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

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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.

Barbecues do take forever, hence all the sides and salads and nibbles to keep people happy while they are waiting. It's not like a dinner party where you all sit down at eight for the starter. You just cook what you have room for and then hand it round, add something new in the gaps, chat while you're doing it, pass round beers, delegate someone else for a cooking shift now and then. Also, precook some cocktail sausages and prep things like potato salad, dips etc, and put those out to keep people busy.

Thanks. I think they’d all prefer to be together, they all know each other. I’m still looking forward to hosting, I just am slightly worried about my ability to do it well.

I haven’t decided yet, I’m using this thread for ideas. I do tend to seriously over cater because I would absolutely hate anyone to be at my house and be hungry.

I’ll probably stick with burgers, because I think everyone will expect them, and hot dogs instead of sausages. Either some sort of chicken skewers, or steak, or pork to go on the barbecue, and halloumi. Then I’ll do either a potato salad or wrap new potatoes in foil with oil and garlic and put it in the coals. Then coleslaw and obviously buns. I think I’m sold on cooking a gammon joint in advance too, and chicken drumsticks. I’ll serve those cold.

Not sure about salads. They don’t seem to get eaten, but it would feel wrong not to put one out.

I always put out a cheeseboard and a charcuterie, plus crisps, dips, olives, crackers, sweets, for people arriving, and am tempted to do a 70s style hedgehog as well.

Thanks! I was intending to use the instant light in a bag stuff. I’m not sure I’d know what I was doing with anything else.

It doesn’t have a lid. I do have a very small slow cooker and don’t have a fryer.

Not sure why you assume there’s anyone more experienced there.

Of course I would be happy to ask someone to keep an eye on it for a couple of minutes.

You know what? I dont know why you asked.

You describe yourself as a poor cook, of course there will be someone more experienced than you, someone who is a confident and capable cook.

You have over invited and can;t do it alone, the logistics really dont work.

So what did you want help with exactly? We can't make you into two people, which is what you need but clearly dont want. Enjoy.

Cook the sausages in the air fryer and do the burgers on the bbq

It’s controlling to barbecue on your own barbecue at a barbecue you are hosting for guests? Er, okay.

The more the merrier!

It’s a brick one that came with the house when I bought it. Maybe I should do some research!

I did this a few years ago and everything went wrong, the charcoal would not heat up and when it did the burgers were charred in the outside and raw in the middle, the haloumi was grey and tasted just of smoke, we would not get the sausages cooked

everyone got a bit drunk and by 10pm we binned the attempted food and got pizza delivered

it was a total disaster and also a laugh and a really jolly evening

just saying this so you do not worry too much. It is just a meal and ac social, and people are usually ok

time after I just called it garden supper and cooked sausages and kebabs the air fryer 😄

I didn’t describe myself as a poor cook.

I wanted the helpful advice which 99% of the people who’ve replied have given me.

Excuse me?! We’ve have had a horrific wildfire in the Cairngorms that raged for over 2 weeks. And is still being tamped down now. Main UK news completely ignored it, despite huge resources needed to fight it, and devastation to wildlife, the original Caledonian forest and of course the businesses that rely on tourism that have had to shut.

Yes we have had a bit of rain now but before that there wasn’t any, certainly not where I am for weeks. Everything was tinder dry.

So no, we don’t want bloody disposable BBQs, vapes, chucked glass bottles etc either up here, thanks very much!

If any men are going, don’t worry, they love to completely take over the BBQ cooking.

@MySneakyLion calm
down I do not think OP will suddenly go and host her bbq in Scotland now 😄😄😄

don’t take it so literally

Don't use instant light if you're cooking for 18 people; the impregnated fluid makes it burn quickly, and it also affects the flavour. I am a Weber fan boy, but this chimney starter is the best £23 you will ever spend if you like charcoal BBQ food.

Obs there are cheaper ones, but this will let you light briquettes or lump wood easily and safely, and once the BBQ is going, you can set it up to be lit as your coals are running low and then just add more lit coals. I've BBQ'd for hrs with this set-up.

I always do a pasta salad.

https://www.loveandlemons.com/pasta-salad/

Couscous
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon_and_pomegranate_48177

Potato salad (no mayo)

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017405-lemon-potato-salad-with-mint

Mixed bean salad.
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/46546/easy-bean-salad/

Baguettes or pitta
Salad with dressing on the side the dressing wilts the salad otherwise.

Whole peppers and corn on the cobs on the BBQ first before the meat for veggies.

I like to precook spatchcock chicken and finish them on the bbq.

I usually do lamb chops as well.

Are you serious? Plenty of us hold barbies without a man. I'm more than capable of lighting a charcoal grill and cooking some burgers on it and I'm sure OP is too.

Don't do burgers or sausage. Choose something else instead.

I hadn’t realised that was such a thing for men until this thread. I don’t think any of the men I’ve invited will particularly want to do so though.

I wouldn’t know where to start with that but will definitely do some research. Thank you.

Awww we do these all the time my family nearer 30 members large bowls of mixed salad, rices, potato salad, quiches, pies, coleslaw,boiled eggs etc laid out and I pre cook burgers and sausages and buy the roast cooked chicken wings, roll them in BBQ sauce and do on bbq and we finish them on the bbq and pile them on plates next to plates with buns sauces etc and shout over when all ready to dive into

Relax, BBQ's are grab and eat affairs, nobody really gets to eat at once when so many. You could get one of those little metal BBQ's too, to add cooking capacity.

And ask someone to help. I did a BBQ for my leaving do and it's hot, smelly work! But it's a nice relaxed way to have friends over. Seating wise, get a couple of picnic blankets too for some people to sit on the lawn.

Salady pickings, nibbles on the table, all help and buy more than you think you need as some people just keep eating and eating at a BBQ. One burger and one sausage isn't enough to offer imo and it's a little dull too! Get some halloumi, peppers, tomatoes onion and make little kebab sticks etc. Cooks quick too.

Chimney starter and Weber coals, they last for ages, suppposedly 3hrs which I think is a bit optimistic but they definitely have a better burn time than ordinary lump wood charcoal (as I found out this weekend 😩).

I would t bother with all the precooking personally but I wouldn’t be concerned about undercooking the food. Def get loads of salads, dips and crisps. Like the idea of a gourmet condiments section that someone mentioned upthread. Costco is good for this sort of thing.

I would love to. I’m not a huge lover of either. However, I do think at least some of my guests would feel cheated if they didn’t have the usual burgers and sausages.

I’d love to do one one day with a side of salmon, leg of lamb, or a pork shoulder, maybe tuna steaks and a seafood boil. Then lots of different salads and cheeses.

But I know my audience and it would be a waste.