Ideas for a very large bbq

LauraAnn

Hi.

When my third son was born a year ago, he was extremely ill and hospitalised for a month. Against all odds (except God's) he pulled through and is just about to celebrate his first birthday. We have decided to host a bbq for all our friends and family to celebrate his life and to thank them for all their support through the difficult times. So we have valiantly refused contributions and help from all except our closest family. Now it is dawning on me I have to cater for about 100 to 150 people....

Does anyone have any ideas...I am looking for low cost items, easy to prepare and/or things I can prepare in advance. Also if anyone knows if any bargains on meat anywhere I would appreciate the heads up...I will trawl through the other forum items as well as I know this isn't really the place.

Thanks in advance.
Laura

LauraAnn

Sorry..I am now wondering if I posted this in the correct place....

Lizalu

Hi Laura Ann,
there's some great ideas for BBQ food on this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=52354

I hope you have a great party!

lemontart

why not provide the basics ie bread, salad some sausages, burgers etc and wine boxs few beers and suggest those coming bring something for the bbq as well

I

savvy

LauraAnn wrote: »

Sorry..I am now wondering if I posted this in the correct place....

No worries LauraAnn, I'll move you over to the Oldstyle board as they may be able to help you a bit better.

HTH
savvy

ubamother

meat is the most expensive - bulk out with huge pasta salads, rice salads, french sticks for garlic bread, buns, green salads - all much cheaper than the meat bit. spare ribs are cheap from a butcher - marinate for 12-24 hrs, I cook whole and chop into ribs after cooking. if you're providing booze as well, get cheap fizz wine and top up with cheap fruit juice for a bucks fizz - cranberr juice is great for this - and cheap at aldi.

Seakay

Do you have a Lidl or Aldi near you? They are very good for cheap but nice beer and wine.
Otherwise check out supermarket sites fo good deals - Tesco vouchers here:
http://tescovouchercodes.blogspot.com/

If You buy sausagemeat and mince you can make your own patties to grill on the barbeque - flavour them in different ways if you like eg different herbs or spices.
eg http://www.cookuk.co.uk/meat/beef/beef_burger.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/spicybeefburger_71357.shtml
Make 2oz patties rather than quarter pounders.

Have bowls of lettuce, sliced tomatoes etc so people can add them to the roll.

Do you have a Wing Yip or other Asian deli/general store/Macro near you? Get catering sized jars of relish, ketchup etc. Put into bowls for serving, and top up the boewls as needed -that way any remainders will be uncontaminated.

Make big bowls of salad - recipe for KFC coleslaw here (use plain yogurt instead of buttermilk) http://listverse.com/miscellaneous/top-10-secret-recipes/


I think that your idea for a huge party is a wonderful one - I'm sure that all your family and friends will appreciate the opportunity to celebrate with you - but do let them help if they want to, it's part of the fun! Even if you don't want contributions of food and drink, it might be nice to have some help with the making, or with finding tables, setting everything out etc.

buyitall

Most of the big supermarkets do free glass hire, just book the date you want and how many wine glasses, tumblers, pint glasses etc. They also do sale or return on wine, in the unlikely event of there being any left over!
Jacket potatoes are filling and fairly cheap.

Stephen_Leak

This is the only really suitable recipe I've got. I've rounded up the quantities to whole numbers, and it should be enough for 2 big bags of tortilla chips. It can also be made in advance and kept in the fridge.

I also evidently very nearly didn't make the journey into the world, so I offer this as a small gift from one fighter to another.

FRESH RED SALSA DIP

INGREDIENTS

A big bunch, pack or pot of fresh coriander
2 green chillies*
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper*
1 onion
4 tomatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
A pinch of salt

METHOD

Wash the coriander and shake dry. Cut the top off the chillies, cut them in half and scrape out the seeds. Peel the garlic. Cut the ends off the pepper, remove the middle bit with the seeds and cut it in half. Peel the onion.

If you don’t have a food processor, chop the chillies, coriander, garlic, pepper and onion into tiny pieces. Chop the tomatoes into 5mm (¼ inch) pieces. Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix together.

If you have a food processor, coarsely chop the vegetables. Put all of the ingredients into it and process for 1 minute.

Leave for 30 minutes for the flavours to mix.

FRESH CHILLI WARNING!

When you chop up the chillies be careful and avoid getting juice on your hands. If you touch your eyes, mouth or other ‘sensitive areas’, even an hour after chopping them, they will smart and burn. So wash your hands or wear rubber gloves.

*The colours of these ingredients are important to the appearance of the dish. If you use red chillies and/or a green pepper, the dish will taste the same but not look the same.

pigpen

I'd go with the guests bringing something too!!

Share and share alike!! I am certain noone would be offended.. I surely wouldn't!

Taboulleh always goes down well at ours..

I'll track down the recipe..

175g-200g bulgar wheat (6/7 oz)
1 tsp salt
35-0ml/12floz boiling water

Put the bulgar in a bowl, add the salt and then add the water.

Fork through to mix it up. Leave it to soak in for 15-20 minutes.

in the meantime make the dressing

50ml/2floz olive oil (I use sunflower or whatever I have in!)
50ml/2floz lemon juice
2 tbsps fresh mint (or dried.. we aren't picky!)
4 tbsps fresh parsley (ditto above and I did once used dried mixed herbs when I ran out of these 2)
2 gloves garlic crushed

mix all of that together.
If I am splashing out I use fresh lemons which makes it taste really really gorgeous!
I have used dry herbs too but obviously fresh is best!

When the bulgar has absorbed all of the water mix the dressing in with the bulgar,
fork it through and then leave it in the fridge for a MINIMUM of 2 hours. Any less and it doesn't taste right.
I usually do mine overnight just becuase I like to make sure that the dressing has been fully absorbed
and the tastes matured!!

After 2 hours chop the following into as small a pieces as you are happy with!!

450g/1lb tomatoes
1/2 cucumber
3-4 spring onions.

Mix it in with the bulgar mixture, add some pretty parsley on top and serve!!

It goes LOVELY with crusty bread, olives and middle eastern/tapas style food. Hubby has it in wraps too

it also goes very nicely with chicken.

I often double this up when we are having family get together.. and it saves for about a week in the fridge covered with clingfilm..

rainmac

I too would ask people to bring something, I don't think it's cheeky at all and nearly everyone takes something to parties anyway.

People don't tend to eat as much as you think they will, especially children. Maybe bulk out with crisps, popcorn (Morrisons so a lovely cinema style one).

I make a nice salsa to go with tortilla chips - small can chopped tomatoes, one small red onion chopped, small can sweetcorn, fresh coriander chopped. You can make this in advance and keep in fridge. This can be chucked over tortilla chips and topped with grated cheese and grilled or just leave in a bowl with a seperate bowl of chips.

A nice easy coleslaw: mayonnaise, lemon juice, black pepper, grated carrot, finely cliced red onion, shredded cabbage - white or red or both. You can prepare the salad in advance and add the mayo/lemon juice/pepper at the last minute. I haven't got exact quantities as it isn't exactly a recipe. I add the juice from half a lemon to about 4 tbsp mayo, add pepper and then taste. For this quantity I'd probably use 2 carrots, one red onion and one small cabbage.

I think the party is a brilliant idea - best of luck!