To pre cook BBQ food

[fannyanddick]

Having lots of people for a BBQ on sat. Can I cook all the sausages etc in the oven/fry on Friday and then bung on the BBQ to heat on sat? Or will that taste rubbish? Any other ideas of how to feed all quickly?

They won't taste right - will be like eating rubber.

Just get them started on the bbq as soon as people come in & have other things such as salads etc for them to eat.

I always start things like big (long time to cook through) sausages in the oven, but right before the BBQ, not the day prior.

You could do it on the day, but not the day before - it'll taste rubbery and not pleasant.

The best thing to do would be to put salads/starters out - potato/pasta salad, corn on the cob etc. for people to eat while the meat is cooking.

Or just say food available from X time

We don't ever have people turn up to a bbq and expect to eat immediately.

We normally put out nibbles and drinks and stuff so people can chat, relax, play games etc and when the food is cooked the sales, rolls, sides etc get brought out/opened and people then eat their main meal.

Start the bbq before so it's hot.

Then you can cook the right amount of food.# or at least have a better idea of who needs feeding. Don't want to prevent cater for 30 and only have 20 turn up.

Plus then men folk get to play with then bbq and discuss fire and caveman things

Just put out salads and nibbles and cook sausages fresh they won't take that long.

We usually put chicken in the oven on a low heat for a bit then finish off on the Bbq

If you wanted to speed things up then you can prepare a fair bit. Marinade the meats and make the burgers up (if you are making yourself) And the salads.

Things like steaks should be pulled out the fridge a couple if hours before to bring up to room.temp and they will cook really quickly.

I'd pre cook the meat but just before the bbq- then put it on the bbq to finish it off. You could do several different marinades etc and they really won't need long on the bbq as they're already cooked. Have plenty of salads, cous cous etc etc laid out.

Don't cook the meat the night before, but so 100% cook the sausages for 20 mins in the oven and just finish on the BBQ.

Buy loads of disposable baking trays too.

It's so much quicker, you get the same flavour and you don't end up with burnt/raw and you have less chance of giving everyone food poisoning.

Do have out crisps and dips and nibbles for people to snack on :-)

Thanks everyone for the tips. I think you're all right and I wasn't thinking straight. I ordered all the meat to come tomorrow so I could start cooking Friday....but it's ok. It'll last till sat.

Also I have
Sausages
Burgers
Chicken drumsticks
Chicken thighs
Ribs
Lamb chop
Chipolatas

Which can go in the oven first and for how long?
What order should i cook/serve the food?

Ribs would be better cooked slowly.

I know this isn't helpful, but I hate the term 'pre cook' irrationally. It's something my MIL refers to and loves....

Boil the sausages and chicken first (before marinading the chicken of course) and then brown them off on the bbq. They will be cooked through already and no need to worry about burnt outsides/undercooked insides but you still get the lovely bbq flavour. Trust me the meat turns out beautifully if you cook it this way. Do it every time we have a Bbq.

Boil the sausages?

Did you get it from a supermarket? If so the meat packs will have cooking instructions.

I'd say 20 mins at 180 for sausages (then 5 on the BBQ) 30 mins for chicken, 15 for th chipolatas but check pack cooking time cos mine said they needdd the same as the normal sausages.

Burgers just do on the BBQ turning frequently.

Not sure about ribs or lamb chop!

We boiled sausages to take on cub Camp (so as not to poison the kids on the mornings) and just reheated on the pan. They worked out ok but were noticeably different.

When we do a BBQ we always precook then heat up before hand some really nice sides

*baby boiled potatoes roasted and covered in garlic butter
*mexican rice
*egg salad
*chicken wings
*coleslaw

What's with all the boiling of sausages?? Surely you do them in the oven or under the grill?

I know BBQ is all about the meat but some great sides can make it even better. I hate when you go to a BBQ and you literally get a burger and that's it

I would do:
Ribs- marinate them today (Jamie does a nice bbq marinade)Cook them for a long time on the morning of the bbq. I think they're fine straight from the oven so wouldn't bother bbqing them at all.
Chicken- I'd do one tandoori marinade and one lemon and herb. Cook then for 45 minutes-an hour in oven so they're cooked through and finished them on the bbq
Sausages and burgers- oven cook for 30 minutes and finish on the bbq
Lamb chops- straight on to bbq. But I don't mind them a bit rare.

Then on the table some salad, tzatziki, cous cous, boiled potatoes, flat breads and a selection of sauces(depending on how many you're feeding). In our house no one expects everything to be ready at once at at bbq so you might get a burger, then a while later a chop and salad, then go back for a tandoori chicken and salad wrap.

Boiling the sausages and chicken first really does work. Much better than grilling or frying before bunging on the bbq as the meat does not dry out at all. I know it sounds weird but I have done this many times.

Grim - don't boil things!! Start things in the oven first and remember a BBQ retains heat loads longer than you think so best to light it early.

Nan dos boil chicken and I re mambo going once and seeing these floating bags of chicken in a water bath and it put me off! It does keep the meat tender though.

Best things I've ever had on a bbq were whole sardines and whole corn on the cob. Really good.

I'm literally feeling sick at the thought of a pan of boiling sausages and chicken