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.

Baked potatoes and lots of them!! Could do a big pot of chilli as one filling option (cook the night before - affordable and stress free) then lots of cheese, and filling salads (potato/coleslaw/rice/pasta salads) along with bowls of mixed leaves, tomatoes, onion etc where people can make up their own salads/toppings for burgers. Lots of crusty breads & bread rolls. Cook all of the sausages in the oven/airfryer/grill etc beforehand and just give them a minute on the BBQ for flavour. Burgers you could do the same really!
I would be a little dissapointed if I went to a bbq and got served hotdogs instead of sausages.
For the chair situation you will either have to ask people to take their own garden chairs or else leave out blankets on the grass if the weather is good in the days leading up to it, or else borrow from friends/family. Have lots of nice drinks and sides and the BBQ itself wont matter as much. I do think proper sausages and burgers cooked in the oven etc and just thrown on the BBQ at the end for flavour is absolutely perfect, takes all of the stress out too. Have fun! And congratulations on getting your garden done x

We borrowed patio furniture from the neighbours.

I always do a load of bAked potatoes in the oven and pre boil some cut up corn on the cobb, quick cheap and filling, I would also make or buy a couple of pasta salads and things like olives etc, pre cook a lot of burgers and sausages so you are just very quickly batch heating things on the BBQ

Food-wise, not being a BBQ snob, but you really don't need to pre-cook anything. Cooking on a BBQ is the same as cooking in the kitchen. Can't quite believe how many people are advocating this method, as it just creates more faff and washing up.

I've done a few big BBQs where stopping the initial serving onslaught was needed. Here we used hummus and pita, warming the pita on the BBQ. Also olive and feta to keep costs down; try an Asian supermarket. They do a creamy feta-style cheese in a milk carton; it's good and cheap.

I would ditch sausages and go for a good quality hot dog (here Costco is your friend), but if not, you can go to Heta; Jumbo hot dogs are good. You can make them extra filling by adding a topping of cheese. I do one with nacho cheese. Nachos and jalapeños; they go down well.

Shop-bought burgers can be harder to cook; in my opinion, get some normal mince from the supermarket in a bowl, salt and pepper, then mix together. Weigh out 100g balls and then smash them flat onto foil as thin as you like for quick cooking, and also this can be done to the size of your buns; again, can be made extra filling with toppings, maybe the pulled pork.

Chicken Tikka skewers are good served with a salad in a wrap. I'd make these on long wooden skewers that fit your BBQ. Again, by making them yourself, you can cut the chicken smaller so it cooks quicker. Store-bought ones are usually driven by weight or pieces in the box; making them yourself, you can make them easy to cook no need to pre-cook

Ignore hotdog comment I see lots of people recommending them so they must come out well on the BBQ I had in my mind that they wouldn't do well on the BBQ but looks like they do 😊

Precook stuff. Salads and grazing stuff ready to go. Consider doing a big batch of something like pulled chicken in wraps which you can stick in a pan and have ready to go.

20 people isn't that bad. Just because organised.

Honestly, it's very easy. You sound like if this goes well, you will be doing more BBQ cooking lol. This is a great investment (along with a Weber 50 cm Kettle)

Once you get a BBQ with a lid, you can roast and bake

Rain dance, Covid or the shits? Plenty options 😂.

Thank you!

I do have enough chairs, just not enough table space to put them round. No lawn either, just decking.

Would you just time the oven food to be cooked just before guests arrive?

No idea why you are being so snotty with me when I tried to help too and have given the same advice as many others. And "not a particularly good cook" you words, is "poor cook" to me.

Determined control freak is a not a good start for a celebration. enjoy.

It’s just a strange sort of event where OP is determined to do everything alone and refuse any assistance. Individuals, regardless of who they are, are generally happy to help at a casual bbq and OP is really being quite regimented in the way it is going to be run. It sounds like the whole thing should move from her place to a local park and everyone just brings picnic blankets and chairs. Everyone could pool money to order a bunch of different takeaways and it would be a lot more relaxed than this refusing help approach.

We do a lot of mass gatherings in our garden. I think your biggest issue at the moment is actually going to be flies and wasps and not the food. It feels like there has been a bit of an explosion in the last week. I think you need to think about lids and coverings and ideally have a closed lid bin for rubbish and food waste so you can get things away quickly.

In terms of food, I reckon you’re going too ambitious. I think the idea of the pulled pork was the best one on here. You can prepare in advance and it feels a bit more special. I’d much prefer that than gammon. I reckon then do sausages, halloumi and chicken skewers on the bbq. I don’t think you need chicken skewers and the chicken drumsticks. You could then pre-cook corn on the cob in the oven to add.

I’d also be going for proper sausages over hot dogs. Lots of people (including me) prefer a proper sausage. How many veggies do you have? It’s potentially a bit light for non meat eaters. Do you have any other dietary stuff to think about?

Ask people to bring their own cooked sausages and burgers also.

Rugs on the lawn, lots of snacks around, at least 3 pre prepared side dishes (slaw, garlic bread, cous cous salad with feta, bulgar wheat and halloumi, stuff potato skins, mozz and tomato etc) and then a supply of sausage and burgers. You can always cook something in the oven to ensure a hot choice if BBQ goes wrong.

One vegan. I’ll do her stuff first. No other requirements.

I wouldn’t do chicken skewers and the drumsticks. I’ll just do the drumsticks the night before and serve them cold. The gammon is a selfish choice - I’m not keen on pulled pork but love gammon.

I’d prefer to do the hotdogs over the sausages because I get paranoid sausages aren’t fully cooked, whereas hotdogs remove that worry.

I’ve got several of those pop up food net things which protect the food.

I might start doing this. When they politely ask if they should bring anything I’ll say just their own cooked food

This is an, er, interesting take. Thanks for your helpful contribution.

You have been rude throughout the thread.

Make a few quiches and salads. Then the meat is a nice extra

It's not rocket science, I wouldn't need help. Plan ahead and make salads etc in advance.

You can turn down the oven and let the meat etc just keep warm/hot but not cook any further.
So it shouldn’t need checking on nearly as much as the barbecue.
And if you think you’re going to need more barbecue space could you ask any friends or neighbours if they could lend you any.
Also —disposable charcoal filled barbecue trays.

We had 70 people at our bbq this weekend, it’s all about planning ahead, prepping the burgers, pre cooking, making up salad dishes in advance. Vegan & vegetarian options. We have our own gazebos, chairs, tables, bunting but also hire equipment too. Games, cocktails and live music help too. We do bbqs every year small and large.

if anyone asks what they can bring we say whatever they like to drink. You could say food, one brings salad, one brings quiche etc, but you do the burgers. Lidal or Aldie burgers are the best and brioche buns, with tomatoe, onion and or cheese choice and burger sauce or tomatoe sauce, they complete the burger themselves.

people below 40 years of age are happy to stand, generally, but chairs for the older ones, tables don’t matter. HTH, just make it fun.

Ooh been there! I’m too generous with my invites ahha (I love everyone haha).! Ask people to bring a camping chair if they have one is my immediate advice !!

Live music and 70 guests sounds amazing! You must have a gorgeous big garden.

Thats exactly what I do too - tell people to bring anything special that they’d like to drink but that I’ll have wine and lager. I’ve got a gazebo so all sorted for the weather but I am hopeful it’ll be nice again by then.

We tend to do the majority of the meat in the oven when we have a bbq. I usually do some chips in the air fryer. Get some shop bought coleslaw, throw a basic salad together with some lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. Get a couple of cheesecakes or something for dessert. We don’t have table space for everyone so people have to just have it on their laps and i usually have to ask some of our guests to bring their own chairs (usually people who I know have easily accessible outdoor chairs/transport to bring chairs). I usually tell people to bring their own drinks although I tell them we will have soft drinks, tea, coffee and usually wine/beer. People will just be happy to be there, don’t worry about the small stuff, people will adapt and make do.