BBQ Essentials to Set Your Next Backyard Party Up for Success
Hosting a barbecue, made easy — and fun!
With spring around the corner, and summer close behind, it's the perfect time to start planning for your first barbecue of the season. Throw the ultimate dinner party with the right BBQ essentials and outdoor must-haves. Mouthwatering hamburgers, grilled veggies, and fun times with your favorite people are in your future — just keep reading for the details to make it happen.
Gather Your Grilling Materials
Prep Your Backyard for the Party
Gather Your Grilling Materials
Whether you're roasting vegetables, flipping burgers, or smoking fish, there are a number of important items you will need to successfully grill at your next barbecue. Get cooking with the BBQ essentials listed below.
New to the grilling game? Give 5 Tips to be the Grill Master in Your Own Backyard a read for helpful tips and tricks!
1. Choose the Right Grill
The right grill takes the number one spot on our backyard party checklist. Start by thinking about what you plan to cook on the grill, the types of flavors you love, and how you want your grill to function for you. Opt for a gas grill if you’re a beginner (due to its similarity to a gas kitchen stove), looking for a faster grilling experience, or consistent temperature control to evenly cook a variety of food at once. Check out these budget-friendly gas grill options to get started.
A charcoal grill is a summer BBQ essential if you care more about the flavor of what you cook versus the cook time. Charcoal grills infuse meat and vegetables with unparalleled rich, smoky flavor. Charcoal grills are also best if you’re looking for easy, uncomplicated grilling, since they have streamlined features. Some come with built-in smoker features so you can also use it to smoke meat or fish.
Tip!
Still wondering which grill is best for you? Compare the pros of each in Grilling 101: Gas Grills vs. Charcoal Grills. Learn about even more grill options out there with Grilling 101: Types of Grills to Know.
2. Pair It With the Right Fuel
Fire-starting methods are mandatory BBQ essentials that can make or break your cookout, so make sure you include the right kind of fuel on your list of outdoor BBQ essentials. Gas grills typically use propane gas tanks attached to the grill, which ignite with the turn of a knob or switch. Charcoal grills require charcoals or smoking chips that are ignited by matches or a lighter. A chimney starter is a helpful addition to charcoal grilling. It not only speeds up the heating process so you can get grilling faster, but it also protects the charcoal from natural elements like wind that could otherwise extinguish the flame, lengthening the heating process.
To use a chimney starter, start by removing the grate on your charcoal grill. Fill the bottom of the grill with some kindling material. Pour charcoals into the chimney starter before placing the starter in the grill on top of the kindling. Using a match or lighter, ignite the kindling. Wait 15 to 20 minutes before removing the chimney starter and pouring the charcoals back into the grill. Then, start cooking!
Be sure to check your grill's serial number or reference the owner's manual to make sure the type of fuel you plan to use is compatible with it.
Tip!
Set your mind at ease by keeping the right safety tools on hand at your barbecue. A pair of grill gloves with heat-protective features is a BBQ essential to amp up your confidence when flipping burgers and maneuvering food on and off the grill. Have a fire extinguisher nearby just in case. When it comes to grilling, choose a type of fire extinguisher with dry powder, as it helps better eliminate oxygen and interacts well with oil, gas, and other liquids to reduce flames.
Boost your grilling game with grilling tools and accessories that make the process a breeze. Invest in a tool set equipped with all the essentials, or reference the list below to find out what you’re missing from your current grilling set:
- Grill Tongs: Essential for adjusting food on the grill and transferring cooked food to plates to serve.
- Spatulas: Ideal for flipping meat patties.
- Skewers: Optimal for making kabobs.
- Corn Holders: Perfect for handling corn hot off the grill — roasted corn on the cob? Yes please.
- Basting/Marinating Brushes: Integral to coating meat with your favorite sauces and seasonings.
- Carving Sets: Essential for evenly slicing meat fresh off the grill. Typically includes a carving knife and a roasting fork to hold meat in place.
- Scrub Brushes: Important for cleaning the grill after you’ve finished cooking.
Tip!
Keep grill tools and seasonings close-at-hand by wearing a grilling apron that's outfitted with pockets.
Prevent food from falling through grill grates, keep different food items separate, and make flipping easy when you make use of this outdoor BBQ essential. Grill baskets come in several different styles, including closed baskets with a handle for easy placement and removal (like the one pictured above), or open baskets with small holes to contain smaller sides like chopped vegetables when cooking on grills with larger gaps.
Grill racks are super helpful because they serve multiple purposes and come in different configurations. Cook wings to perfection without needing to rotate them with a chicken wing rack (like the one pictured above) or opt for one meant for ribs and large cuts of meat. Use a grill rack to evenly distribute your go-to barbecue sauce and seasonings or achieve an even cook when using a smoker. Grill racks can also be used to display your hard work after you’ve finished cooking, making them an outdoor party essential.
Prepare barbecue ingredients outside on a cutting board for an easy transition to the grill. Opt for a heavy-duty butcher block made for chopping large cuts of meat instead of a regular cutting board. This is because butcher block cutting boards are made to withstand chopping motions of butcher knives, meat cleavers, and other sharp cutting tools due to their durable end grain wood construction. Use different cutting boards to chop fruits, vegetables, and herbs to prevent cross-contamination with meat, poultry, and fish.
Tip!
You can also use cutting boards as a seasoning station for meat or fish prior to placing it on the grill.
7. Don't Forget the Meat Thermometer
Grill dinner with confidence thanks to this summer BBQ essential. Meat thermometers help monitor grill temperatures and ensure that you cook meat to perfection. Keep it simple with a probe thermometer with a digital temperature gauge. Or go high-tech with a meat thermometer like the one pictured above, which gives you all the information you need to cook a specific kind of meat.
Show off all of your hard work by readying serving platters to transfer food from the grill to the table. These are an outdoor hosting essential for buffet-style dining. Look for oval or rectangular-shaped platters for steaks, roasted eggplant, and cooked fish. Opt for serving dishes with built-in dividers to keep the spicy chicken wings apart from honey barbecue varieties, and your homemade dipping sauce.
Prep Your Backyard for the Party
So you have all the tools you need to cook, but how do you prep your backyard space to ensure your guests have the best time? Set up these backyard party essentials to guarantee that your BBQ will be a hit with your friends and family:
1. Remember the Ice Buckets & Drink Stations
Nothing feels better at a summer barbecue than an ice-cold drink, making cool beverage stations a must-have addition to your outdoor party checklist. Set out a couple beverage tubs – one with bottled waters and the other with sodas – so your guests can easily find the beverage of their choice. Position a patio serving cart close by with drink dispensers and cups so guests can help themselves to fruit-infused water or homemade punch.
Create the ultimate space for guests to kick back and relax while you barbecue-it up. Transform open patio space into an outdoor living room by laying down an area rug. Anchor the outdoor living space with a patio coffee table, accent chairs, and a cozy loveseat. Or create the ultimate alfresco dining space with a patio dining set that has enough room for your family and friends.
Tip!
Get more inspiration for defining your backyard seating area with these outdoor room ideas.
3. Incorporate Shade
Outdoor shade structures keep you and your guests cool and relaxed on sunny afternoons, making them an outdoor summer party essential. Set up a patio umbrella or shade sail over your outdoor seating area to keep guests comfortable. Opt for an umbrella with a tilt feature so you can adapt to the sun’s changing position throughout the day and into the evening.
Entertain guests as you grill with a few outdoor entertaining essentials like lawn games. This is also a great way to break the ice for guests who don't know each other as well. Provide your guests with a variety of outdoor game options, from cornhole to patio jenga to a ring toss, so everyone can find something they enjoy. Put on your favorite playlist and your backyard party is good to go.
Make clean-up easy by adding disposable tableware to your backyard party checklist. Opt for plastic cutlery and cups to limit the amount of dishes later on. Choose hard plastic plates so guests can pile on the sirloin steak, corn-on-the-cob, cole slaw, and other mouthwatering choices without worrying about their plates buckling. Plates made of hard plastic materials won't flop around like paper plates, won't break easily like glass, and are sturdy enough that you can get multiple uses out of them.
Tip!
Get more helpful tips about outdoor table settings using shatterproof materials here.
6. Hang Outdoor Lights
Incorporate one of these outdoor lighting ideas into your patio or backyard space to carry your afternoon barbecue party into the night. Hang string lights above your seating arrangement, install wall sconces by entry and exit points, and place a fire pit in the center to create a warm glow.
Tip!
Mosquito zappers make for fun accent lighting and pest control all-in-one, so they’re an outdoor must-have for summer gatherings. Read more about minimizing the number of mosquitoes at your next barbecue here.
Ready to start planning your next BBQ?
