Planning the Perfect Barbecue
With the beautiful spring weather on its way, your Big Green Egg cooker is just waiting for your throw off the cover and host a weekend barbecue (sometimes spelled barbeque or BBQ)! Invite your neighbors and friends for a barbecue that they will never forget. Use our six tips below to throw the perfect barbecue.
Remember Tableware
Too many people forget plates, cups, forks, etc. when planning their outdoor get together. Make sure that you have plenty of tableware by buying in bulk, instead of getting exactly what you need for the event. You probably will throw a barbecue later on in the season, and you will thank yourself for already having plastic and paper goods on hand.
Get RSVP’s
Even though it seems a little annoying, get RSVP’s from your guests. That way you can plan to buy enough meat, chips, sodas, etc. to make your party perfect. As a general rule, you should buy 2 pounds of ice, 6-8 oz of meat per guest (1-2 patties), plenty of ketchup and other condiments, 3-5 drinks per person (including water), and ½ cup to 1 cup of each side dish for each guest. It is ok if you end up with more meat, as you can freeze it for the next event.
Plan Activities
Although it sounds silly to have a game of cornhole ready for your guests, but you would be surprised at easily your guests can become bored. As you are cooking the food, make sure that you have plenty of activities to do. If you have a pool, make sure that it is open and ready for swimming, put out a game of cornhole, bocce, croquet, or another family favorite lawn game. Have something for the kids to do as well. Even something as simple as a slip n’ slide or arts and crafts table should be sufficient.
Offer Desert
Meat can cook up quite the bill — so tell your guests to save some room for dessert instead! Ice cream, popsicles, brownies, and cakes are all favorites. The nice thing about dessert, is that it costs much less than meat, so you can save a bit on your food bill by bringing dessert to the event.
Overstock the Buns
Nothing is more frustrating than running out of hot dog or hamburger buns halfway through a barbecue. Always plan for extras in case one gets dropped or destroyed. Extra buns can be frozen, used for grilled cheese, in sloppy joes, and more. Plan to have 5% extra buns on hand in case of emergency.
