Barbequing: A Beloved Tradition

It’s September. Summer’s ending. Nothing to be done about it. With the hotter temps rolling out and cooler temps moving in, one favorite cooking activity shifts as well, from outdoors to indoors: barbequing. But it doesn’t have to.

At the start of summer, I discussed the joys of cooking on the grill. Whether it’s the 4th of July or some other nice-weather day, chances are, someone is barbequing. Barbequing is tradition for many families. The unique flavor of barbequed food is a taste unrivaled by other cooking methods, and the whole barbequing activity presents opportunity for families to get together. Some of the most memorial experiences happen outdoors during family get-togethers around the grill.

Planning A Barbeque (Social)

First, no barbeque would be complete without guests and good outdoor weather. Plan ahead, checking with your potential guests for scheduling conflicts and issues. Of course, this should be easier for the small social gatherings serving as quick get-togethers. Finding a date and time suitable for everyone shouldn’t be too hard if everyone has advanced notice. We can’t predict rain/thunderstorms. But these days, weather forecasts as far as ten days ahead are available: allowing for a bad-weather backup plan.

Barbeques are normally associated with the backyard and sun, but outdoor fireplaces and commercial firepits can create ambiance as well as warmth for outdoor barbeques in cooler temps. Outdoors or indoors, warm weather or cool, cozy barbeques are sources for good memories of family and friends.

What’s Cooking?

Barbequing has been around since cavemen figured out food tasted better after being cooked on an open fire. One of the key components of a family barbeque is the menu. Burgers, ribs, steaks, and chicken don’t have to be the meat staples. With so many dietary constraints and choices, there’s a whole array of foods available to barbeque, from T-bones to shrimp to tofu delicacies. Roasted or barbequed veggies are rather tasty, too. It’ll all largely depend on your group and the event celebrated (if there is one). With the wide range of possibilities, there will be at least a few items deemed crowd pleasers.

Begin prep 12 to 24 hours beforehand. Thaw, clean, debone, and marinate the meats you’ll be cooking, and store (refrigerate) properly. While the meats are getting all ‘flavor-fied,’ consider the types of side dishes you’ll serve. Traditional barbeque sides include: baked potatoes, potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Large bowls of green or fruit salads on hand, help keep the ‘being healthy’ vibe going. Pasta salads, too, are an easy, filling, and mostly healthy alternative for non-meat eaters. Your condiment bar: ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically easy to prepare and store; most barbeque functions are complete with these basics.

Setting the Scene

If you’re interested in investing more time/work, a themed barbeque presents opportunity for a festive event. With a themed event, you splurge more on the atmosphere and decorations. Matching tablecloths, napkins, and plates can be found at most local dollar stores, to create a cohesive décor for the party. A ‘luau’ theme, for example, could simply be multi-colored utensils, leis, and Tiki torches—all of which are relatively cheap. And you can always reuse those Tiki torches …

Set up your party area before guests arrive. Because barbeques tend to lean on the very informal side, setting up shouldn’t take more than a half-hour. But the creativity and care taken may have guests reacting as if you’d been preparing and decorating all day. Depending on the situation, you may not want foods already cooking on the grill, but if you do, the smell will surely be inviting, drawing the guests in, and kicking off the fun!

This barbeque’s rocking. As the saying goes: put another shrimp on the barbie …

Until the next blog, stay serif out there.