11 Tips for Summer Grilling Parties
Grill Party
There are many books out there that help to advise you on how to grill up a better steak and to create your own juicy marinade.
This article is not designed to teach you how to cook up the juiciest burger, but instead it will allow you to have the best grilling experience regardless of your BBQ skill level.
1. Friends Grill
Whether you are an experienced griller or not it is prudent to allow your friends to do the grilling if they want to. You may grill better than them, but allow them to cook up the steak and burgers anyways. Its a BBQ designed to have fun and if they think they grill better then allow them to grill. It will also make your job much easier, especially if they do grill better than you. Open up a cold beer and encourage their grilling skills, even if they have none.
2. Experiment
Experiment with grilling new items. You may have had grilled shrimp or grilled pineapple before and really enjoyed it. Yes there is the optimal way to grill everything, but even if you screw up when grilling the pineapple it will still taste great. Feel free to experiment with grilling new foods, new marinades and new techniques. The more you experiment when you grill then the better you will become at grilling. Even the best backyard grillers in the World continually experiment with new ideas when grilling.
3. Social Event
When you have friends and family over for a BBQ, it is vital that you recognize that this is more of a social event then a Food Network Show. Yes you want to get the steaks cooked the way people like them, but you need to spend more time socializing with your friends then simply cooking away at the grill nonstop while seeking perfection in every cut of meat that gets slapped on your grill.
4. Shade
If you are grilling in your backyard on a warm summer day then it is vital that you have a shaded area fir your guests. If they are forced to sit directly in front of the hot sun they will eventually make their way into your air conditioned house and dirty up the carpet.
5. Beer
Beer and summer barbeques go together, however you do not want to go overboard on the beer. It is vital that you have enough beer for all the guests and to ensure that your beer stockpile does not get emptied; however if you get sloshed and totally drunk before you start grilling you might burn your wiener on the grill or even worse, burn your house down.
6. Vegetarians
If you have any vegetarian friends or family coming over then it is important that you cater to their needs. Yes you may be cooking up grilled pineapple slices, but the vegetarians will not eat these if they were cooked on the same grill that grilled up the meat products. Use a smaller and separate grill specifically for grilling up fruits and vegetables such as corn on the cob. Never use this smaller grill for anything but fruits and vegetables, not even a hot dog. If all of your friends and family are meat eaters then you do not have to worry about this tip.
7. Games
Make sure you have games available for your guests to play at your barbeque. You never want to force your guests to play a game, but you need to ensure that you have games available if they choose to play one. Your friends and family may like Horse Shoes, volleyball, or one of many different card games. Playing games at family barbeques can often keep the kids entertained while the adults socialize. One fun event for everyone is to hold a pie eating contest. No hands allowed!
8. Have Fun
One of the most overlooked aspects of organizing a grilling party is the fun factor. As the host of the barbeque you may get stressed out while trying to get all the food, cook all the food, and cater to each guest to make sure they are enjoying themselves. You need to split up some of the responsibility to make sure
9. Trash Cans
Seriously People, you need to have a couple of trash cans in your backyard that are easily accessible by your guests. This will help to make clean up much easier. Even your drunks guests will tend to throw their trash away as long as there is a trash can close by. If your guests have to go searching for a trash can they will tend to simply leave it on the table and gusts of wind will spread trash all over your yard.
10. Clean Up
Having trash cans will drastically help with the clean up. Another tip is to begin cleaning while your guests are still there. Some of them will offer to pitch in and help with the dishes and picking up trash. Allow them to help you clean up. Yes they are guests, but this helps to spread the responsibility around so that you also will be able to enjoy the barbeque and spend time socializing and catching up with your friends, families, and acquaintances.
11. Invite the Neighbors
Whether you are friendly with your neighbors or not does not matter. You should always invite the neighbors on either side of your home to your barbeque. Even if you do not yet know your neighbors you should invite them. If the noise gets a little out of hand it will be harder for them to call the police or complain if they are also at your barbeque drinking beer and carrying on!
By inviting your neighbors to your barbeque you will be enhancing the community by being nice, and this will pay off down the road when you need to borrow a power tool from them. If you do not get along with your neighbors, go ahead and invite them anyways. A new friendship may blossom.
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