It’s impossible to ignore, with the temperatures rising, but BBQ season is definitely here. Heat or not, we love spending time in our outdoor spaces and barbequing and grilling is part of that. Gerard Construction knows the essentials you need to make your next BBQ, whether it is just your immediate family or if it is a gathering of neighbors, friends, and colleagues, the best it could be.

Party Tips

The first tip we encourage you to consider is to divvy up the work amongst your guests as appropriate. For large gatherings, consider a potluck either casually organized or with a sign-up for different sides, desserts, drinks, and appetizers. If you are having dinner with just a few people, take them up on their offer to help. Even family dinners should be a time for everyone to work together. Don’t forget to put out sunblock, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, and wipes for your guests to use as needed. It can be great for conversation and memory-making to have lawn games or simple card games for everyone to enjoy as well. You also need to ensure you have enough seating for everyone with options at a table depending on your meal.

Décor

You can go a number of ways with decor when it comes to outside, but we recommend starting with your lighting. Stringing a number of lights around your covered patio or fence line creates a great mood for entertaining and helps your guests see the delicious BBQ you made them. Torches and citronella lights can serve a dual purpose of providing light and keeping some of the bugs away. From there, unless you really enjoy setting up all day and cleaning up after, keep your decor simple. You can put a simple flower arrangement in a mason jar or use a colorful table runner to bring in a few pops of color, but let the great outdoors stand out too.

Food Ideas

There is no limit to the food you can enjoy at your summer BBQ. Smoked meats always go a long way in Texas, but so do fajitas that are cooked out over the grill. Burgers, hot dogs, and sausages can be a perfect option for a large crowd. Vegetables can be thrown on the grill while the meat is resting and salads can be prepared ahead of time, just make sure they are kept cold as needed. Because you probably want people to linger and relax, make sure to have an appetizer option or two as well as something for dessert. Enjoying watermelon that is sliced or cut up and chilled perfectly can provide a treat and nice hydration. Don’t forget to provide plenty of beverages, from beer and wine to iced tea and lemonade, all iced down to stay nice and cool.

Now that you have your BBQ planned, you may realize that you wouldn’t mind a new place to have it. Our Gerard Construction team can help build a patio, covered, to provide plenty of shade and space for your guests. We can help you plan that part, today.