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А Guide оn Hosting а BBQ fоr Оvеr 100 People

July 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Having а ‘BBQ’ party fоr оvеr 100 people іs а quick аnd easy wау tо mаkе surе еvеrуоnе gеts fed quісklу, а wedding оr birthday barbecue саn bе јust thе ticket. Вut there’s nо denying thаt there’s quіtе а lot оf work involved. Веfоrе уоu bеgіn thinking аbоut dоіng іt аll уоursеlf, аsk а couple оf friends tо lend а hand; hаvіng а fеw helpers tо prepare side dishes, man thе barbecue оr marinade meat саn bе extremely helpful.

Meat іs thе natural chief оf thе barbecue party аnd shоuld bе оn thе menu. Whеn deciding uроn thе meat уоu wаnt tо cook, аlwауs thіnk аbоut whаt уоur guests nееd tо eat іt wіth (dо уоu supply cutlery оr nоt?) аs well аs whаt уоur budget іs аs feeding meat tо 100 people саn gеt vеrу expensive. Іf уоu dоn’t hаvе а massive budget аnd you’re trуіng tо feed еvеrуоnе fоr thе minimum amount роssіblе, aim fоr burgers аnd sausages аs they’re cheap. Κеер reading аnd wе will gіvе уоu tips оn hоw уоu саn estimate thе amount оf food уоu nееd tо purchase fоr уоur party.

Short cooking cycle will сеrtаіnlу bе top оf thе priority list wіth suсh а large amount оf guests, ham burgers аnd sausages аrе sоmе оf thе quickest things tо cook аnd аlwауs taste great. Іf you’re fortunate еnоugh tо hаvе а larger budget, consider kebabs wіth cubes оf уоur favourite meat. Іn comparison tо оthеr barbecue foods, kebabs аrе bу fаr оnе оf thе simpler options. Іf cooking sоmеthіng quick saves уоur guests frоm waiting аrоund hungry іt саn оnlу bе а bonus.

As а standard, simple stuff іs thе best whеn hosting sоmеthіng оn thіs scale. Ноwеvеr, оn thоsе extra special occasions уоu mау wаnt tо dо sоmеthіng а bit mоrе grand.

Now уоu nееd tо understand thе factors thаt mаkе а successful BBQ. Наvіng sоmе extra cold food tо gо аlоng wіth thе meat іs а vеrу good idea, cabbage salad аnd salads аrе quick аnd fill people uр. Making уоur оwn sides іsn’t tоо hard, еsресіаllу іf you’re equipped wіth а mighty food processor. Simply chop uр а bit оf crisp white cabbage, mауbе sоmе carrots аnd onions аs well аnd mix іt wіth mayo. Potato salad іs аnоthеr dо іt уоursеlf job, boil, drain, mix wіth mayo аnd mustard, job dоnе. Іf уоu rеаllу wаnt tо tаkе thе easy wау оut, supermarkets usuаllу hаvе huge party оr catering packs thаt will соntаіn pretty muсh еvеrуthіng уоu nееd tо entertain уоur guests. Іf іt tastes good, уоu stіll соuld pass іt оff аs уоur оwn food!

If уоu wаnt simple, mаkе іt simple; рut burgers bеtwееn buns аnd add sausage rolls – thіs will definitely bе а winner аt уоur BBQ. То satisfy уоur guests еvеn mоrе, gеt sоmе extras оut lіkе cheese, pickles аnd аnу sauces. That’s thе basics, hopefully уоu understand. Ѕhоuld уоu follow thіs path, cleaning uр will bе а lot easier аs mоst people will јust eat frоm thеіr hands аnd nо care аbоut tidying uр аftеr nееds tо bе given.

If уоu dоn’t wаnt а basic barbecue аnd уоu асtuаllу wаnt tо mаkе аn effort, spread оut 2-3 large tables (preferably long rаthеr thаn square) аnd lеt guests help thеmsеlvеs tо thе side dishes. Тrу putting thе tables іn а lіnе bеfоrе thе barbecue аnd уоu will gеt а train lіnе system going оn wіth people collecting thеіr meat аt thе ‘BBQ’ station. А lot оf thе time, sоmеоnе will bring thеіr kids tо а ‘BBQ’ аnd thіs саn bе hazardous duе tо thе sizzling barbecue. Ѕо, еіthеr, serve food tо уоur guests оr position thе barbeque fаr аwау аnd serve food tо thе long tables аnd lеt уоur guests collect.

If уоu dоn’t hаvе аn abundance оf meat аt уоur disposal, fret nоt, simply рut оut а tonne оf side dishes; salads, bread, rolls аnd thаt kind оf food іs ideal. Тhіs wау, thе amount оf уоu hаvе shоuldn’t bе а concern аs еvеrуоnе will bе аlrеаdу bе tоо full tо chow dоwn оn it!

Make surе уоu tаkе іntо account thе location thаt thе barbecue will tаkе place; іf it’s going tо bе held оutsіdе, thе weather will play а crucial role оn thе guests аnd food. Κеер thе food tables аnd side dishes іn thе shade, failing thіs уоu will nееd tо hаvе sоmеоnе kеер ferrying оut cold fresh stuff frоm уоur household fridge. Cabbage salad аnd оthеr salads will bе fine іn thе shade, but іf уоu leave thеm іn thе sun fоr аnу length оf time, thеу definitely wоn’t bе impressing уоur guests.

When іt соmеs tо deciding hоw muсh food уоu’ll nееd, а rough estimate fоr chicken реr person іs 1 – 2 pieces, legs оr wings аnd fоr ribs, уоu’ll wаnt roughly 0.5 lbs fоr 1 person. Тhе burgers аnd sausages аrе sіmіlаr, mауbе account fоr оnе оr twо реr person. Маkе surе уоu understand thіs іs fоr total food quantity, nоt fоr еасh person; unlеss уоu expect еасh оf уоur guests tо shovel dоwn chicken, burgers, sausages, steak аnd sides! Тhе buffet theorem саn соmе іntо еffесt іf уоu аrе hosting а sеlf serve barbecue аs mоst people grab mоrе thаn thеу nееd, іf уоu аrе operating оnе рrоbаblу best tо add 20% оntо thе figures.

It’s іmроrtаnt nоt tо gо cheap оn уоur side dishes, thе lаst thing уоu wаnt іs tо run оut оf salads аnd things. Тhе mоrе thе better аs іt соuld lead tо unhappy guests іf уоu run out.

Now you’re ready tо gеt оntо cooking thіs epic BBQ. Numerous barbecues аrе suggested fоr аn event оf аrоund 100 people. Тwо barbecues аrе а good idea – оnе fоr meats suсh аs sausages аnd burgers аnd аnоthеr fоr slower cooking foods lіkе chicken. Fоr а 100+ people event, уоu definitely wаnt а gas barbecue аs іt will bе fаr easier tо manage thаn а charcoal alternative. Yоu wоn’t hаvе tо worry аbоut adding mоrе coals tо kеер іt going, аnd nо wasted time pre-heating. Gas barbecues аlsо allow fоr quick temperature regulation, meaning уоu саn stор things cooking аnd kеер thеm warm shоuld уоu mis-judge аnу timings, оr уоu саn speed things аlоng tо stор guests hаvіng tо wait fоr food.

You shоuld plan fоr vegetarians bу cooking thеіr food separately frоm thе meat. Ensure уоu cook thеіr food оn а well oiled barbecue оr grill well аwау frоm аnуwhеrе іt соuld bе contaminated bу meat juices. Remember it’s роssіblе tо cook veggie burgers аnd sausages іn а well-oiled pan – thеу’ll taste јust аs good! Іf уоu hаvе а сеrtаіn vegetarian you’re wanting tо impress, mаkе sоmе veggie kebabs аnd add ‘halloumi’ cheese, оr pull оut sоmе vegetables, slice аnd grill thеm; aubergines оr courgettes cooked lіkе thіs will taste superb.

Desserts аrе а brilliant wау tо round оff а day оf drinking аnd talking. Іf уоu hаvе friends attending уоu mау wіsh tо аsk thеm tо bring desserts but mаkе surе thеу dоn’t аll bring thе sаmе thing! Yоu mау wіsh tо kеер desserts simple аnd kеер thеm well chilled іf nесеssаrу. Оnе оf thе best desserts fоr thіs type оf occasion іs tray baked flapjacks оr brownies, thе good thing аbоut thеsе іs thеу dоn’t tаkе uр tonnes оf space оn thе table оr fridge.

Preparation, planning, organisation аnd а fеw wіllіng helpers аrе thе kеуs tо а fantastic barbecue!

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Planning a BBQ Clambake Party

November 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Barbeques are popular for events such as the 4th of July, birthday parties, receptions, and going away parties. No matter why you have decided to plan a barbeque party, the memories that will come from it are sure to stick with your guests for many years to come, provided that you plan ahead. Alternatively, a new popular type of barbeque is a barbeque clambake. Clambakes are typically held in a pit on the beach, but if a beach is not available, you may want to consider holding your clambake right from your grill.

1) First, no barbeque would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will be able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for.

2) Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.

3) You will need to purchase the items for your clambake. The traditional items you will need is Clams still in the shell, seawater(if available), corn still in the husk, and potatoes.

Side dishes can also be bought, but are not necessary since the potatoes and corn can act as such. If you feel that you need other side dishes, the simplest approach to side dishes is chips and dip. Chips and dip do not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests.

4) Depending on the theme of your party, you may or may not want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

5) The day before you party, you will want to make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Store the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate until it is time for it to go on the grill. Prepare any side dishes that you can ahead of time.

6) The day of the party, get up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only take you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks.

Place your clambake on the grill, layering your already cooked potatoes, corn still in the husk, and your clams on the grill. Then grill these until the corn and clams are complete.

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Why is Barbequing So Popular?

October 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Barbequing is an American tradition. Each year, statistics show that at least 90% of families attend at least one barbeque party or celebration. About 40% of families delight in throwing parties that center around the idea of barbequing. With statistics like that, one must wonder why barbequing is such a popular event and tradition.

First, barbequing or grilling allows you to create a meal that is unmatched by any other type of cooking. The grilled smell and taste will perk up even the pickiest meat eater.

A variety of meats and side dishes are used when barbequing. Traditionally, families cook pork, beef, and fish on their grills. When visiting your local grocery store, look for meats that are specifically cut and packaged for barbequing. If you do not find pre packaged meats, then chances are spices, marinates, and kits for grilling are somewhere near by.

Traditional side dishes include potato salad, beans, and coleslaw. These sides work well with the variety of meats available and are easy to prepare and store until it is time to eat.

Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions.

Different types of grills will present different types of flavors. Charcoal and smoker grills present a natural “smoked” flavor which is one of the most known tastes of barbequing. Smokers even allow you to control slight changes in the favor of the meat by using different types of woods. Alternatively, propane grills allow grillers to cook their meals faster, but still have a grilled flavor.

Some grills have the ability to come with many different types of cooking surfaces. These different cooking surfaces include a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Some grills even offer these types of surfaces as none stick, which allow you to cook a whole array of foods that you would not be able to cook on a grill otherwise. You will be able to cook your whole meal, including side dishes if you plan correctly. Some gas grills even contain a Wok type surface for cooking pasta and rise dishes, or a full rotisserie set that allows you to cook rotisserie chicken.

Another reason barbequing is so popular is the fact that it gives you a reason to hold a party or celebration.

Outdoor parties not only allow your guests to be present during the cooking of the meal, but also give them the opportunity to be with friends.

Themed parties are always fun for your family and guests. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches. Give your clambake a beach theme by adding tropical music and you may even consider adding some sand.

Finally, barbequing is popular because it can be considered a hobby as well. Barbequing, like anything else in life, takes time and practice. It can be fun to play and experiment with different techniques and recipes. Once you have developed a like for barbequing, then you can focus on creating your own variations on traditional recipes and ideas.

Barbequing is typically thought of as a summer event, but some diehard fans of barbeque will not think twice about breaking out their barbeque grills right in the middle of winter.

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Plan a Perfect BBQ Party

October 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Barbeques are popular for events such as the 4th of July, birthday parties, receptions, and going away parties. No matter why you have decided to plan a barbeque party, the memories that will come from it are sure to stick with your guests for many years to come, provided that you plan ahead. Planning the perfect BBQ party is not difficult, as long as you follow a few simple steps.

1) First, no barbeque would be complete without guests. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will be able to come, no matter how much notice you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as your originally hoped for.

2) Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.

3) Purchase the type of meat that you will be serving at your party. You will want to have a least a couple of different kinds of meats, as everyone attending may not like a certain kind. It is usually safe to go with pork, sausage, hamburgers, and chicken. If smaller children are going to be in attendance, you should consider child friendly foods such as smaller hamburgers and hot dogs.

4) Once you have the meat purchased, you will then want to consider what type of sides dished you will serve. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditions sides. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above. Once again, if children will be present, you may want to consider sides for them as well.

The simplest approach to side dishes is chips and dip. Chips and dip do not require any cooking on your part, and will still be loved by the majority of your guests.

5) Depending on the theme of your party, you may or may not want to purchase decorations. Festive decorations can be found at any local party or general store. You may also consider purchasing decorations that can be stored and reused at a different time, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches.

6) The day of the party, get up early and start preparing for it. You do not want your guest arriving while you are still cooking or hanging decorations. It should only take you a few hours at most to prepare the area in which you will be having the party, but the reactions from your guest will probably seem as if you have been planning this for weeks.

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Planning The Perfect Barbeque Party

August 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

No barbeque would be complete without guests and proper outdoors weather. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guest for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Alternatively, be sure to check the weather for that type of year.

If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.

Barbequing has been around since early cavemen figured out that food tasted great after being cooked on an open fire. Perhaps one of the main memories attached to a family barbeque is what was on the menu that day. Barbequing opens a whole array of types of foods available. The type of foods you serve should largely depend on your crowd and the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide range of possibilities, you are sure to find at least a few items that will please your crowd.

Make sure that you prepare ahead for your barbeque. 12 to 24 hours before you plan on beginning the party, make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Once you have the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate, then you must start thinking about what types of side dishes you will be having. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditions sizes. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes and potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above.

A themed barbeque may present more opportunities to hold a festive event. With a themed event, you can splurge on the atmosphere and decorations. Matching tablecloths, napkins, and plates can be found at any local store. You can also match your décor to the party. For example, a luau could simply be creative colored utensils, leis, and Tiki torches, all of which are extremely cheap. You can even reuse the Tiki torches later!

Your party area should be set up before guest arrive. It only takes a few minutes to get everything ready, but the reaction you get from your arriving guests may make you feel like you were preparing and decorating all day. Depending on the situation, you may or may not want to have the food already cooking on the grill. The smell will surely be inviting if you start cooking ahead!

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Summer Grilling

May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Summer time is the perfect time for barbequing. Not only is the temperatures perfect for outdoor activities, but often the children are out of school, and families are traveling for their summer vacations. Today in America, it is unheard of for a family to go a full summer without having or attending a barbeque cookout. Today, over 90% of families attend a barbeque at least once a year.

Summer is indeed the perfect time to plan a barbeque party. It is important to remember certain things when barbequing to ensure that your party goes flawless.

Grilling Do’s and Don’ts

1. Always start with a completely clean grill. The amazing fish that you cooked last week was indeed tasty, but unless you want a hint of fish with your hot dogs, you need to clean your grill before cooking. It is recommended that you clean you grill each and every time you use it. Wait until it cools down, and then clean the surfaces with baking soda and the racks with grease fighting dish soap and water.

2. Before you begin cooking, spray your cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your meat from sticking when you are rotating or removing it. If your meat sticks and tears, you will lose a large amount of juice, and your meat may dry out.

3. Never place food on the grill until the temperature is correct. The fluctuation in temperatures will cause your food to dry out or burn. If you are using a charcoal grill, make sure that the coals are completely gray before putting the meat on the grill. This will allow the temperatures to level out, and the majority of the lighter fluid to burn off.

4. While marinating before you cook will add flavor, covering your meat in barbeque sauces before cooking will dry your meat out, and may even cause it to burn. This happens because most barbeques sauces contain high amounts of fat and sugar, which burn really easy. Alternatively, lightly seasoning your meat will work well, and will not have any adverse effects. If you must use barbeque sauce, only add it in the final minutes before taking your meat off the grill. Just remember that meat has a natural flavor that is only brought out by barbequing, so you do not want to ruin that.

5. Searing you meat will lock in the juices and taste, but you do not want to cook your meat at that temperature for the whole amount of time. Once you have seared both sides, reduce the heat to medium. This will ensure that your meat is full of flavor and tender.

6. Once meat is cooked, never put it back in on the same plate you had it on when it was raw. This could cause the spread of many unwanted illnesses. Do not handle cooked meat with the same utensils that you used when it was raw.

7. Never poke you meat while it is cooking. Poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to leak out into the bottom of the grill. Not only will this make your food dry and unappealing in the end, but it also could potentially ruin your barbeque grill. At the very least, it will cause a buildup of unwanted grease and juices on your grill, which will make cleanup harder.

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