slo’s FRIDAY 8/9 poll - Hosting a BBQ 🍔🌭🍗

[Disneylover99]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

And maybe it’s the word “hosting” that throws me. It sounds so formal.

 

[leebee]

We grill probably 4 or 5 nights a week in the summer. However, we also invite people over for a BBQ maybe once a month. Being as I am in the northeast, when we have a BBQ the menu changes depending on what's on sale or in the freezer. Sometimes, it's hot dogs and burgers, but other menus could be steak, chicken, sausages, shrimp, pork chops, lamb, fish, scallops, ribs, shrimp... like I said, depends on what is on sale, hahaha! Sides vary depending on the protein being served, but often include homemade cole slaw (thanks to my son in law, who loves to make it!).

As @TiggerTrigger mentioned, having "A" barbecue and inviting folks over FOR barbecue are two entirely different things! We don't have a smoker so we wouldn't do barbecue at home, but I sure do love it when someone invites us over and they start pulling brisket and ribs out of the smoker!

 

[mumto3girls]

We host bbq’s or cookouts a few times a summer. Usually Father’s Day and my dad’s birthday. Sometimes other days as well. We tend to call it a cookout.

 

[BrianL]

OK, I'm going to focus on regionalisms...because I found out when I moved here.

I grew up in the northeast and anything involving our grill was a barbecue. I spent over 24 years of my life with that idea (even when I lived in FL)...and we hosted LOTS of them. So, pre TX, inviting someone over for barbecue could mean anything from burgers and hot dogs, to fish, chicken, kabobs, etc. That terminology changed when I moved to Texas.

Here, if it's not something that falls under the staples of Texas barbecue...you're grilling. I still sometimes slip up and DH is quick to correct me. So, if I invite people over for barbecue, at the bare minimum...they're expecting us to smoke a brisket. Smoked sausage and potentially smoked chicken, ribs, turkey and/or pork butt for pulled pork would be the next smoked protein expectations. I've had to really work on it and remember to tell people we're grilling, otherwise there's a lot of disappointment. Don't get me wrong, I love brisket but it's an ordeal.

EDIT- it's also so freaking hot here that unless it's a holiday or special event, we don't barbecue or grill much in the summer months unless we plan to eat inside. And by summer months...it's often oppressively hot by April and as late as October. Sometimes March and November can even be sketchy!

Yep - I come from a "Barbecue Town" too! This about sums it up:

 

[mjkacmom]

I recently helped host an annual party my kids have, 75 of their closest friends (we have a small yard), more like a dage. It’s pretty rough. Beer salad pool, bobbing for hot dogs, live music… Glad to have them leave before 10 to walk to the bar. Until next year…

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Yep - I come from a "Barbecue Town" too! This about sums it up:

OMG!!! That is hysterical! (and so true)

True story- my husband has saved the bulk of the wood from the neighbor's tree that fell in our yard during Hurricane Beryl so he has extra for barbecue. He's been eyeing prices on beef ribs and brisket. He was sad when the tree company we hired for the tree disaster from the May derecho took the wood with them.

 

[disneychrista]

@slo what are party/funeral potatoes?

 

[TiggerTrigger]

As @TiggerTrigger mentioned, having "A" barbecue and inviting folks over FOR barbecue are two entirely different things! We don't have a smoker so we wouldn't do barbecue at home, but I sure do love it when someone invites us over and they start pulling brisket and ribs out of the smoker!

We have a traditional smoker with a side firebox for wood, but our grill can also function as a smoker. DH refuses to use it that way, but I know it can be done. He's always smoked with something like what's pictured below but he's tempted to switch to a pellet smoker when our current one is on its last legs. I think it may be easier to manage temps with pellets.

 

[soccerdad72]

@slo what are party/funeral potatoes?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/270373/basic-funeral-potatoes/

Basically, cheesy potatoes, usually with a corn flake topping.

 

[tvguy]

Hosted a BBQ shortly after we moved into our house in 1983. A lot of work. But we were 25 at the time so more energy. None since other than a few small family gatherings. Our neighbors to the east seem to host some sort of BBQ once a month, and every holidays. Just odd to me that it appears none of their friends host BBQs, it always is at our neighbors house. They do have a pool, so that may be why. And yes, they hosted a NYE BBQ and people were in the pool even though it was in the 40's. The old Polar Bear plunge I guess.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I've never hosted a BBQ, just gone to many of them over the years. Matter of fact, I'm supposed to go to one on the 17th but don't know if I'll make it because I'll be in Philly with my sister house sitting and dog sitting for my nephew.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

BBQs are one of my favorite activities! We are hosting another one at home over Labor Day weekend. It is something we do a few times a year.

We had one recently at my mother in-law's house which we scheduled it there because she has a much bigger basement and it was supposed to be rainy or too hot that day. (I believe it was Memorial Day). They cooked burgers outside on the porch and brought them inside. Had kind of a buffet table set up inside w/all the sides.

It is so hard to find a time when it is not too hot or cold, or raining, and everybody's schedule permits. But when it all lines up, it is great!

I think the "perfect storm" is when you can combine a bbq with outdoor movie night. We have managed to pull that one off a couple times, and it was amazing.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

@slo what are party/funeral potatoes?

I believe she is referring to a dish that is a mixture of hashbrowns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, (I think some people include onions, I do not), cheese topped w/corn flakes or crushed up potato chips. It seems to be one of our most popular sides because we rarely have leftovers

 

[disneychrista]

I believe she is referring to a dish that is a mixture of hashbrowns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, (I think some people include onions, I do not), cheese topped w/corn flakes or crushed up potato chips. It seems to be one of our most popular sides because we rarely have leftovers

Sounds yummy. Maybe a compromise on the onions wouldn’t be to use the crunchy fried onions in place of the corn flakes or potato chips?

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS has had "a couple of friends over to grill" just in the past week or so, but I think the last time we had a really big BBQ here was 2019. Getting ready for them stresses DH out.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Sounds yummy. Maybe a compromise on the onions wouldn’t be to use the crunchy fried onions in place of the corn flakes or potato chips?

If the crowd liked onions,I believe it would work or if they were included in the topping with the flakes or chips (so not to have onion overload). Everything is adjustable to taste

 

[kimmar067]

When we have friends or family over in the summer, we often bbq. But I don’t think of it as hosting a bbq, we just invite people over for dinner.

Same.