Eleven Ways to Impress Your Barbecue Guests

Cook Up Some Ribs

Many of us tend to rely on burgers and sausages for barbecues, but there’s so much else out there to cook as well. For example, ribs. If the thought of cooking ribs on the barbecue makes you panic then don’t worry. You can cook pork or beef ribs in the oven or slow cooker until tender and then just transfer to the barbecue to char a little and set the glaze. You’ll need a good marinade though - try these ‘Best Ever Barbecued Ribs’ from the blog Pass The Sushi.

Relishes and Salsas

There’s nothing wrong with ketchup and mustard, but for a barbecue that’s really set to impress, stir together some relishes and salsas as well. Try bacon jam, mango chutney - or chimichurri salsa. To make a quick chimichurri salsa that’ll go well with chicken, pork, lamb and beef just finely chop a handful of fresh parsley and a garlic clove and stir it together with a glug of olive oil and white wine vinegar. Add some chilli powder or smoked paprika for some warmth, and a pinch of salt. Lovely in sausage sarnies too, by the way.

Buns, wraps and ciabattas

The knee-jerk reaction to shopping for a barbecue is to stock up on hot dog buns and burger rolls. Try something different - wrap grilled food in tortilla wraps, pitta breads, naan, taco shells or lettuce leaves - The Novice Housewife has a recipe for BBQ Chicken Tacos that you - and your guests - might find hard to resist.

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Take Inspiration from Around the World

To give your barbecue a real twist, include a couple of more unusual dishes from around the world, either from the barbecue itself or as a side dish. This will give guests the chance to try things like Korean-spiced beef, Greek salad or Indonesian satay. All eyes will be on Brazil this summer, thanks to the World Cup, so why not have a go at a Brazilian Hot Dog recipe, featured on the blog From Brazil to You.

Get Your Glaze On

A good glaze on barbecued meats makes them sweet, sticky and full-flavoured. But you don’t have to go with standard barbecue sauces if you fancy trying something different. Marinade meats in a Char Sui-style Chinese marinade, a honey and chilli glaze or try this Blueberry Balsamic Glaze from the blog Savvy Eats. Author Julie serves hers with pork chops, although as she says it has a ‘sweet-tart’ flavour, it’d cut the richness of other meats, too.

Don’t Forget the Vegetables

It’s worth setting aside some barbecue space so you can make a batch of barbecued veggies, like these, from the blog Vegan Yack Attack. Jackie, the blog’s author, calls these BBQ Party Packs - they can be made up in advance so there’s no fiddling with chopping veggies on the day. They take just 8 minutes per side to cook.

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Barbecue the Puds

No, we haven’t gone mad. For a real barbecue to remember, keep the coals hot once everyone has finished their main meal and slap on slices of pineapple, apples or foil-wrapped bananas to soften and caramelise. Karen, from the blog Lavender and Lovage has a recipe for gorgeous Barbecued Peaches with Honey and Lavender. Swoon.

Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

Who needs a slice of cheese on top of your burger when you can have it inside? Well that’s what Holly, from the blog Holly’s Pantry has done here, with these Cheese-Stuffed Burgers. And it’s easy to do. You just wrap the burger mix around any grated or chopped cheese of your choice, and slap it on the barbecue, heating it until it’s cooked all the way through. What you get is a perfectly melted cheese centre. Holly, we salute you.

Fish on the Barbecue

OK. Don’t panic. Fish is tricky enough to cook in an oven, I hear you say, let alone over smoking coals outside. But it’s easy. You can wrap fish in foil and let it gently cook on the bars of your grill, or thread chunks of fish onto kebabs. Try barbecuing prawns in their shells or firm-fleshed tuna steaks straight on the grill. Or check out these gorgeous looking Barbecued Razor Clams from the blog Girl Interrupted Eating, flavoured with chorizo and garlic. Impressive.

Prepare Ahead

Guests can spot a flustered host straight away, so it pays to get ahead with your food prep the day - or night - before, as long as you have space in the fridge. Salads can be made up in advance - (just keep the dressing off them until the last minute to avoid a soggy salad) and marinades and many salsas will actually improve in flavour after a night in the fridge.

Hot Dog Toppings

Onion, ketchup and mustard are all very well but to make your barbecue stand out, why not set up a little ‘hot dog bar’ with bowls filled with toppings such as guacamole, cheese, jalapeños and salsa? If you can keep a pot of chilli bubbling away (in the slow cooker maybe?), that’s incredible on a hot dog too. Guests are in control of their toppings, they can all have what they like - and combining different flavours makes it all more fun, too.