What makes the perfect barbeque ?

[stewart38]

Given im now on a healthy diet (again) im thinking of food so I think barbeque and burgers /chicken and sausages and more burgers etc etc

My list in no particular order

Weather, hot and sunny
Friends
Friends that actually turn up
People helping out and not someone taking over
Food and drink ,big range
Music varied
Annoy my Polish neighbours
No vomiting over my settee or red wine stains on my carpet
More food people leaving and shouting bye (to annoy Polish neighbours)
Having more food

Non perfect

Find out someone open that big packet of mint/lamb crisps id hidden for breakfast

[Beowulf]

I'm not a big BBQ fan.. Don't like clustering round a BBQ for warmth when it's cold and Don't like being out in the sun when it's hot Insects and stingy things seem to be attracted to BBQs and the food is invariably burnt to a crisp on the outside and raw in the middle.

However I do like my chicken kebabs. Pieces of chicken breast skewered with peppers and mushroom, marinaded in a little mix of olive oil, soy sauce and a little Cajun spices.

Yummy!

must have a pasta salad there too.. Pasta, tuna, sweetcorn, a little salt and pepper, some mayo and a large chopped onion, some chopped spring onion.. lovely !!

[TiggsTours]

Ah, so you want ideas for the perfect "healthy" BBQ!

Well, obviously you need to sun, and the friends who actually turn up, people who help out without taking over and people who help to clear up the next day, but when it comes to food?

• Steaks
• Chicken Breasts
• Tuna steaks
• Home made burgers (instead of the ones they pump full of fat & rubbish in order to make them taste somewhere close to as good as the one's you could easily have made yourself)
• Anything made of quorn, if you're brave enough!
• Fruit kebabs, sprinkled with cinnammon
• Baked potatoes
• Baked bananas
• Salad, and lots of it!
• Roasted Veggies, sprinkled with nice herbs and spices
• Some sprigs of fresh rosemary or basil laid across the hot coals, hmmmmm, smells devine!
• Avoiding sausages, which are full of fat, only ever burn on the outside whilst staying uncooked on the inside, and are the thing most likely to give you food poisoning!
• Pimms, made with lots of fresh fruit, mint, cucumber and soda water
• Spritzers, made with soda or fat free lemonade, makes a small glass of wine go a long way!
• Sitting back and looking at the huge pile of delicious food you can enjoy, without for one second feeling like you're depriving yourself of a burnt, uncooked, food poisoning giving sausage!
• Relaxing with pleasant company and enjoying the day

So, when is it? I'll happily supply the home-made burgers!

[Feelingpink]

Weber bbq/barbecue (so everything cooks)
Men cooking
Other friends
Roasted baby potatoes in foil with olive oil, salt & rosemary
A verandah/shade for the bbq
Beer (lager)/pimms/midori, ice & soda
Home-made lemonade with fizzy water or ginger fizz (fresh lime juice, ginger ale & apple juice)
Home-made trifle afterwards, followed by the Sunday papers and a sleep

[Gojive]

Wow! Some great ideas there

In the summer, I usually cook on my BBQ every day if it's dry

My one tip for food, to go with the fantastic ones above, is large flat mushrooms. Cook them underside down first, then turn over and sprinkle with garlic salt and grated mature cheddar cheese

Tzatziki is another great cold side dish. Plain Greek yoghurt, finely chopped cucumber, a couple of crushed garlic gloves, a handful of finely chopped fresh mint, a pinch of salt and a good dose of ground black pepper. Mix it all up, then chill it. Use it as a dip, or spoon it over cooked meats, especially lamb

[philsmove]

Pimms, cucumber, fresh mint, apples, orange, tonic water (not lemomade)
Fine red wine
Shell on prawns with mayo and brown bread
Marinated Herrings
Veggie kebabs for veggie friends
All cooked on charcoal
Crispy salad
New potatoes cooked with fresh mint
Fruit salad and crème fresh
Lidmans Red Champagne
Big gazebo over deck
Maximum 8 people

[TiggsTours]

Veggie kebabs for veggie friends
All cooked on charcoal

Ultimate hostess here, last BBQ I had, we had 2 people who were veggie, and one who was muslim, so I had 3 BBQs set up "Veggie only", "No pork allowed" and "Anything goes!", should also each have had seperate tongs, but people kept mixing them up.

[Dynamo]

Ultimate hostess here, last BBQ I had, we had 2 people who were veggie, and one who was muslim, so I had 3 BBQs set up "Veggie only", "No pork allowed" and "Anything goes!", should also each have had seperate tongs, but people kept mixing them up.

Nice touch

just one extra, a 4th BBQ for small children
( that wont behave only kidding)

Large Longistine in chilli, lemon and ginger
and bannanas wrapped in foil and chocky filled