3 Steps to Hosting the Perfect Summer Barbecue
Grab some steaks and veggies, call up your friends and family, and fire up the grill—it’s the perfect time of year to host a summer barbecue, and your beautiful backyard is the ideal place to do it. To ensure your guests find your shindig both delicious and entertaining, make sure you take all the necessary preparatory steps to really deliver on summer party fun.
Step 1: Plan ahead
It all starts with planning. This includes everything from food to decorations to your backyard set-up and more. Begin with your guest list, as this will dictate what you need. Try to give guests around two weeks notice, or four weeks if your party falls on a holiday. Once you get a solid idea of who might be coming, you can devise the layout. If your gathering will be large and you don’t have enough seating or tables, you can rent them for a small fee and not have to worry about running out of space for food and places to sit. Decorations can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be.
Step 2: All about the food
No matter how much our friends and family love us, we all know that food is the real star of the show. You can’t have a proper summer barbecue without scrumptious dishes. Think of the entire spread you’ll be serving, from appetizers to dessert. No course is unimportant! When planning your menu, consider the workload. Choose some options that can be prepped in advance so you don’t overload yourself the day of the party. As far as how much to prepare, this guide offers some suggestions of typical amounts per person. Overestimating how much food you will need is better than running out—you can always enjoy the leftovers or pack them to-go for your guests.
As grilling is a key element for a Texas barbecue, be sure to study up on best practices before feeding a crowd. The age-old debate between gas and charcoal will never die, so choose which suits you, as each has its pros and cons. Before throwing your steaks, burgers, or dogs on, make sure you preheat for 15 to 25 minutes to enable the best cook and kill of any bacteria. After the grill is preheated, clean the grates to remove any lingering debris. Use an internal thermometer to monitor your meat and give you your ideal results. And, most importantly, allow your meat to rest before carving to allow for the redistribution of juices.
Step 3: Entertain some summer fun
Summer is the best time to host a summer barbecue because the entertainment options are plentiful. Those with a backyard pool have a built-in option for keeping guests happy and cool. Just purchase some additional pool floaties, and you’ll be good to go. If you prefer non-water-based fun, there are lots of outdoor games that are great for crowds: horseshoes, Jenga, and bean bag toss are fun for adults and kids. And when the sun goes down, board games and card games are perfect for gathering around the patio table with drinks and dessert.
Check out our move-in ready homes, which offer backyard spaces that would be perfect for your next summer barbecue!