How to plan a perfect barbecue party? Planning for a bbq party menu ideas can be overwhelming sometimes. But no matter why you have decided to have a BBQ party, the memories will last for a lifetime.
Planning for a perfect BBQ party is not difficult, provided that you plan ahead of time following some of the few simple and easy recipes. Be it the Fourth of July, Labor Day, or just another weekend cookout, we will help you decide on the best BBQ party menu ideas. Let’s get started.
1. The main dish
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Grilled Steak kebabs
The most delicious summertime cookout dinner that ultimately pops up to you when you hear the BBQ is the grill steak kebabs.
These grilled steak kababs are stacked with a colorful veggies combo.
A simple marinade of about 3-4 minutes with soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar can make the steaks juicy and flavorful. This combination of flavors perfectly acts on the steak when infused into the wood or charcoal. It will serve you as a complete healthy meal.
Also, make sure not to throw away the marinade as you can use it as a glaze on the meat and vegetables. When it comes to BBQ party menu ideas, this simple amazing grilled recipe is something that the whole family agrees upon on a BBQ cookout dinner.
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Texas-style Brisket
By Thank You (21 Millions+) views/ Flickr. Copyright 2021
The next to include in your BBQ party menu ideas list is the Texas-style beef brisket. The Texas-style brisket rub has a different kick on the chili powder and pepper. The heat and the chillis could be adjusted as per your liking towards it.
Possibly, one of the most looked on recipes for a backyard cookout. This recipe does not take more than half an hour to be served. The brisket rub seasoning has to be rubbed thoroughly onto the brisket, evenly to coat it fully. You can also serve the thinly sliced briskets along with the grilled vegetables or potato salad.
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Grilled shrimp
The BBQ grill shrimps are some of the easiest recipes to try out for a good party. For a good seafood cookout, grill shrimps are something not to be missed.
Be it pan-grilled BBQ shrimp, Thai shrimp, or stuffed jumbo shrimp, the process ultimately starts with skewering, which usually involves using a good metal skewer. And then next up comes seasoning with garlic, paprika, oil, BBQ sauce, butter, or cilantro to bring in a tangy and herbal flavor.
After this process, it hardly takes a few minutes to cook through. And, it will be all good to be brought to the table and enjoyed with family and friends.
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Red Wine Barbecue Pork Ribs
The finger-licking aromatic red wine barbecue pork ribs are not to be missed among your list of BBQ party menu ideas. The pork ribs are seasoned with spices, onions, garlic, salt, herbs, and brown sugar and then marinate for an hour or so.
It is then grilled till it becomes tender and basted with BBQ red wine sauce. This recipe is a perfect blend of smoky, sweet, sour, and salty grilled combinations. Truly, a dish that cannot be missed out when it comes to a BBQ summer cookout. This dish is typically served with sides like salad, baked potatoes, or baked beans as a full meal.
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Pork Garlic Burger
The juicy pork burgers are something not to be missed on your list of BBQ party menu ideas. These delicious Spanish-style garlic pork burgers are the all-time BBQ party favorites. This dish is simply loaded with flavors, as it is topped with red onions, cheese, ham, and a bit of saffron aioli.
To make the pork patties, simply combine pork with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, cilantro, and the capers. After this, giving a shape to the patties is another job of yours. Make sure that the patties do not go beyond the size of the bun.
Begin it by making it a little larger than the bun and allow it to shrink and brush a bit of ham, aioli, and onion slices so that the grilled meat doesn’t stick. The cooking time could not be more than 15 minutes. Finally, serve the meal on the table with some onion slices and saffron aioli.
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Grilled balsamic tofu
If you are looking for healthy recipes to add to the best BBQ party menu ideas, then this dish is all you have always wanted. Not only healthy, but it is also delicious.
Begin slicing the tofu into 1/2 inch slices and marinating it with salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil. Grill the tofu for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Finally, you can serve the grilled tofu with some cilantro, cauliflower, and mayo. This is the best dish recognized for the summer season barbecue parties.
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Chinese Pork Ribs
This Chinese dish often goes by the name ‘Char Siu’, a traditional Chinese dish recipe that is cooked mostly in the crockpot and then broiled in the oven with the seasonings.
Start by combining sugar, five spices, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Make this dry mixture and rub it on the pork ribs and place it in the crockpot.
To give the dish even more mouthwatering, spice it up by adding honey, soya sauce, red food color, vinegar, and the five spices and pour this mixture into the crockpot. Cook this for about 4-5 hours to get the perfect grilled tenderness of the meat.
Transfer the ribs onto a large baking sheet and brush the sauce and broil it for about 7-8 minutes. After removing the ribs brush the sauce again for the sweet glaze. Finally, bring it to the table with some rice or noodles that will make it a complete deal of the meal course.
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Grilled Bacon-wrapped hot dogs
Next up to your list of BBQ party menu ideas are the absolute bests- the grilled bacon-wrapped hot dogs. It is also one of the easiest recipes you can follow up in your BBQ party.
Mostly, it will take about 21 minutes in total. First, start with slice opening them but do not forget to avoid cutting all through. You can also coat each of them with ketchup and a mustard mixture. Place the cheese in the middle of the slit and sprinkle some onions.
Now, wrap the bacon around each hot dog; you can also secure it using a toothpick. Grill the hot dog for about 2-3 minutes on either side; you can also cover them to cook faster.
Next up, grill the buns too. Finally, remove the toothpicks and put the hot dog inside the buns, and the food is ready to be served to the guests.
2. BBQ menu side dish
BBQ party menu ideas cannot go without side dishes. Here are a few that you can try.
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Potato Salad
The most famous and delicious for friends and family cookout is, of course, a humble salad that includes potatoes. The salad is a mix-match of many vegetables that includes cooked potatoes, chopped onions, some salad dressing, mayo, and sometimes eggs too.
You can serve many vegetables along with the sliced onions and tomatoes to it, just to spice it up a little more. Also, you can serve the salad with tomatoes on lettuce.
The sides on the BBQ party menu ideas have to have this essential dish. Some tips of the most favorite fresh vegetables that go with this salad are cucumber, tomatoes, onion, peas, orange, and bell pepper.
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Mexican Street corn
‘Elote’ or the Mexican street corn is one of the most popular sides in a BBQ party that you can find all over Mexico and the US. Thinking of the next BBQ party menu ideas, this cannot be missed on your backyard BBQ cooking.
It can be best served with mayo, chili powder, cheese, and lime juice. It gives up a whole tangy flavor to the corn and is awesome!
For the best of side toppings that you can that to the recipe, you can prefer adding bacon or sriracha. Finally, bring the dish to the guests on the table with some lime wedges, chili powder, cilantro, and mayo.
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Italian pasta Salad
By Rachel Claire/ Pexels. Copyright 2021
The pasta salad is the ultimate best when it comes to the best BBQ party menu ideas. Also, a potluck is a must in the summer. One of the best tips I have ever got is that the pasta ultimately becomes good when you don’t overdo it. Be it a balsamic pasta salad or the Italian pasta salad. Overcooking it can get it for the worse.
First up, start with mixing the pasta with all the essential ingredients required- spinach, artichokes, meat, salami, and tomatoes. For the dressing of the pasta, in a jar, mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and pepper flakes, and shake it well to combine well.
And the pasta is ready to be served!
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Miso Coleslaw
By roman odintsov/ Pexels. Copyright 2021
One of the most famous Asian dishes is best served with some meat or fish. The best BBQ party menu ideas have to get included.
You can start by combining mayo, miso, lemon juice, ginger, sugar, and vinegar until it becomes smooth. Add grapeseed oil to it and also season it with some pepper and salt. Now, add all the nicely chopped and sliced vegetables to the dressing.
The best addition to the dressing could be red and green cabbage, radishes, scallions, and carrots. And then finally tossing it nicely. The best tip while bringing it to the table to friends and family is to serve it slightly chilled or at a normal temperature.
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Grilled pineapple salsa
The best BBQ party menu ideas have to include a smoky flavor of sweet salsa- a perfect summer appetizer. Made of one of the best tropical fruit, this is also one of the easiest recipes that you can make for a cookout dinner or for the busy weeknights during summer.
Firstly, start with preheating the pan over medium to low heat. Season the pineapple with olive oil, and grill the pineapple in pineapple skewers so that it gets grilled on all the sides. Now, chop them into small pieces.
In a bowl, you can mix the finely chopped pineapple, red onions, chili, and lime juice. Finally, bring the dish to the table with a bit of garnish of salt and cilantro.
3. BBQ sauce
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Chicken BBQ sauce
Chicken is the most versatile when it comes to barbecue. It does not contain many flavors; therefore, it is suitable for us to add more flavors to it. There are a variety of chicken BBQ sauces when it comes to inclusion of it in the best BBQ party menu ideas.
It ranges from sweet and simple, like better barbecue chicken sauce, to tangy and smoky flavored chicken sauce.
Other varieties of BBQ chicken sauce are Bourbon Barbecue chicken sauce, Caribbean chicken sauce, and white Alabama barbecue sauce.
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Pork Ribs BBQ sauce
The sauces are all flavored with sugar and spices to give them the most authentic and smoky flavors. To get the even, thick, and sticky coat on the ribs, the sauces have to be mostly tomato-based. However, many variations are available.
The different varieties of pork ribs barbecue sauce range from the sweetness of pepper barbecue sauce, Memphis barbecue sauce, kanas city rib sauce, and the classic Odds rib barbecue sauce.
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Vinegar-based BBQ sauce
The various types of vinegar-based barbecue sauce in your bbq party menu ideas range from tangy, sweet to spicy. The vinegar-based sauces will help you enhance the flavor effortlessly so that you can enjoy the grilled flavor in the best possible way.
The most famous sauces are Cornell barbecue chicken sauce, North Carolina barbecue chicken sauce, and southern vinegar sauce.
4. BBQ condiment ideas
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Hummus
The hummus must add to the list of BBQ party menu ideas. The traditional middle eastern dish has different healthy flavors like spicy lemon flavors, some are mild-flavored, and some are strong garlic flavored. This is a perfect appetizer to enjoy and eat with crackers, wedges, and tortilla chips.
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Salsa
Salsas are simple and involve easy cooking. Summers are the best for salsas. It is very easy to make and mainly could be altered according to the taste of the individual. It mainly involves the use of healthy and fresh ingredients for its cooking. The recipes could mainly include mango, peach, tomato, and other such fun ingredients.
It could also be a great topping for the grilled meat or could be enjoyed with the fresh flavors of chips and guacamole.
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French onion dip
Adding this dip to your list of bbq party menu ideas will be the best. Cooking this dip at home is far more healthy and preferable than store-bought.
The process involves caramelizing the onions, chives, and shallots, which is also perfect for eating with some vegetables or chips.
5. Drinks for everyone
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Cocktails
Whatever BBQ party menu ideas you choose for, be it grilled hot dogs, steaks, or lobsters, a refreshing summer drink is all that you need to add vibrant colors to the festivity. These delightful yet straightforward concoctions can be a great addition to serving the guests. These summer drinks can be a classic addition to the party.
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Wine
You can pair a good wine with the barbecue for the gathering sesh. It is a great deal to start with as it is not overwhelming and serves as a good palate cleanser for you. Different wines can be paired up with different meat like verdejo or friulano can be paired well with fish, and sauvignon blanc can be paired with chicken.
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Beer
The best go-to drink on the BBQ party menu ideas list is beer. You can try on with different varieties that go well with the steaks, chicken, ribs, and other meat. When you plan on a BBQ party, make sure to stock up a few piles of beer in your freezer for the guests.
Non-alcoholic drinks for kids
BBQ party menu ideas cannot go without serving drinks to everyone, so here are some drinks for non-alcohol goers.
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Ice Tea and lemonade
For a non-alcoholic drink for kids, ice tea or lemonade is a good deal to go with. The cool and scented aroma gives a whole scented flavor for the ultimate refreshment.
It will serve the guests as a good starter. You can garnish with cucumber ribbons, orange slices, and many more.
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Soda
Soda is among the most popular choices of refreshing drinks. For the summer cookout, it is the most outgoing drink. You can also do a good experiment with it by adding other non-alcoholic flavors.
You can also try out making homemade sodas for drinks from fresh fruit with no additional preservatives, colors, and sweeteners.
6. Desserts
Whatever starters you begin with, make sure to conclude the grill session with an incredible dessert. And, these desserts have to get added to the best BBQ party menu ideas.
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Ice cream for a hot summer day
By Piotr Arnoldes/ Pexels. Copyright 2021
With a good refreshing and sweet ice cream, you can give the best conclusion to your bbq party. After the whole food session, the rich and creamy flavor will give you the most refreshed feeling.
You can also go with a homemade ice cream dessert to infuse peanut butter, strawberries, cookies, and so on for more twists and fun.
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Cheesecake brownies
By Naim Benjelloun/ Pexels. Copyright 2021
The fudginess of the brownies and richness of cheesecake is something that you will love. Adding cheesecake with the brownies will make a phenomenal dessert. Brownies swirling with the creamy custard are the absolute fav!
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Butterscotch bars
The gooey goodness of these desserts is absolutely to die for. Considering this for your bbq party menu ideas is amazing to even think of. You can top them with frosting, butter, sugar, and other ingredients as you wish.
Life is so much better with gatherings and bbq summer cookouts. To make those bbq party memories even more special, don’t forget to try out all these recipes for the next barbecue cookout.
Give these fun-filled recipes a try, and let us know how you feel about it in the comments.
Last Updated on by Sathi
