Essentials for Hosting a BBQ to Remember
From mouthwatering recipes to music, everything you need to throw a brag-worthy barbecue
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For many of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, barbecue season is fast approaching. It’s one of my favorite times of year because grilled food is just so darn tasty. And meals eaten outside in the afternoon or early evening hours somehow make everything feel just a little better and brighter. I also love to entertain during the warmer months, and firing up the grill is usually part of the plan.
With that in mind, here’s my list of essential ingredients for hosting the perfect barbecue: tips for planning the ultimate menu, my go-to tools and serveware, how to build a party-worthy playlist, and of course, some never-fail recipes guaranteed to impress your guests.
Alright, let’s dish!
Planning the perfect BBQ menu
How many different dishes you make—and in what quantities—will vary based on how many people you invite. Generally, the larger the crowd, the higher the number of dishes served.
When serving large groups, it's important to consider the wide range of eating habits and dietary preferences of your guests. I always plan menus with variety in mind and make it a priority to check for any allergies or strong aversions in advance, ensuring those items are avoided.
Once I’ve chosen the recipes, I adjust them based on their yields to better suit the number of guests. Since multiple dishes will be served, I also account for the fact that guests will likely eat smaller portions and may not try everything.
Here’s the formula I use to plan the optimal BBQ menu:
1 easy, low-lift appetizer or pre-meal snack
Crudités with dip, chips and guacamole, cheese and crackers
2–4 grilled main dishes
Burgers, hot dogs, sausages, steak, ribs, chicken, fish, grilled veggies, or even pizza2–4 salads
Potato salad, slaws, pasta salads, or fruit salads
1 pickled or cured thing
Pickled onions for burgers or salads, bread and butter pickles, olives (nice for a contrasting flavor)
1–2 starchy sides or accompaniments
Burger/hot dog/sausage buns, cornbread, biscuits, potato chips, tortilla chips1–2 desserts
Grilled fruits, cookies or bars, shortcake, loaf or sheet cake, pie, frozen treats
As a general rule of thumb, if I’m hosting eight or more guests, I’ll lean toward the higher end of the suggested ranges (3-4 main grilled items, 3-4 salads, 2 desserts). For smaller gatherings of less than six people, I’ll scale back to the lower end (1-2 mains, 1-2 salads, 1 dessert).
While this might seem like a lot of dishes, I usually ask guests who want to contribute to bring an appetizer, salad, or dessert (although wine is always a welcome option too!). To avoid overlap, I’ll let them know what I’ll be serving.
Essential tools
Beyond the obvious essentials like a grill or smoker, here are a few key tools I rely on to make barbecuing a breeze. (They make great gifts for the grillers in your life too!)
Tongs: Ideal tool for turning or rotating items on the grill with precision (think hot dogs, chicken corn on the cob, asparagus, fruits) and, more importantly, for keeping your arms safely away from the flames. I like these tongs that come in two different lengths.
Spatula: Essential item for flipping larger items like burgers, steaks and pizza crusts. I like this one from Oxo because of its nice long handle.
Basting brush: These brushes are perfect for basting chicken and other foods with sauces or marinades. This one also has a long handle.
Grill mitts: A good pair of heat resistant, textured gloves like these keep hands well-protected and provide a good grip. Use them for baking and cooking too.
Thermometer: A must-have for checking meat doneness. I religiously use my Thermoworks Thermapen—one of the most accurate thermometers I’ve ever used.
Grill brush: A grill cleaning brush is necessary for keeping your grill in tip-top shape. I have one with strong, stainless steel bristles, which can be angled easily for a very through clean.
Grill trays, baskets or mats: For grilling smaller or more fragile items like veggies, fish, and shrimp. I love this grill pan that easily sits atop most standard grills and doesn’t allow any food to fall through. Some people prefer the portability of baskets like these, which allow for easy loading and moving to and from the grill. Easy to clean, nonstick mats are another good option.
Grill-top griddle: A grill-top griddle is a nice-to-have for making things like smash burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, or even pancakes. We own/like this one with removable handles and a trough for trapping grease.
Grill-top smoker: Another bonus item for those into smoking meats and other foods. This smoker comes with hickory and oak wood chips and can be used both indoors and on the grill.
Apron: Every chef needs a cute apron to protect clothing from grease splatters and that has ample carrying space for tools. This apron comes in a bunch of fun colors and has one small and two large storage pockets.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a comprehensive grill tools set, check out this highly-rated one from Amazon, or this more splurge-worthy All Clad set (which we got as a wedding gift—and it’s held up forever!). Also, cookout caddies like this are the perfect solution for toting and storing your various grilling gadgets.
Outdoor serveware, dishware & drinkware
Once your menu is set, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’ll need to serve everything. These are some serveware, dishware, and drinkware items that I rely on when hosting outdoor events:
Serving trays, bowls & platters: A sturdy serving tray for carrying food from the kitchen to the outdoors is a non-negotiable. I also love items like this faux wood bowl—perfect for serving salads and other side dishes.
Dishes: Melamine is a good material for outdoor dishware because it’s lightweight and shatter-proof. These dinner and salad plates with palm trees from Crate & Barrel bring a fun, beachy vibe to any outdoor setting.
Utensils & Napkins: This utensil holder helps keep utensils and napkins neatly organized on your buffet table.
Placemats: For my outdoor tablescapes, I prefer placemats over full table linens. They elevate each place setting and are easier to clean. Try something simple and classic or with a bit of fun.
Pitcher: A pitcher for serving water, cocktails, or non-alcoholic beverages is an essential addition to any outdoor tablescape. I own this actylic one from Crate & Barrel—classic and well-suited for outdoor use—but this slightly more modern option is another excellent choice.
Drinking glasses: I’m mildly obsessed with these popular double old-fashioned and highball drinking glasses. Available in some fun colors!
Serving drinks in bulk: While this beverage dispenser is more of a nice-to-have item, I love using one for serving big batches of lemonade, iced tea, sangria or cocktails. I’ve also been eyeing this versatile drink cooler that doubles as an outdoor patio side table!
Other great grilling resources
Lastly, some BBQ / grilling cookbooks I use often for recipes and inspiration (and that also make perfect gifts):
The Grilling Book: The Definitive Guide from Bon Appetit, edited by Adam Rapoport.
The Barbecue! Bible, Steven Raichlen.
Weber’s Time to Grill: Get In, Get Out, Get Grilling, Jamie Purviance.
Crowd-pleasing BBQ party recipes
Some of the grilled mains, sides, and desserts I make on repeat at my BBQs:
FAVORITE GRILLED MAINS:
Ginger-Lime Chicken, Ali Slagle, New York Times Cooking. This chicken recipe, which I’ve made at least a dozen times, has mayo in the marinade that makes it taste magical.
Chicken Souvlaki, Ali Martin, Gimme Some Oven. I’ve made this tasty souvlaki dish a lot, and it’s always a hit. Don’t skimp on the tzatziki sauce!
Vietnamese-Inspired Grilled Skirt Steak, Kristina Cho, Eat Cho Food. The flavor of this marinade is the highlight.
Easy Grilled Sticky Ribs, Allrecipes. Ribs are a great party dish because they’re perfect for sharing. These are roasted low and slow in the oven, cooled for a couple of hours, and then grilled with a tangy glaze just before serving.
Grilled Pesto Shrimp, Jenn Segal, Once Upon A Chef. Pesto is an incredibly versatile marinade for grilled fish, meat, and veggies. This shrimp recipe is one of my favorite vehicles for pesto.
FAVORITE SALADS & SIDES:
Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts & Mozzarella Pearls, Jenn Segal, Once Upon A Chef. When I don’t serve this salad at my BBQs, people get upset with me. One of the best pasta salads you’ll ever eat.
Antipasto Pasta Salad, Cooks Illustrated. I knew this was a great Italian pasta salad when I brought it to a party and everyone wanted the recipe.
Curried Rice & Fresh Corn Salad with Golden Raisins, Mitchell Davis, Kitchen Sense. For a less traditional option, I love this deceptively simple chilled rice salad that’s fresh, flavorful, and super satisfying.
Seared Halloumi Cheese & Nectarine Salad, Zaynab Issa, Bon Appétit. This is the peach caprese salad’s much cooler cousin.
Blue Cheese Cole Slaw, Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa At Home. Adding blue cheese to cole slaw is a pretty genius move.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Heidi Larsen, Foodie Crush. I’ve made this salad that’s a clever twist on loaded baked potatoes more times than I can count.
Green Salad with Creamy Asian Dressing, Alana Kysar, Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai’i. This lovely creamy dressing can turn a simple green salad into something extraordinary. I found a similar recipe online.
Coconut Cornbread, Melissa Clark, New York Times Cooking. The coconut in this very good cornbread recipe adds a tropical note that begs to be enjoyed outside.
FAVORITE DESSERTS:
If I’m serving more than one dessert, I like to pair something fruity with something chocolatey or non-fruity to offer variety. Here are some perfect party desserts:
Fruity:
Grilled Peach Splits, Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen.
Strawberry Country Cake, Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Tart Cherry Crumb Pie, America’s Test Kitchen.
Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, Melissa Clark, New York Times Cooking.
Peach Poundcake, Jerrelle Guy, New York Times Cooking.
Coconut Cupcakes, Jenn Segal, Once Upon A Chef.
Chocolatey/ Non-Fruity:
Not Derby Pie Bars, Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen.
Grossy’s Chocolate Chip Sheet Pan Cookies, Dan Pelosi.
Outrageous Oreo Crunch Brownies, Ina Garten.
Chocolate Cream Pie with Oreo Crust, Samantha Seneviratne
Crafting the ultimate BBQ playlist
One final note: no outdoor party is complete without the music.
Creating a killer playlist is a crucial element of a memorable barbecue or outdoor party. It sets the tone, keeps the energy up, and simply makes guests happy to hear good tunes in the background.
Depending on my guests (their ages and who they are) and the type of party I’m throwing, I typically go in one of three directions with my outdoor playlists: 1) songs that make me happy, 2) songs I like to chill to/ that put me in a summer mindset, or 3) a mix of the two.
When curating an outdoor party playlist, I generally estimate about 15 songs per hour. Or I’ll just add 35–40 songs and let it shuffle and repeat.
Everyone should create playlists that suit their own musical tastes. But if you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a small sampling of songs I love that often make the cut (no judgment, please! 😊).
Songs that make me happy:
“Cruel Summer” by Bananarama
“Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
“Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man.
“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine
“Don’t Get Me Wrong” by Pretenders
“Into Your Arms” by The Lemonheads
“Somebody Told Me” by the Killers
“Vertigo” by U2
“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley
Songs I like to chill to/ that put me in a summer mindset (soft/yacht rock vibes):
“Summer Breeze” by Seals & Croft
“Ventura Highway” by America
“How Long” by Ace
“What A Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers
“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers
“Into The Night” by Benny Mardones
“Just Another Day” by Jon Secada
“Africa” by Toto
“Baby Come Back” by Player
“You Make My Dreams (Come True)” by Daryl Hall & John Oates
Any Jimmy Buffett song
And if you simply can’t be bothered to create your own playlist, just tune into Sirius XM or Spotify for their already-curated options covering just about every genre.
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Have a delicious week!
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I just acquired a transportable weber grill so this is clutch! watch out for some grilling content from me this summer
Great ideas...must go get gas in my tank!