Prepare to Host: Pitmaster's Guide to the Ultimate Memorial Day Spread

Hosting Backyard BBQ’s

Hey Grill Masters Club Nation, it's Rosalie, your lead Pit Master! May is the start of “Grilling Season” where the colder regions start to warm up, summer vacations become closer on the calendar, and Holidays like Memorial Day and 4th of July are right around the corner. It’s the time of year our backyards are filled with family and friends and our grills are filled with delicious meats and meals to share. 

Grill Masters Club celebrates BBQ year-round, however we have gone all out this Month!

Our May Box is filled with products and recipes that will make grilling season full of flavor and fun.

As fun as this season can be, we also recognize that hosting can be pretty stressful. Aside from picking versatile and flexible products for the ultimate grilling season and making easy to follow recipes, we are also bringing you some amazing tips to make your backyard hosting better!

Check out my top 5 Tips for hosting a backyard BBQ - 

1. Pick proteins that require similar care. For instance, pork butts and briskets cook low and slow. You can cut a lot of day of work out by cooking proteins the night before that require 8+ hour smoke times. Then the next day all you have to do is wrap and prepare for serving. Then you can always add a hot and fast item like wings, poppers, or burgers when the main proteins are in the resting phase and no longer need the grill. 
2. Pick sides that can also be mostly made or prepared ahead of time. Cold sides like coleslaw (hold the dressing), pasta salad, and potato salad can be made the day before. Or assemble your Mac and Cheese the day before and then cook it the day of day. 
3. There’s no shame in store bought sides, just “doctor them up”. Level up baked beans by draining excess liquid, adding bbq sauce and either protein trimming or already cooked protein bits. Baked Beans can cook on low on the smoker overnight or in the morning, for an easy, inexpensive and delicious side. Store bought potato salad just needs fresh bacon crumbles and chives. 
4. Don’t do everything yourself! When hosting, there’s always people that ask if they can bring something. Let people help. Save items like buns, condiments, ice, beverages and sauces for people that want to help but don’t necessarily cook. If someone offers to make a side, let them!
5. Small tasks add up. Don’t leave too many smaller tasks for you the day of. You’ll never finish them without stress. People always come early and ask if they can help. Leave things like taking buns, rolls, cutlery and serving plates out of packaging to set up for an early guest. Always do as much as you can the night before so that you can have fun the day of!

Stay tuned for more tips and tricks,

-Rosalie

Lead Pitmaster for Grill Masters Club