Is this enough food for a barbecue?

[Theresip]

I’m having a barbecue for 24 people on Saturday. I haven’t hosted for this many before so can I check with those if you who are more experienced whether this is the right amount of food?

On the barbecue:

24 burgers
24 hot dogs

Prepared in advance and served cold:

50 buns
A large gammon joint
15 barbecue chicken drumsticks
15 plain drumsticks
A potato salad with lemon and garlic
Homemade coleslaw
A Caesar salad
Another type of vegan salad

Then for people arriving I’ll have a cheeseboard, crisps, dips, and sweets out.

Is it enough? Should I add a pasta salad?

For a true MN approved BBQ, you need a hundred home made organic burgers. Butchers sausages. Home made bread rolls. A whole salmon. Several massive salads, home grown veg skewers.

I’d prefer to do a leg of lamb, salmon and prawns, but I know my guests will want the traditional barbecue burgers.

I just prefer not to eat eyelids and bum holes, that’s all 😁.
I generally try to buy good quality, high welfare, organic meat, it’s just personal preference. I haven’t had a hot dog sausage since I was a child at a party and I didn’t like it, so just haven’t bothered since.

And enough of every item that everyone can have two, whether they want them or not.

You’re not coming, so that’s fine.

Well it's sounding less like a BBQ every minute. No need to relight you just keep it going and chuck stuff on periodically.

I also wasn’t actually talking to you in that post, I was talking to another poster!
I actually defended your menu earlier 🤷🏻‍♀️, I think a gammon sounds nice.

How do you keep it hot without relighting it, exactly?

My chef husband says you have enough food and a good variety.

me, I think you need more burgers.

we both think you should have proper butchers sausages.

Have you used a bbq before?

It should stay hot without any tinkering for at least an hour if you use plenty of charcoal. After that, if you want it to go for a bit longer, lift up the grill and chuck some more charcoal on while the remaining coals are still glowing. You can also add a firelighter or two if you want to be sure it all burns OK.

Oh shush!

I think you’ll find what happens is that people have 2/3 burgers or hotdogs and don’t necessarily have any of the other stuff. I just think some people especially men seem to think a BBQ is just an excuse to eat a mixed grill lol. I don’t envy you, maybe get a pack of frozen ones to chuck on in case of emergency?

Unless you have a gas bbq?

Please, enlighten me. How do you keep it hot for hours without relighting it?

Ok no worries I was just suggesting. I know I don’t eat red meat but I’d eat the drumsticks. Another option I do is charcuterie boards … lots of olives, meats, cheeses , dips etc humus.

My husband for a bbq , would eat 2 burgers and 2 sausages and loads and go back for more later. In a normal meal he wouldn’t do this! But BBQs are different so I was basing my comment on him. He’s not overweight or anything- far from it but I think it’s the bbq vibe to eat lots

Seriously? I assumed charcoal but is it a gas bbq?

🤣 yeah it's fair to shush me after that comment 😜
But would you not rather have some salmon or a leg of lamb than a tinned sausage?!

Put enough charcoal on so it doesn't go out. Top up the charcoal if necessary.

Yes, and it will make use of lighting the BBQ!

You will have lots left! It’s too hot to eat much but what you are preparing sounds lovely. We had a barbecue for 40 people on Sunday and catered for a burger and a sausage each, plus lots of salad, and we had 20 uncooked burgers and 25 sausages left. Plus enough salad for lunch and dinner for four people for two days!

It’s a BBQ not a high end restaurant

Yeah I know. But you still want it to be nice!

This sounds like the legendary mumsnet chicken! So half of your guest ate one burger or one sausage only?

You’ve asked for peoples opinions and anyone who has said you don’t have enough (the majority) you have argued with. Why ask in the first place?

if it was me I would have atleast 30 burgers and 30 sausages (not hotdogs) you don’t have to cook them all. I would ditch the gammon because you need a knife and fork to eat it (unless you are cutting it into tiny bits) and I would do a pasta salad or two.