There is nothing quite like the smell of meat grilling outdoors to really put you in a summer mood. Throwing a barbecue for your friends and family can be a wonderful way to enjoy a summer day, some fantastic food and good company. If you are someone who tends to throw a lot of barbecues in the summer, then here are some new ideas to help you take your summer 2018 barbecues to the next level! Just wait for a nice hot day, get everybody over, open a few drinks, and enjoy the sun!
Find Some Interesting Sides to Prepare
While the things that you cook on the grill are usually the main event when it comes to the food at your barbecue, by putting in some interesting and surprising new side dishes you can really make your barbecue stand out. Think about vegetable dishes that you can also cook on the grill such as stuffed peppers or onions, grilled mushrooms spiked with garlic or, of course, the classic corn on the cob, but also consider cold things that you can prepare in advance such as special coleslaws with additional ingredients to give them an interesting twist, or salads with delicious toppings such as Greek feta cheese, halloumi, and spicy chicken. Preparing some potatoes either as a salad or as a hot side dish can also be a good way to make your barbecue food more interesting and memorable if you look for recipes such as chipotle spiced roasted potatoes.
If you are not having your barbecue at home, then make sure that you can pack any of your side dishes in a refrigerated bag so they will still be cool when you serve things like your salads.
Mix In Some Seafood
Another way that you can make your barbecue a little bit unique is to include grilled seafood. This is quite common in some countries, such as in the Caribbean and the South Pacific, and also in Australia. The smell of grilled seafood cooking on your barbecue along with your meats will be a great mood setter, and even if you don’t live by the coast, it will give a nice seaside feel.
Just be sure that you are careful to understand the correct cooking temperatures for seafood and that you keep your meat and seafood separate. Some things like cod grill very well on a barbecue, and swordfish or tuna steaks can also be a really good choice. You can also consider making cold seafood side dishes, for example, buying or making some sushi, or making shrimp or crab salads.
Use Novel But Practical Ways of Serving
Serving food outdoors usually means that you won’t be using your best tableware, however, this doesn’t mean that you can’t have an attractive setting for your food. Consider novel ways of serving things in single serving dishes, such as using mason jars to hold single serving salads or layered desserts. Read more about making cool single serving mason jar salads at Cinnamon, Spice and Everything Nice!
These are just a few easy ways that you can up your game when it comes to your summer barbecues this season.