Grilling Party and I don't know what to make!!! HELP!
Hey Guys,
I had this amazing idea to have a housewarming party for a few (25) of my friends and realized I have no clue what to put on the menu. Burgers-duh, hot dogs-got 'em, can sodas-c'mon! I am clueless as to what else I can get, (on a budget) that will be great. Any tips guys?
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14 Comments:
corn on the cob! skewer some shrimp and throw them on the grill (wrap them in bacon if you're really going for glorious).
vegetables are a cheap way to add more items to the menu - mushrooms (button/portobello), bell peppers, onions are pretty standard (keep your skewers separated, and the pieces fairly uniform - i.e., all the peppers on one skewer, all the onions on another - that way, you can make sure the thicker vegetables are cooked all the way through without scorching the smaller ones. you can mix them up again after they're done cooking).
grilled fruit is great too - i like pineapples, or peaches. or a big platter of watermelon slices on the side. or make some potato salad/macaroni salad/cole slaw to serve along with the main dishes.
looking at this list, i guess barbecues are like holidays for me - i need to have all the classic standbys.
billyburgwife at 11:12PM on 08/02/09
How about a couple of beer can chickens. Corn on the cob, grilled portobello's and/or eggplants, gazpacho?
pjracz10 at 12:49AM on 08/03/09
Wings. Great thing about wings is that they're just as good hot, warm, or chilled.
Cold salads like slaw and potato salad are great, but how about a crockpot full of baked beans? Or German potato salad?
Cucumber salad in a yogurt dressing is nice and refreshing.
dbcurrie at 12:54AM on 08/03/09
How about switching up the burgers and dogs a bit? Make a couple kinds of small burgers served on dinner-sized rolls- beef, lamb, maybe turkey. Wrap some of the dogs in bacon and baste them with BBQ sauce when they are almost done. And I like cole slaw at a barbecue becuase I like putting it on my hotdogs. But I find veggies tricky to grill for a large group because cooking times vary and so the cook is stuck at the grill for longer and more attention is required.
thatgrrl at 8:26AM on 08/03/09
You could do some grilled pizzas. Make them small, about 8 inches across, they'll be easy to handle tha way. Grill one side of rolled out shells before the party starts. When you have guests, you can finish them in front of people. You can make a few varieties to accomodate different tastes, and the vegetarians.
potroast at 10:06AM on 08/03/09
I did an absolutey MEAN pasta dish - tossed the whole wheat spaghetti with homemade pesto and grilled up a wack of veggies - zucchini, onions, mushrooms, red pepper and tossed in a small amount of grilled chicken. The basil and veggies are in abundance at our local farm stand I used only I large chicken breast to feed four people in this application.
Maureen at 10:50AM on 08/03/09
I like to keep things simple when BBQing for a group. Such as Chicken leg and thighs with a good homemade BBQ sauce and tri-tip. Grilled corn and zucchini and a pasta salad, perhaps finish it off with some grilled pinapple with ice cream. It is afordable and can be done is stages. Pasta salad can be made ahead and meats and vegetables can be grilled in stages. Which is especially nice if you have small grill. Good luck and have fun!
GrimChef at 11:04AM on 08/03/09
With that many people, hmm. I'll second the beercan chicken suggestion, but with that many people, make sure you have enough cold sides, otherwise you might have trouble just grilling enough food for ~25 people!
Have a nice green salad, some crusty bread, and some sort of dip (hummus, baba ghanoush, spinach & artichoke, etc), a veggie tray (cut it yourself to save $$ or just pick one up if you don't have time), plus a potato or pasta salad that you know is a winner. I love grilled potato wedges, but you have to think about grill space and timing. Maybe bust out a crockpot dish as well (beans?).
Another good bang for your buck feeding that many people from one grill would be to throw a flank steak on the grill as well, sliced thinly across the grain, it will probably stretch a lot farther as far as space on the grill/per person goes. Grilled corn on the cob is great and all, but boiling might be a lot easier on the logistics of it all (all of these suggestions, of course, are assuming you only have one grill).
And hey, if a food-wise friend offers to bring something, take them up on the offer!
joyyy at 11:17AM on 08/03/09
I like to have a make your own kebab theme. Have a few meats like pork tenderloin and steak cubed, some seafood like shrimp and scallops, and different veggies and fruits too. Then, a choice of marinades. It's a bit of prep work but it's a crowd pleaser.
eeels at 12:55PM on 08/03/09
Bread salad, grilled vegetables with balsamic vinegar, potato salad, deviled eggs, and pie.
I also can't stress enough how nice it is to throw something unexpected onto the grill. In Western Massachusetts, burgers and chicken are the norm, so a few swordfish steaks impress. But I'm in Alaska for the summer, and I was the only person (out of 5) who brought red meat (skirt steak, marinated in soy, ginger, and garlic) for the grill. Total surprise, and everyone loved it (we had 4 lbs. of halibut and several sides of salmon). So do something weird, like lamb, beer can chicken, grill a slice of watermelon or some peaches for that nice caramel charring, grilled pizza, etc.
shoneyjoe at 2:10PM on 08/03/09
If you have a Cost Co close by pick up some tri tips, marinate in garlic, dark beer, brown sugar, lots of fresh ground pepper, and salt. You can do grilled vegies the day ahead. Marinate 1/4 rd red peppers, asparagas, zuchiini, mushrooms for a few hours, grill and keep in a tupperware, bring to room temp and serve with some great crusty bread, and some blue cheese or gorgonzola. Maybe you can get someone to bring a great potato salad, macaroni salad, or coleslaw.
DELICIOUS at 2:38PM on 08/03/09
Get a bunch of chicken (thighs, breasts, whatever you can afford) rub em down in your everyday yellow mustard and then season with a light coating of lemon pepper.
I know it sounds weird but the grill will cook off 90% of that mustard taste and leaves you with an amazing flavor.
Also, you can cut whole onions in half and grill them, they're delicious! Don't be afraid to throw some seasoning on the onions either, a light coating of "season all" or salt pepper and garlic go well on the bbq. Season the sliced side of the onion so the seasoning will stick.
AyeEat at 4:20PM on 08/03/09
I love the idea of sliders at a barbecue - people can eat both a burger and a dog and not be totally stuffed. But this doesn't help you with your dilemma....
For bbqs I make a big hearty salad of spinach, avocados, red onion, mangoes and maybe some shrimp (which i boil in advance)
Provide some veggie burgers and dogs for the vegetarians (a former vegan, I used to expect it at bbqs)
Potato salad and cole slaw. Store-bought or homemade - you can safely make it a day in advance. Again, people expect it at a bbq.
And your set!
yayfood at 10:04PM on 08/03/09
you need accompaniments to those burgers and dogs... how about a pasta salad, potato salad or fresh salad... or maybe some roasted potatoes. I make them with either dijon , or yellow mustard. You can make a large batch in the same time you can make a few. Great for large crowds.
MadelynRodriguez at 2:44AM on 08/04/09