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 design. 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 suitable for everyone should not be too far as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Remember that not everyone will come, no matter how much information you give them, so do not get discouraged if you do not get as many RSVPs as you initially hoped.
2) Be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, you may want to have a backup plan if unusual weather comes. You cannot expect things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold your barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may have more negative memories of keeping warm than 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 specific type. It is usually safe to go with pork, sausage, hamburgers, and chicken. If smaller children are in attendance, you should consider child-friendly foods such as miniature hamburgers and hot dogs.
4) Once you have the meat purchased, you will then consider what type of sides dished you will serve. If you want an altogether traditional barbeque, you may want to stick with traditional sides. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your standard condiment bar should have pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically served at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until they happen. 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 most straightforward 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 most of your guests.
5) Depending on your party’s theme, 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 different times, such as reusable tablecloths and Tiki torches.
6) The day before your 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 to go on the grill. Prepare any side dishes that you can ahead of time.
7) On 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. Try to have the grill already going by the time the guests get there because the smell coming from the grill is sure to get everyone in the mood.
