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.

Yes I have 2 acres of gorgeous garden, everyone wants to talk to me about the garden, it’s not a NGS outing 😂 but it’s something to break the ice if they don’t know me (my friends bring their families too, the more the merrier) we’ve had bbq in the rain before, with gazebo of course, it’s kinda cosy and more fun, so long as the air is warm. We provide blankets too for knees ! Not many go home early ..

Are you a man? If not, enlist one (or more) to do the barbecue cooking! Sorry if it sounds sexist but men love doing the manly bbq cooking. Then prepare all the salads in advance, maybe the day before. Make some giant jugs of Pimms. Ask someone to bring chairs - camping chairs are ideal. And relax and enjoy!

We found that if you provide nibbles first or open the buffet first then people fill up and then don’t want the burger when it’s ready. So we have burgers ready and then open up the buffet at the same time. Just our experience.

Did 20 the other day. If you ask chatgpt it will give you ideas and the shopping list. Precook everything in the oven . Make a couple of salads ahead of time. We laid everything out on kitchen table for people to help thenselves.
Ask people to bring folding chairs or picnic rugs to sit on to eke out your oatio furniture. You can also press into use dining chaies, garden benches, sunloungers and deck chairs

Don’t do hot dog sausages, they’re horrible, unhealthy, and wouldn’t work on a bbq. Do proper sausages, cook them fully beforehand and warm them up on the bbq if you’re not confident about cooking them from scratch on the bbq.

Thanks, but the men coming to the barbecue are not the type of men who would need to show their masculinity by barbecuing. I’m so surprised at how many times people have commented that it’s true amongst the men they know.

Picnic rug for people to sit on and paper plates!

You "enjoy hosting" to show off. Can't cook and cacking yourself over twenty?!

Plus ew. Hot dogs 🤢

If you have a barbecue a man, or several men, will take over the cooking on it. I shouldn't worry about that side of things at all if I were you. Just host the rest and provide the ingredients for the bbq.

This is the most insane thread, have we collectively gone back to 1950?!

(Cave)Men on the barbecue
Assuming OP has a husband
Asking where the husband is
Asking why her partner isn’t going
Assuming she’s sleeping with her friends because said partner isn’t going

????

pre cook as much as you can.

have drinks ready on arrival to start.

people will mingle and sit in and out.

or pray for rain.

Low-quality hot dogs are much the same as low-quality sausage. Hot dogs are much easier to BBQ, and a lot of people have never had a BBQ hot dog/ I would suggest a Kosher beef Hotdog if your concern is the contents and give them a try. I make my own sausages, different styles and flavours, but I also love a BBQ Hotdog.

I would agree; I can't quite believe some of the responses. I BBQ a lot and do enjoy going to other people's BBQs. Been to a few where it's this stereotype, and Nigel is the king of the grill.

He has prepped nothing, has bought and planned nothing, and probably doesn't cook apart from the BBQ. Usually involves browning precooked food and cooking all the meat in one batch and then leaving it on the buffet table to be eaten hot or cold,

I would never take over at someone else's house. The only time I have ever done it is at a supermarket's summer BBQ with all their produce provided. With the equipment they had hired, their food was so poor the volunteers couldn't cook it. My friend rang me up to sort it as a favour. It was a challenge and put me off pre-bought burgers and cheap sausage for life!!

What is your budget for feeding 18 people for a bbq?

You have met some of the guests a couple of times so I doh t you know whether they are flakey or not. For your sake, I hope they are flakey!

Have you ever used it?

I tend to get some foil trays and when the food is cooked I put it in these to keep warm on one side of the grill. Of you only have a small grill you could create a second layer at the back with one of your oven grill trays propped up on something heatproof which could be your warming rack. Not everyone eats at the same time at bbqs so people can just mill about.

Precook the food indoors. Prepare salads and put out a few bowls of snacks like tortilla chips or bread sticks with hummus , carrot sticks etc as appetisers . Get enough soft drinks and/or make a non alcoholic punch..
Ask guest to bring a bottle.
Strawberries and ice-cream/cream or a defrosted gateau for pudding.
Wrap pre cooked food loosely in foil to put on barbecue for a final smoky flavour and to heat through .Use paper plates, paper napkins, hire wine glasses or use disposable cups. Ask guest to bring folding chairs or borrow some from neighbours. Blankets or cushions on the ground are also an option.
Make sure you have plenty soap and and spare loo rolls in the loo, clean hand towels for that number of guests.

You will not find it hard to get a bbq minder. It’s like putting logs on a fire, or lighting fireworks, there are always volunteers.

Make sure you do some substantial salads like lentil and roast veg, or a cous cous with lemon,parsley, grilled baby tomatoes and toasted almonds. Make sure there is French bread and hummus. Fill your guests bellies with carbs and they won’t mind waiting for the bbq. That Greek pie with filo , spinach and cheese works for this too, and everyone loves it.

We have 20 for bbqs regularly but my husband loves hosting and it’s a gas grill so less tricky.

I think I’d look at having loads ready to go beforehand. We do plenty in our oven and slow cooker so it’s just the meats and veggie options on the grill in batches. I’d oven cook as much as possible for sides and possibly a round of meat and then you can take your time working through the grilling. You will want a friend to help - not with the cooking but the hosting as you can’t single handedly answer the door, sort drinks, cook, find ice etc etc. as you’ll be stood by the grill for quite a while.

If you enjoy cooking I’d do massive sides the day before (coleslaw, potato salad, etc) but also you can just buy this stuff if that feels easier. Get a pack of wooden skewers and make up loads of veggie and halloumi skewers - those are always super popular here. Make one sort of meat in the oven and then you just need to bbq burgers and sausages.

We regularly bbq for 20+, but (like most people in Aus/NZ!) use gas rather than charcoal.

in your situation i would do a couple of big pieces of meat and just use burgers or sausages to supplement, if you think necessary. Burgers and sausages need looking after whereas a big hunk of meat such as a leg of lamb or spatchcock chicken can be largely cooked in the oven then finished on the bbq, and can just be left.
We always get through more meat and less salad and sides.

Relax! It will be fine

men always take over at bbqs and you don’t have to cook it all in one go. BBqs are informal

Ypu can always keep stuff warm in your oven

i predict about 15 will come

i

I had no idea barbeques brought out so much internalised misogyny

My dh hates barbequing