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How to Throw a BBQ Garden Party
Choose Your BBQ
The first place to start when throwing a BBQ garden party is of course with the barbecue itself. The perfect barbecue that matches your needs will be determined by the flavours you are trying to achieve, the size of the barbecue, your budget and how many guests you want to serve at one time.
Charcoal
Charcoal barbecues are the best option if you want your food to have the classic, chargrilled, authentic barbecue taste and you’re hosting a smaller crowd, as they are typically smaller in size than other types of barbecue.
We’ve got a robust range of small-to-medium-sized charcoal barbecues in several stylish designs.
Gas
Gas barbecues are perfect for larger outdoor gatherings where you want to feed a lot of people. It’s good practice to ensure you have plenty of gas ahead of the event, to ensure you don’t run out when your guests have already arrived.
If you really want to impress people at your BBQ garden party, the Weber Genesis range is the item that’s going to get your guests talking. With a generously sized grilling space to fit more food on and four powerful burners with a high capacity cooking area - this really is the barbecue made to feed everyone.
TOP TIP: If you really want to impress your guests, the Weber Gourmet BBQ System Sear Grate can make a huge difference and act as your secret weapon. A sear grate will help to retain heat, ensuring that your food cooks evenly and most importantly, gives you those sought-after char-marks on your food. The Sear Grate even comes integrated into new Smart Gas Barbecue range, such as the Genesis II EX-335.
Wood Fired
Wood-fired grills are an excellent choice for cooking meats such as steaks because of the additional flavour and charring they provide. They’re also typically much larger than a charcoal barbecue, meaning you can still achieve that smoky taste, but you’ll have much more room to do it.
Electric
Electric barbecues have the advantage of providing good heating power in a more compact design that’s great for people with limited space. They are also a great alternative for when you want to cook in a place where there are fire restrictions as an electric grill won’t produce any flames.
Our selection of electric barbecues are both sleek and modern and come with high-performance grilling power. The Weber Pulse Series is a great addition to your outdoor space, with built-in smart technology that enables you to cook with more precision than ever before.
Select your Barbecue Accessories
The easiest way you can make your barbecue party ideas come to life is by incorporating accessories. Tools can be the difference between a novice and a professional and can also be a great source of conversation and entertainment. Impress your guests by exploring all the accessories available to you, that make the barbecue experience that little bit better for everyone.
We think you’ll love:
Rotisserie
The Weber rotisserie is a showstopper when it comes to entertaining your guests. This accessory gently rotates food above the cooking grate, producing succulent, self-basted meat that’ll wow the crowd.
BBQ Pizza Stone
Your guests will love tucking into a gourmet pizza made using a pizza stone, with sturdy handles, you can quickly and easily transport your piping hot pizza from barbecue to table.
Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub
The Weber Connect Hub is your best friend when it comes to hosting a successful party - it allows you to mingle with your guests and have a great time away from your barbecue while keeping an eye on things to make sure they're cooked to perfection, directly from your phone.
Premium Basting Brush
Don't allow a drop of your beautifully seasoned sauces and marinades to go to waste. The silicone bristles of the Premium Basting Brush absorb and spread a generous amount of sauce on your meat, perfectly coating every inch as evenly as possible.
BBQ Tool Set
No chef is complete without their trusty barbecuing essentials. This set of three must-have barbecuing tools makes flipping, turning and moving your masterful creations a breeze.
For extra tips on all things barbecues, if you really want to be the best, the Barbecue Bible is your go-to source for information.
BBQ Party Food Ideas
You’ve got the perfect barbecue and tools to get started, so now you must decide what you are going to feed your guests so that they never stop talking about how great your BBQ party was.
It’s all about pleasing the crowd - and there are some flavours that nobody can resist. Our barbecues are renowned for their ability to evenly cook meat to perfection.
These recipes go down a storm with guests, so you’ll be left with empty plates and smiling faces all round.
Vegetarian BBQ Food
Vegetarian and vegan guests will delight at our range of exciting and tantalisingly tasty party food recipes. Not eating meat shouldn’t mean your guests are only left with salad to choose from!
To truly be recognised as a great host, include plant based and vegetarian recipes for your guests that are so good, even the meat lovers will be blown away.
You can wow your guests with these simple but exceptional vegetarian BBQ ideas and lots of tips and tricks that will have your guests coming back for more.
BBQ Drinks Ideas
Good drinks go hand in hand with good food. If you want to impress your guests, then serving refreshing, ice-cold drinks that also complement your food is a must!
Pimms and Lemonade
Serve this summery treat to your guests on arrival for a brilliant welcome drink on a sunny day. Fill a jug with Pimms, lemonade and lots of fresh fruit and cucumber. Two parts lemonade and one part Pimms along with strawberries, cucumber, orange, lemon and fresh mint leaves will make a crowd-pleasing, refreshing drink.
Brazilian Caipirinha
Brazil’s national drink and the perfect pairing for chicken. This Brazilian caipirinha cocktail has a real zing thanks to the ginger, lime and mint leaves and is super refreshing - perfect for cleansing the palate after a plate of food.
This drink can also be made non-alcoholic, so it’s perfect for everyone, (just leave out the Cachaça).
Wines and Beers
You can’t go wrong by providing your guests with a range of ice-cold beers and a selection of wines. Try picking out wines that complement the food you are going to be serving at your BBQ for an extra special touch.
Mocktails
Mocktails are a must for those who don’t want to drink alcohol, or for any children that will be attending your garden party! Why not throw together a ‘sangria’ made with cranberry juice in place of wine? Additionally, a mango and orange tropical mocktail punch will go down a treat with adults and children alike.
Smoky Cocktails on the Barbecue
For more ideas, check out our blog post on ways that your can make your drinks have a rich smoky flavour to match the barbece food you'll be serving!
BBQ Party Games for Adults
When the drinks are flowing and the food has been thoroughly enjoyed, it’s time for entertainment. Choosing the best games depends on the interest of your guests but is a great way to get everyone mingling and distract from the weather turning colder in the evening. Having a range of games to choose from is best and you can assess, in order to provide a selection and variety that is sure to please the crowd.
- Who Am I?
Who am I is a guessing game where players use yes or no questions to guess the identity of a famous person. Use sticky notes to jot down a famous figure and then stick these onto the forehead of the other players. No one should be able to see the name of the famous person that is stuck to their head.
Then, each player takes it in turns to ask questions based upon the traits and characteristics of a person, while everyone else answers yes or no. The first person to guess who they are is the winner.
- Croquet
Croquet is a fun lawn game that can be easily set up and requires a little bit of skill. Buy a croquet set online and enjoy hours of fun whilst you and your guests attempt to shoot the ball through the hoops.
- Hoopla Hoopla is so simple to play but also very entertaining. Sets vary, but typically the hoops are made from woven rope that is then thrown in the air with the aim of landing on a collection of rods. Each rod is worth different points, so some are easier to land on than others.
- Bowls Bowls is far from boring and can bring out the competitive streak in everybody that plays. Two teams aim to roll their bowl closest to the smaller ball (the jack) in a nail-biting game that you’ll want to play over and over again.
Getting a small group of family or friends together is something that we are all craving after not being able to socialise much in 2020. A BBQ garden party is the perfect way to socialise, entertain and treat your friends and family. To make sure your gathering is successful the main theme is that you should always be offering variety to your guests and that you plan in advance. This ensures that there is something for everyone which of course all starts with the barbecue you choose and the food you serve.
