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?

I agree, it is not enough. Even with the predicted 10% drop out on the day factored in, People tend to turn up for casual dining more often than formal dining too.

I think you have enough burgers. Maybe do extra sausages - lots of people prefer to eat them without bread so can eat multiple sausages whereas they are unlikely to have multiple burgers.

I wouldn't do the gammon, and instead of chicken drumsticks would spatchcock a couple of chickens and do one with a jerk marinade and one lemon and herb. I also love bbq veg - courgettes/peppers/aubergines all piled up on labneh with herbs scattered on top.

What a great contribution!

I have changed from the gammon to pulled pork, am adding extra burgers, and am doing a Caprese instead of a Caesar, and adding nachos. Perhaps start reading more slowly? There’s no need to get angry over a barbecue food thread.

Not enough food.

You don’t need that many buns - many people only have one for the burger, or not at all to save room. You need more chicken if you’re intent on doing chicken (it can be slimy on the bbq).

The gammon is a bit odd - I would do a side of salmon in foil instead.

You need at least two more side dishes and something like halloumi or vegetable kebabs.

I have never ran out of food, I am terrible for over-catering and loads being completely wasted. Hopefully I’ll strike it right this time.

I’m just very aware that people will expect burgers. I don’t want disappointed guests.

Surely you’d expect burgers and sausages at a barbecue though and would either eat beforehand or bring something you liked to be ‘polite’, but really so there was something you liked?

I'd not expect burgers and sausages these days. Times have changed - who eats processed meat nowadays?

I think I’ll add the vegetable skewers.

And in my experience blokes eat loads at a BBQ!

We must be in different parts of the country. I have never been to a barbecue with burgers and sausages.

I went to one without burgers the other week and it was odd!

Most people attending a barbecue do 😂

I am sure you wish you had never asked op!
It is better than running out and seeing crestfallen faces. I wouldn't worry about those that are on MJ and nurse a prawn all evening, many will adore lots of meat and lashings of cheese.

I marvel at all the people who don’t think that a burger, salad and sides is a full meal and want to pile on loads more meat. I thought your original plan sounded fine OP, and a good level of catering. You can’t please everyone but even if I was one of the hideously fussy people, I would be self aware enough to know that was my problem and still be appreciative of the hosts generosity in putting on a spread!

I’ll be interested to see how much food you have left over - I predict loads!

I think that's plenty! My husband always goes overboard and we have so much left over! I think our friends prefer to drink than eat a lot haha

well I’d have eaten lunch but your event is for arriving at 4 for presumably an evening meal so I’d have lunch and then come ready to eat dinner.
I’m not surprised to see burgers and sausages at bbqs, they don’t always feature at ones we host or ones we attend, I don’t like meat that’s been processed in that way (minced and reconstituted) so don’t eat it myself but I wouldn’t expect anyone else to care about that!
I always ask what I can bring and am usually asked to bring some salads or puddings. I’m a polite guest and would eat what I fancied and leave and eat properly when I got home if I were still hungry.

It doesn’t sound like a lot of food, or very exciting, I’m afraid. But you’ll of course know your guests better than us and what sort of food they like. It sounds simple/manageable if you are the only host and plan on being sociable and not being stuck to the bbq all afternoon/evening, and if the food is the backdrop to the social event, rather than the main event.

Bin off the cold drumsticks! Gammon seems an odd choice to me but I understand your reasoning. I like gammon and salad, just not at a bbq. Rolls for the gammon mentioned earlier sounds good though so I could be tempted! Something with flavour would be good - minted lamb kebabs, marinated wings or pork belly etc.

A pesto pasta (using a tub of fresh pesto not jarred) with chopped tomatoes and cucumber and a tin of sweetcorn mixed in always goes down well.

@Theresip
I am not a fan of pasta salad so would say if you have potato salad that is enough mayo based salad.
Corn on the cob are easy and can be boiled in advance then quickly charred.
Maybe some veg on a skewer like peppers, mushrooms, onions, aubergine (can always do in oven)
Instead of gammon why not do some pulled pork? Make is in advance in pressure cooker slow cooker- people put it on their burgers.
Also maker sure you have plenty of bacon, cheese, gherkins etc to put on burgers
Garlic bread?
Easy premade cold sweets that I am doing this weekend for my BBQ are a raspberry tart and a tiramisu (both can either be made in advance or assembled in advance)
Do not know how many kids will attend but ice lollys like magnum things go well
Have a great time hope this helps

One easy add one that tends to go down well with our crowd is oven wedges :) that's if you did fancy adding something extra but I think its plenty! Also good for vegans

I’d definitely up the burgers and sausages as I suspect a lot of people won’t want the cold chicken and gammon (or pulled pork, but hopefully that would be served hot). They’ll prefer what’s hot off of the BBQ. Can you stick the drumsticks in a slow cooker to keep them warm? That would help.

No that's not enough
With 24 people you need 30-36 of each item because some people will take two. If you buy 24 burgers then there will be X people who want 2 and X people who get zero.

Plan for leftovers, and overcater.

Think it is a shame not to do the gammon it will keep cook it in coke or Diet Coke and it is delicious. People don’t tend to do it nowadays maybe just at Christmas so will be a lovely treat especially for those who don’t like a B B Q

But there’ll be people who want zero surely? I will get a few extra just in case but I honestly can’t see 30 of each being eaten.

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