BBQs can bring people together, allowing you to celebrate the summer season or any special occasion in style. However, as the host, they can also be a little stressful! After all, you feel as though you are responsible for making sure everyone has a good time (and plenty to eat).
Photo by Joshua Kantarges on Unsplash
With that in mind, here are some common BBQing mistakes and the steps that you can take to avoid them. This way, you can ensure you can take the heat when planning your own BBQ!
Mistake One: Overcooking the meat.
According to a recent study, 47% of people consider burning the food to be the most common BBQing mishap they’ve encountered. And, its relatively easy to do, especially if you are not used to cooking on a grill. You can remedy this by carefully reading and researching the cooking time for meats at specific temperatures, and checking on your food regularly.
Mistake Two: Forgetting about vegetarians.
A growing number of people follow vegetarian or pescetarian diet. As such, you should make sure that check-in with guests ahead of time to make sure that you’re catering to all dietary requirements, as opposed to having nothing to offer them other than a plane hotdog bun.
Mistake Three: Forgetting about accompaniments and toppings.
While meat (or veggie alternatives) are always going to be the star of the show at your BBQ, you’re guests will likely go away hungry if you don’t serve them alongside anything. As such, make sure that you’re stocked up in accompanemnts and burger/hotdog toppings too, whether that’s crispy onions or sweet and hot pickles.
Mistake Four: Not having anywhere to sit.
If you’re inviting a large number of guest to your home, you may need to invest in, or rent additional garden furniture to ensure that everyone has a place to sit. After all, it is pretty difficult to eat when standing up, especially if you’re eating something ‘messy’ like ribs.
Mistake Five: Not cleaning up your garden ahead of time.
Getting on top of garden maintenance ahead of hosting an event is also recommended, otherwise it can detract from the overall epxreince of your guests, while also leaving you feeling a little embarrassed about how you garden looks. You don’t necessarily need to overhaul the entire space, simply ensure that it looks as presentable as possible.
Mistake Six: Not cleaning the grill.
Not cleaning the grill between dishes may not seem like a major issue. However, this can lead to cross-contimantion, while also impacting the flavor of the food. As such, you should make sure you clean the grill whenever you are about to prepare something new, to prevent a build-up of char.
Final thoughts. By avoiding the mistakes outlined above, you can make sure that your next BBQ is one for the history books. You’ll also be able to improve upon your skills, both as a BBQ-er and a host!
Do you have any tips for BBQing this summer? Leave them in the comments below.
