Winter is starting to fade, and we might even be seeing some evidence of spring on the horizon. There is hope. With that in mind, you might be starting to think of how to enjoy the summer a little more this year, and one of the best things you can do – and the simplest – is to host a brilliant backyard barbecue.
Seeing people you haven’t been able to see for months, enjoying the sunshine, eating great food, and generally having a good time can’t be a bad thing, and if it’s something you want to organize, now is the time to start. It’s never too early to prepare for the ultimate backyard barbecue. Here are some tips on how to get it done.
Prep The Food In Advance
Although you’ll be cooking the food on your grill because that’s the main point of having a barbecue, you don’t want to be in the kitchen all day getting everything ready, then coming out and cooking everything, thereby missing out on all the fun and the joy of seeing your friends and family. Therefore, it makes sense to prep all the food in advance – or as much of the food as possible, depending on what it is you’re making.
Anything that can be made the day before should be, especially if your meat or vegetables need to marinate – you won’t want to leave that to the last minute or the beautiful flavors won’t come through.
Make a plan at least a week before as to exactly what you’re going to provide for your guests as this will give you the time you need to purchase all the ingredients and get everything ready. Try to choose food that you can prepare beforehand to make things easier on yourself and to ensure your guests aren’t left waiting on the big day. Or why not ask your guests to bring some side dishes? That way you only have to concentrate on the main elements of the barbecue.
Buy Quality
One of the worst things you can do when it comes to a brilliant backyard barbecue is to buy cheap. Always buy the very best quality your budget will allow for because it really will make a difference. Buying lamb from Superior Farms, for example, will give you a much better flavor than buying the cheapest cut from the grocery store.
When you buy good quality ingredients, the taste is better as we’ve said, but on top of that, they are easier to cook with and they’ll last for longer, all of which combine to creating a much better experience for you and your guests.
Think Of Safety
Once you have the food covered, you mustn’t forget to make sure that your barbecue is going to be safe. Any kind of accident or injury will immediately ruin the atmosphere and no one wants anyone else to get hurt.
When you’re planning out your day, ensure that the safety aspects are covered too. This means keeping young children away from the grill itself, checking that all meat (and especially chicken) is cooked properly, and having a fire extinguisher or bucket of sand to hand just in case something goes wrong. That way, everyone can have a wonderful time and enjoy the day immensely.
