Video: 5 Tips for Hosting an Epic 4th of July Backyard BBQ

Jul 03, 2024

1. Pick Proteins That Make Sense Together

For example, you can smoke a brisket and a pork butt the night before. With this approach, your grill is free for a hot & fast approach on the day of your barbecue.

2. Clean Your Grill

A clean grill is a happy grill -- don't embarrass yourself in front of your friends with a dirty grill! Not only is it unbecoming, it can lead to grease fires that can ruin your spread.

After your low & slow smoke, be sure to clean out the grill and have it prepared for going hot & fast.

3. Pick Sides You Can Prep Ahead of Time

In your head, you might think you can manage everything for sides on the day, but all of the little tasks add up, so be sure to prepare as much ahead of time (the day / night before).

A perfect example is Smoked Mac N Cheese -- you can make the cheese sauce and cook the pasta ahead of time, so all you need to do is combine and throw on the smoker.

Another popular side dish is Jalapeno Poppers. These can be prepped ahead of time as well, and allowing them to set in the fridge actually returns a better end product!

4. Create a Menu Plan on Paper

Write down everything you're planning to execute, and write down all of the ingredients you think you'll need.

This will help you hone in on what's really important and allow you to select dishes that require similar ingredients so you're not spending $1,000 on groceries!

Once you get back from the store, pull everything out and organize it by proteins, appetizers and sides to get everything organized.

Get your prep work done ahead of time -- slice, dice and wrap in plastic and store it in the fridge until it's go time. This helps you avoid backtracking, say, to slice an onion on three separate occasions. Again, all of the little tasks add up and take away time from your ability to enjoy your own BBQ!