Thoughts on my BBQ menu?

[bbqyonce]

I’m hosting my first ever bbq for my lovely neighbours this weekend (though I’ve been doing bbqs for dinner for a few months so I’m not a complete novice although still getting the hang of it to some extent). i am a competent & keen cook more generally though! But don’t want 100 things to do on the bbq as I’ll get overwhelmed lol.

one of my neighbours & I have a little competition going on, he’s a bit of a foodie (as am I). He’s v good at burgers, sausages etc etc so I want to go in a different direction. The other 2 neighbours are elderly & have a bit more plain tastes but they love chicken & prawns, and like trying new things. 2 of the 3 don’t like fatty meats and one thinks salad is boring but I’m gonna try & convert them.

So here’s what I’m thinking:

Nibbles (will mean I don’t feel like I have to rush the bbq stuff!)
Charcuterie
Olives
Crisps
Freshly baked baguette & sea salt butter
Whipped feta
Another cheese maybe?
Grapes?

BBQ
Reverse-seared sirloin
Garlic & herb butter spatchcock chicken
Garlic parsley butter king prawns
Parmesan corn on the cob

Sides
Crispy roast baby potatoes
Heritage tomato salad?
Charred asparagus, grilled peaches, burrata & crispy prosciutto
Chimichurri
Garlic butter

Does this sound good? Any tweaks/ suggestions?

They wanna bring the drinks/ pudding, but will make a jug of pimms maybe?

May I come to your BBQ please? It all sounds delicious.

What time? I’ll bring wine chocolate and flowers

On my way!

Sounds like there is something that will please everyone, and nothing too out there for the conservative attendees!. I’d cut out the bread and cheese to start and just do crisps and olives as you don’t want people to fill up too much (especially if people are making an effort to bring puddings). Remember the bowls of water for people to clean hands after the prawns! I don’t think you need to reverse sear the steak unless you like it very well done? I’ve done massive thick steaks on the bbq without needing to precook.

Me too!!! I’d love to be your neighbour!

I was going to get a big sirloin joint from the butchers , cook it v low in the oven until medium rareish (I have a thermometer) and then sear the outside quickly on the bbq? This is what ChatGPT said to do anyway & feels a lot less risky to me as a bbq novice but please tell me if that doesn’t sound right 😬

And yes you’re all welcome of course!!

Sounds bloody lovely op, I’m sure they’ll be delighted. Lucky neighbours !

Sounds really shit

It sounds lovely.
However id change the flavouring on the chicken or the prawns as its practically the same

Reverse searing is a waste of a good barbecue. You want the smokey flavours of the BBQ to infuse the meat, which won't happen when all you're doing is sealing the outside.

Menu looks good, although I think steaks always sound easy, but getting them perfect for everyone's taste is difficult. I am also a bit of a BBQ snob in that my heart sinks if I am invited to a BBQ and food comes out of the oven to be finished on the BBQ. Not bothered if it's gas or charcoal, but out of the oven is a no for me,

Sounds lovely, but I'm wondering if the sirloin sounds a bit risky and incredibly expensive so pressure to get it right.

I really like belly pork on the BBQ, cooks really well in strips about the size of a large sausage, tasty and far far cheaper than sirloin.

I copied a BBQ corn salad from a recent thread from here, it was sweetcorn, courgette, herbs, feta and lemon/olive oil, was lovely. But I've seen you've already got a sweetcorn dish.

Sorry, if you want to impress a little, do prawn lollipops where you intertwine two king prawns to make a round shape and then square them. Simple to do, easy to cook, and they look good if people haven't seen them before

What’s your door number?

I agree that the chicken and prawn dishes are too similar in flavour. Why not try a smoked paprika marinade on the prawns?

I agree with previous poster about the flavour of the chicken/prawns. They sound fantastic but id prefer some more flavours.

I would do a potato salad instead of the roast potatoes. I would also offer something like a simple fresh salsa made of chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, garlic, coriander and lime juice as a side.

Yeah, you don't have a barbecue and use the oven

I'd skip the sirloin. As it would be v expensive if it went wrong (or I'd experiment first on someone at home) . I'd do butterlied leg of lamb instead. Get the butcher to bone it, marinate it over night (garlic, oil, lemon,herbs) - wipe the oil off before it goes on the bbq - and then cook for 30 - for 40 minutes. Use a meat thermometer.

Then you'll get crispy well done bits and rare bits. It's very forgiving.

Watermelon, beer, wine. You dont need more cheese. Id consider swapping the whipped feta for grilled halumini.i agree swap rost potatoes for new potato salad. Soumds yum.

I would just cook it straight on the bbq. By precooking it in the oven, even with a thermometer, you risk overcooking it. The steak will carry on cooking due to the residual heat. You want to build up a nice crust on the bbq and let it rest for a lot longer than you think. You’ll also get a proper bbq flavour.

Also, you don’t want to be running back and forth to the kitchen all the time. The whole point for me of a bbq is to spend time outside with the guests in the sun with a glass of wine. I make the salads and dips, marinate the meat and fish, then set up a little table next to the bbq with the meat and fish, chopping board, thermometer, knife and serving plates. I refuse to use the oven on bbq days!

Heritage tomato salad?

I'd do a caprese salad but it all sounds lovely.

Maybe the elderly neighbours want more than ‘plain’ food…they have taste buds too!
And … to start the pile on… what do you call elderly??

Sounds like you are really putting some effort - and expense - in but just double check everyone attending likes garlic.

I personally hate the stuff - can't eat anything that has been near it 🤮 - and, if you are cooking on the BBQ with garlic, the taste will transfer to everything else.