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.

I really think you're overthinking/ worrying too much OP. Barbeques are a very casual type of gathering, no-one expects all the food to be cooked and ready all at once, not everyone needs a proper seat and table, perhaps the elderly or disabled yes but everyone else is usually perfectly fine to balance a paper plate on their lap or eat standing up. Because it's casual you'll probably find people drift in and out over the course of the afternoon and it's great to keep a steady stream of food coming rather than having it all ready at the same time as you would for a more formal dinner party. Just have snacks (crisps etc) ready for arrival time, couple of big substantial salads (potato salad etc) out on tables and then have the burgers, sausages ready as they come is how we do it and people don't seem to complain. The only thing I am super careful/ uptight about is keeping veggie food strictly separate, not mixing implements etc and trying to make sure veggie food doesn't go onto the dirty/greasy grill where meat juices have been.

And I don't really understand why you're being so adamant that no-one will touch the BBQ or help with food, at every BBQ I've ever been to pretty much half the party takes a turn at helping, keeping an eye out, turning the food, spreading or relighting the coals between batches, all without being asked or any formal expectations being set out about it - nothing to do with men needing to prove their alpha-ness, women do it just as much IMO, it's just that barbecuing is a fun, easy way to cook, it takes next to no skill so everyone/anyone can help out, feels communal and low key so no reason why you can't hang out chatting near the grill and flip a sausage as needed. It wouldn't occur to me that the host would find that rude! So much so that rather than needing to ask for / choose volunteers to help, if for reasons of your own you 100% don't want anyone else touching the BBQ at all, I think you probably do need to loosely brief a good friend either to be 'bbq monitor' and head off anyone who instinctively goes to help if you step away, or get them to answer the door or show someone where the water glasses are kept or where they can put their coat or the other small hosting tasks that may be needed so that you can focus 100% while the grill is in operation!

Op these are 2 very important tips

1. when doing the bbq, put coals on half of it, leave the other side without coals - you need an area of the bbq that is not scorching hot so you can find the sweet spot of where to put the food - it’s very easy to cremate the outside of food on bbqs but have an undercooked inside, so you need an area that is less hot

2. once the coals are alight, you need to wait for the flames to die down before you put the meat on the grill. So it’s heavy smouldering rather than fierce flaming. Again, this is how people cremate the outside of the food in bbqs - putting the meat on too soon

Really @Theresip? We’ve had a forecast of ‘a little rain next weekend’ for about 6 weeks now. Next weekend never comes. It’s a tinderbox here- we’ve had the fire engines in our neighbourhood twice, with a field fire and a park fire.

It would be his idea of Hell to meet 20 strangers all at once, and he wouldn’t know where to start with cooking.

I also just want to socialise with my friends.

They are the ones who’ve met him once or twice.

This really isn’t a problem for me or DP. We are very happy.

@Theresip dont worry about the people picking apart why you’re inviting people etc.

Just prepare as much as you can in advance, have plenty of food that can be eaten whilst people stand around chatting (crisps, nuts etc)

BBQs are relaxed events, they’re not sit down meals where everything must be served at the same time and everyone must be seated at a table.

People will mingle, some will sit, some will stand and they’ll all eat at different times so don’t worry about food slowly being cooked in batches.

Are you okay?

It was more the suggestions that men would take over because they’re men. That’s just not the kind of men I’ve invited.

I obviously wouldn’t find it rude that people offer to help.

Yes, I have used it many times.

Maybe because it’s irritating that a number of posters came on to say - have you invited any men? Have them do it for you! I’d be saying the same as OP, no it’s ok I’ve not invited my male friends to have them cook. She’s planning on doing the cooking, she’s asking for practical ideas as she has limited cooking space on her bbq and more guests than she’d considered. I’m sure on the day someone might flip a couple of burgers for her - male or female - but it’s pathetic for the advice to be MULTIPLE times - oh just get a man to do it? How does that help the man will still have a small charcoal bbq to cook for 18 on. And probably think ‘am I being paid for this? Thought I was here as a guest!’

We had rain last week and more rain forecast next week.

Do you have a slow cooker? Do a big pulled pork and just plonk it out so people can serve themselves from it.

Goes a fair way and can be done in advance.

I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

Ha ha ha, brilliant. This mind blow your mind, single women can do all sorts of things without a man.

Load of sides as PP have suggested plus something people can nibble at while they’re waiting
Sausages in the oven and finish off on grill
Burgers take minutes on a bbq you should be able to do several batches no problem while your coals are hot still. Burgers first as you aren’t pre cooking and then sausages
Plan for 1.5 to 2 burgers each and 2 sausages max. Don’t bother with anything else on the grill. Seriously I’ve seen people massively over cater for bbq’s people just don’t eat that amount of food in one go!
Don’t forget vegetarians. Get some impossible burgers and cook as your first batch.

Thank you! Thought I was going mad there.

I do. I think I will do this, either with gammon or pork.

Wow. Why are you getting such a hard time over this.

anyway.

so many fab ideas.

my tuppence worth is.

simple is best.

I would do

burgers on bbq
pepper onion halumi on bbq

hot dogs in slow cooker

any chicken or pork in oven

salads you have mentioned.
add a pesto pasta. Pesto, pasta, mix. Delicious cold.

then go for marshmallows on the bbq, sticks, fruit, chocolate sauce. at that point people do their own.

that makes sure you have time to chat and enjoy as well. Good luck 🤞🏻

One tip - those baby new potatoes you can do in the microwave in 8 mins are fab. Whack some butter and sea salt on. Magic!!

Why does everyone keep saying ask a man?!

can you do pulled pork in slow cooker? That would go well and doesn’t require BBQ. Not much to monitor. Cook stuff in oven then finish off on BBQ.

M&S have these delicious huge tortilla chips that are great with dips.

once you have some salads, some halloumi or that type thing, will all be delicious.

I also think it’s normal to not eat at a table for a BBQ and for the food to be staggered.

I once hosted a bbq and put everything outside only to be covered in flies shortly after and no one touched the food! Leave the food inside