BBQ etiquette (whose BU me or him)

[MrMrsJones]

Having a light hearted discussion about this afternoons BBQ. 18 family members coming

YANBU My world - over the period of the afternoon, we cook the food on the BBq, it doesn't really matter who takes a turn to help cook as long as someone is there. We cook say burgers and when they are ready, people come and get one or not, then say belly pork or sausages or a mixture of different things. We graze over the afternoon.

YABU His world - all food is cooked, put in the hostess trolley (it was his mums) then we all eat together.

So cast your vote

Your way is why I hate BBQs!

Sitting around waiting for 1 or 2 burgers to be ready then doing the polite ‘no, you have that one, I’m happy to wait for the hotdogs’

Starving, picking at tortilla chips wondering where in the pecking order you might be of receiving the food.

Cook loads, have it out for people to help themselves and cook more if needed.

And definitely use the hostess trolley! I loved my nan’s and wish I’d kept it.

His sort of Texas BBQ / Abigail's Party fusion is a one off I think!

I guess with the hostess trolley and one cook, it ensures quality control of the food

YANBU - with the proviso that you have lots of food available at all times so you’re not all waiting for the same 4 burgers.

No...

Any good barbecue host has the first course ready in a timely fashion. Why on earth would you only cook one or two burgers at a time??

You cook all the burgers together. Anyone who doesn’t want a burger eats salads (always more than 1 option, ideally 3)/crusty bread and some kind of topping (pâté or cheese)/crudités and dips/nibbles/whatever else in the meantime.

No one ever starves at a good picnic

An even better host cooks several things at once, or at least two. 10-12 burgers, let’s say, plus chicken, plus sausages, plus steak. That way people can pick and choose and there’s plenty of options for everyone.

You do need a big barbecue to facilitate that, tbf.

I have a hostess trolley. It wouldn’t have crossed my mind to do this. Prefer my bbq food freshly cooked.

(Meant less of each of the options mind - not cooking everything at once in one go which is OP’s DH’s take on it. Don’t like that as the meat sits and gets a bit nasty waiting for everyone to get around to each option.)

Your way. I was once at a BBQ where they did it his way and it was fraught.

Oh my word I said picnic in there - picnics on my mind as I’m multi-tasking and looking at picnic ware! Although tbf no one should starve at a good picnic either.

I’m not a big fan of grazing but with that number that’s what I’d do

I’m hungry now, btw. Very and and that I don’t get to have a barbecue today.

Also just realised that 10-12 burgers in my world woułd actually be 20-24 burgers at a normal bbq, as I have a thing about offering enough for double patties per burger.

I can’t do ungenerous hosting, it really stresses me out. Comes from being a very big family I think.

Oh @MrMrsJones you have really messed up my day as now I can think of nothing else but BBQ!!

Open house, come on in

He is loving the sarcasm

We don’t have a hostess trolley, but all the food gets cooked at once usually. That way we can all sit down and eat together instead of up and down. It’s easier with toddler as well. Plus I want all the elements of a meal ready at once.

Bbq Easter Sunday. Chicken thighs, spices sausage, corn, baked new potatoes, asparagus. Will all be added so ready at same time ie potatoes in foil added first, asparagus last. All added onto large platters in the middle of the table for everyone to then eat.

Il put the lid on the bbq, and cook desert on it afterwards if having grilled peaches etc in summer.

@WirlyWillowtree

I have a hostess trolley. It wouldn’t have crossed my mind to do this. Prefer my bbq food freshly cooked.

Exactly!

The thought of food sitting, sweating away, in a heated cupboard and being expected to eat it makes me feel quite I’ll.

@Caspianberg that’s a perfectly good option too! I do barbecues that way if I’m serving it as an actual meal (e.g one meat course rather than a variety of things).

*ill not I’ll

No right no wrong as long as no one is hungry . We usually do it all together but definitely no hostess trolley

Do warn DH not to put the ice sculpture of the swan too near the BBQ.
We made that error and the heat melted it so it looked like a dead elephant at a water hole by the time we were all 'gonged' to come and eat.

I'm with you.

Use the hostess trolley for drinks.

Surely the whole point of the BBQ is the cooking of the food over the afternoon, evening.

@Anotherpassengerwantstogetoff it needs to be done right, as with anything to do with food! Many food items sit and wait in restaurants too (even top quality) and as long as it’s done well it’ll still be excellent to eat.

I accept that many people won’t use it properly, tbf.

lol, "light hearted discussion". that would absolutely not be the state of affairs in my house if I was having 18 people round for a BBQ later. You're a better woman than me!

I've done both. Your option is definitely easier and surely what people expect at a BBQ? Probably no right or wrong but I vote for your way.