’ve got a toilet. They will have to form a queue. I’m not really worried about that - my mother used to host much bigger parties with only one bathroom and can’t ever remember there being a problem.

Oh I see! Of course. That makes sense. Good idea.

Get your closest friends to help/bring dishes, so it's not all cooked stuff, and people won't be starving as there's other things they can fill up on

Have things like crisps and dips etc out so people can snack whilst waiting on burgers.

Buy frankfurter type sausages and just keep them warmed in a slow cooker.

Not everyone will expect to be served at the same time, when there’s a batch of meat ready shout the heads up and people will come and serve themselves.

Buy pre sliced rolls and have a station with buns, cheese slices and sauces.

People don’t need tables to eat at, they’ll stand holding their plates and chatting or eat off their laps on their chairs.