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    Home / Recipes / Course / Appetizer

    1 Jun 16, 2014 Appetizer  |  

    The Summer 2014 Backyard BBQ Guide

    Summer officially starts this Saturday (June 21), and that means it’s time to host a backyard BBQ.

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jorge's Bacon Cheeseburger

    Hosting an outdoor event for friends and family may seem like a daunting task, but I assure you that there’s no need to worry. ย I’ve got you covered. ย This Summer 2014 Backyard BBQ Guide will provide you with all the recipes and techniques needed to throw a fabulous al fresco fรชte, including drinks, appetizers, sides, mains and desserts. ย Without further hesitation, let’s get this party started.

    Every greatย party needs to start with greatย drinks. ย If your cocktails are irresistibly delicious, your guests won’t even notice the fact that you overcooked the hamburgers a bit or that you forgot to salt the potato salad. ย Seriously, everything tastes betterย when you’re buzzed or drunk. ย I like to prepare drinks in large batches (Peach Ginger Sangria picture below), and serve from mason jar drink dispensers. ย Have a stack of cups (plastic or acrylic is fine) and a bucket of ice nearby, so your guests can easily serve themselves.

    Peach Ginger Sangria

    I’ll typically prepare one signature cocktail, and have my friends bring beer and wine. ย I also like to serve a drink that features the many fresh, seasonal produce options available during the summer months like my Summer Crushย (picture below) orย The Smoking Peachย cocktails. ย Don’t forget non-alcoholic options! ย Sparkling water, infused water or a Mexican agua frescaย would be best. ย I like to fill a big pitcher with ice, a sliced lemon, a few sprigs of fresh basil, and water. ย So simple, yet so refreshing!

    Summer Crush

    Next, let’s talk apps. ย I always like to have a spread of appetizers ready when guests arrive, including some homemade and store-bought options. ย Purchase prepared shrimp, and serve over ice beside a homemade Tomato and Horseradish Cocktail Sauce (pictured below). ย Summer Squash Crostini are simple yet beautiful addition.

    Cocktail Sauce With Shrimp

    To reduce your appetizer workload, add some store-bought options to the mix, including cheese, salumi, crackers, bread, olives, salsa and guacamole. ย You could even do a make-your-own Bacon Tostilocos station (pictured below)! ย The main takeaway here is to not overwork yourself when putting together the appetizer table. ย In the past, I’ve wantedย everything at my parties to be homemade. ย This standard had me slaving away in the kitchen all day while my guestsย were outside enjoying the BBQ. ย Mix homemade with store-bought to maintain the WOW factor with minimal effort.

    Bacon Tostilocos

    When planning salads and sides for a backyard BBQ,ย I like to keep things fresh, fresh, fresh. ย Like my Ripe Plum Tabbouleh (pictured below) made with juicy plums, red chile, lemon and a boat-load of green herbs.

    Ripe Plum Tabbouleh

    Fresh flavors help to balance the rich, smokiness of grilled meats. ย Lighter salads canย also keep you from feeling full and bloated in the afternoon sun. ย My Heirloom Tomato and Peach Caprese (below), and Watermelon and Tomato Wedge Salad are two other good options. ย All three dishes scale up nicely for a crowd, and certain elements (like dressings) can be prepared in advance.

    Heirloom Tomato and Peach Caprese Salad

    With main dishes, you have two options: 1. prepare something in advance (like this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), ย or 2. grill while the party is going on. ย Typically, I try to finish all major cooking projects before my guests arrive; however, when it comes to a backyard BBQ, I usually go for option #2. ย There’s just something about the process of grilling that I really enjoy. ย Hot coals, cold beers, conversations with friends over a landscape of sizzling meat. ย The unchoreographed dance about the Weber trying to avoid sporadic outbursts of spark and smoke. ย I just love all of it!

    Grilled Tri Tip with Salsa Verde

    If you like the grill as much as I do, then I’d recommend you try my Grilled Tri-Tip with Green Garlic Salsa Verde (pictured above), Jorge’s Bacon Cheeseburgers (pictured at the top) or Mexican Carne Asadaย (below). ย Marinades, burger patties, and condiments can all be prepared in advance. ย The grill is also a great place to get your friends and family involved. ย Once you get the grill fired up, ask a guest or two to help oil the grates, flip meat, watch a timer, or pass out cooked meat to other guests.

    Carne Asada Animation

    I am a firm believer that most summer dessert should be cold (but I do make exceptions every now and then). ย Homemade ice pops, ice cream, sorbet or granita can all be made a day or two in advance. ย Based on past experiences, a showstopper, homemadeย ice cream usually gets the best reaction from guests. ย Here’s my Strawberry Bourbon Ice Cream:

    Strawberry Bourbon Ice Cream

    Other great options include Coconut Ice Pops, Golden Watermelon Sorbet, Goat Cheese Ice Cream, Watermelon Raspberry Granita or this Ginger Beer, Coconut and Rum Sorbet:

    Ginger Beer, Coconut, Rum Sorbet

    Well that’s it! ย I hope you enjoyed this Summer 2014 Backyard BBQ Guide. ย Remember:

    • Start with great cocktails
    • Mix homemade appetizers with store-bought items
    • Balance grilled meats with fresh salads and sides
    • Get your friends and family involved around the grill
    • Finish strong with a showstopper dessert

    Now it’s your turn! ย What are some of your favorite backyard BBQ recipes? ย Please share in the comments below.

    1
    Brandon and Federico
    Brandon

    Iโ€™m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

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    Categories: Appetizer Tags: roundup

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says

      June 16, 2014 at 7:37 am

      Going to Palm Springs this upcoming weekend and we got a house with a BBQ and we were deciding on what to cook….just decided to make 3 of these recipes so this post was quite handy ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        June 16, 2014 at 4:37 pm

        OMG, have fun!!! Jorge and I just got back from PS. It was so relaxing. Let me know how you like the recipes. Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

      June 16, 2014 at 10:28 am

      This post was awesome! Love your ideas, the linkbacks to buried treasures and recipes I had forgotten about, and the whole summery vibe! Perfect!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        June 16, 2014 at 4:39 pm

        Thanks Averie! Yeah, when I started going through some of my ooooold archives, all of these tasty memories came back to me.

        Reply
    3. Angel Reyes says

      June 16, 2014 at 11:34 am

      When are you guys having us for dinner???
      Great tips. The idea of having one cocktail and let the guests bring beer and such is a great one. I’ll do it from now on!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        June 16, 2014 at 4:40 pm

        We always love dinner guests ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks Angel!

        Reply
    4. Broderick says

      June 16, 2014 at 1:06 pm

      Love that carne asada GIF!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        June 16, 2014 at 4:40 pm

        Thanks Broderick!

        Reply
    5. sippitysup says

      June 18, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Who needs to actuall have a BBQ now? I’m totally full. GREG

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        June 18, 2014 at 4:53 pm

        Haha, this article is definitely an eye-full. Thanks Greg! PS. I’d gladly add your recent cobbler to the dessert section. Looked so good!

        Reply
    6. Jaclyn says

      June 23, 2014 at 9:52 am

      I would love to know where you found that metal tray in the very first pucture of this post! Also I can’t wait to host a little BBQ with these recipes. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        July 24, 2014 at 4:17 pm

        Hi Jaclyn, you can find that try on Amazon. Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. laurasmess says

      June 25, 2014 at 8:41 pm

      It’s interesting reading this whilst sitting in the cold of the Australian winter. Such lovely bright, summery photographs and awesome BBQ ideas. Love the look of that marinated steak, oh my gosh. I think that green salsa verde and tender meat would be a surefire way to win friends and influence people! Glad that you are enjoying your summer Brandon! As for me? Ah, I’m gonna buy some meat for a warming stew tonight…!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        July 24, 2014 at 4:18 pm

        Thanks again Laura. I just had some friends make the tri-tip with salsa verde, and they loved it! Stay warm. It’s hot here, but now I am craving stew ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply
    8. Kelsey says

      July 15, 2014 at 11:02 am

      What a delicious post!

      I’ve had my first couple hosting experiences this year and I too thought the best way to do it was completely homemade by me. By the second time around, I knew that including some prepared items, and taking up people on their offers to help with food, was necessary to keep my sanity and enjoy the party too!

      Reply
      • Brandon Matzek says

        July 24, 2014 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks Kelsey!! Yeah that’s the most important thing. You need to be able to enjoy your own party! If you’re not having fun, everyone will notice, and it won’t be as much fun for them either.

        Reply

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    Brandon and Federico

    I'm Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Read Moreโ€ฆ


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