Bring your own meat cookout party? Tacky?

[me again]

Bump

This thread is interesting, just what some people consider appropriate for get-togethers

 

[disnutt]

We have dear friends who frequently invite us over for a cook out. We've learned that is going to mean dried out, over-cooked burgers or burnt-to-a-crisp yet remarkably flavor free ribs.

We go to the party happily loaded down with a couple side dishes that we can make our meal from and try to 'nurse' our meat all night.

We would rather eat nasty meat in their company than filet at home! However, I WISH they would invite us to a BYOM party!

 

[dimimi]

We've gone to the "bring your own meat" parties. Everything worked out fine. The men or women just watched their own meat and everyone had what they wanted...not a problem...or expense for any one person.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I think it totally depends on what type of get together it is. Most of us have probably been to this type of gathering with family & close friends. Families get together often & it wouldn't be right for one person to provide the food. If it's close friends that get together regularly everyone contributing makes perfect sense. An improptu neighborhood get together isn't quite the same as hosting a party. None of these situations are the same as hosting a formal (figuratively) party. If this party is for people you don't socialize with regularly & you extend an invitation that is to include food, IMHO you should provide all the food. Hope someone offers to bring something. If they don't offer, don't expect it. So, I guess I would base my opinion on exactly what type of get together it is.

FWIW, I think the suggestion to provide chicken legs is a great one. They're cheap & most people like chicken. Prepare a variety of burgers, hotdogs, & chicken legs. Fix more of the item that costs less. The chicken would probably be cheapest, because you wouldn't have to provide buns & condiments for that. I think it would be much more appropriate to ask guests to BYOB, if they want to drink alcohol. I'm sure noone would have a problem with that. Plus, if a guest has too much to drink & has an accident on the way home, you didn't provide them with that alcohol. Hope you have a great party.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Just ask everyone to bring a covered dish to share. You provide the hamburgers and hotdogs. You can get a really good deal on the hambuger at Costco or BJs. Hotdogs too for that matter. And most kids will want hotdogs anyway so the cost shouldn't be too bad.

I agree. People are used to doing potlucks this way. The meat thing just sounds kind of weird-not tacky, but people aren't used to it and tend to like showing off their 'special' dishes.

We always do mostly hotdogs, bratwurst and hamburgers, and some grilled chicken breast for the wayward vegetarians...

Everyone brings something, and I try to keep track somewhat so we don't have three desserts and no sides.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Maybe its because I have OCD that I would not feel comfortable with people bringing their own meat to a party at our house, even though we have more than enough grills to host a large group.

If/when a guest or relative asks what they can bring, I have no problem in making a request.

 

[S. C.]

We were invited to a neighborhood party last weekend, it was pot luck and they said they would have a grill ready for anyone who would like to cookout. Some just brought a covered dish while others brought a cooler full. We brought more than enough to feed our family and several others plus lots of soda/pop. the party turned out great and we met lots of new and old friends.

ETA: My sister-in-law used to have family cookouts and would ask each family to bring enough to feed their individule (sp) families, meat, buns, salads, chips, pop, cake, etc whatever you would normaly have for your family for a cookout. All of the food was set out at once for one big picnic/cookout. We were all young families & still struggling $$ wise back then. It was a great solution for all.

 

[Davidsmommy]

and some grilled chicken breast for the wayward vegetarians...

They must be SUPER wayward if they are vegetarians that eat chicken breast!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

and some grilled chicken breast for the wayward vegetarians...

They must be SUPER wayward if they are vegetarians that eat chicken breast!

Nothing funnier than inviting vegetarians to a barbecue and then taking dibs on which one's gonna cheat first. I always put my votes on the skinny minnie girlfriends that are anemic looking

And they ALWAYS cheat, usually after eating several plates of salad & fixings and their brain's going "nope, that's not what I'm wanting."

It's always the grilled chicken breast that gets them, too.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I agree with the people that say don't buy beer and buy meat. Most people end up bringing their own beer anyway.

 

[Charles Darwin]

Seems every last second cousin and aunt had just conveniently showed up that afternoon, all looking at us for a free lunch!

don't they know you and your husband are both out of work? gotta be pretty desparate looking toward the unemployed folks for a free lunch.

 

[hydster]

We go/have gone to these all the time and I don't find them tacky or rude. I don't like a lot of burger/hot dog meals so I prefer to bring my own meat and grill it like Jerk Chicken or a turkey burger instead.

Also for those who say it's a cooking nightmare.....how is cooking 60 different meat choices THAT much different than cooking 60 burgers? I mean if 20 people bring steaks and 20 people bring chicken and 20 people have burgers cook those that cook the fastest first and go down the line from there. I doubt there are many people who have a grill capacity to cook 60 hamburgers so what's the difference? Call me dense *as I can be sometimes* but I don't see how it can be THAT big of a time difference in cooking things.

I'd go and be happy to be there with other people. Also if you are going to an open house people would be grilling and eating at different times other than at a set time to eat. There will always be people waiting for dinner when you grill unless you have enough grills to cook everything at the same time. Most people who bring their own steak/chicken realize it takes longer to cook those than it does a hot dog or a burger and we've never ran into someone who had an issue with waiting for a few extra minutes to get the grill for that food.

Of course this is just how we roll around here I guess.

 

[dcgrumpy]

Also for those who say it's a cooking nightmare.....how is cooking 60 different meat choices THAT much different than cooking 60 burgers? I mean if 20 people bring steaks and 20 people bring chicken and 20 people have burgers cook those that cook the fastest first and go down the line from there. I doubt there are many people who have a grill capacity to cook 60 hamburgers so what's the difference? Call me dense *as I can be sometimes* but I don't see how it can be THAT big of a time difference in cooking things.

The way I read it I thought everyone would be cooking their own food. So instead of one person cooking 60 burgers there would be 20 people trying to cook various things.

 

[BethR]

I haven't read all of the answers, so perhaps this is echoing what someone else has already said.

I would not be upset at all if asked to bring my own meat. I just love to get together with people, so if this is how the hostess chose to have the party, I would be happy to join the crowd.

 

[hydster]

The way I read it I thought everyone would be cooking their own food. So instead of one person cooking 60 burgers there would be 20 people trying to cook various things.

Well I didn't read it as a logistical nightmare as much as people being put out at having to *gasp* bring their own meat. We do it all the time *granted we are all friends* but we walk in and say I have steak/chicken whatever and it gets grilled accordingly. My response was in statements made like this earlier in the thread

*I also can't imagine if it is a hot summer day how 60 people are going to keep their meat from spoiling and how 60 people are going to get it cooked, sounds terrible to me.*

That's why I asked how anyone can cook 60 burgers at one time!

I do however want to change my position a tad *yeah I know* to say that if it is a bunch of people you know well then I don't have a problem but if it's just "acquaintances" of your child at school then possibly just have an "open house" that isn't main meal based. Have a cake and some ice cream or something but if you know them all well I don't see it as tacky.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I think it's tacky and weird, but it could be just because i've never heard such a thing.

I do have an relative that throws parties all the time at her 'house' BUT calls everyone ahead of time to tell them what to bring (main entrees included) and it always turns out that she provides not a single thing and assigns people for set up duty and clean up duty before/after the party.....soooo what does she do????

oh and no one is allowed in the house, so if you have to go to the bathroom prepare for the 3rd degree as to why you are going inside! and heaven forbid the weather is bad, then it's 30 people stuck huddling under this one canopy in the yard, b/c that is just too many people to be inside

We've learned to just skip these parties!

 

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[dreamcometrue]

if it's something that's commonly done in your area, go for it! Around here, it's very common to bring your own meat, and I actually prefer it. Noone thinks anything about it.

You could also say something like "hot dogs will be supplied, if you would like to bring anything else, feel free", and just get hot dogs, they are cheap enough!

 

[disneyfanfamily]

I don't think it is tacky AT ALL. My friends and I do things like that all the time. If I am invited to a party, I always call anyway to see what I can bring. If someone wants to have a party at their house I think it is just a good gesture to bring something. And if I am told what to bring, it makes it easier for me. I don't have to figure out what I want to make, etc. I say go for it!!! You will have LOTS of fun.

Angela

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I can't believe we have to attach "tacky" and "rude" to such a fun event.

Here is an idea... see if one or two of your neighbors could wheel their grill(s) over for the event.

People just need to relax and have fun.