A BBQ menu for a crowd: how much to cook and what to serve with it
How much meat to buy per person, what to cook first, how to keep it safe and the drinks that go with it.
A barbecue for a crowd goes wrong in one of two ways. Either the food comes out in a trickle and people are starving by eight, or there are thirty burgers left in the fridge on Monday. Both are avoidable with a bit of maths and a plan for the grill.
How much to buy
Allow two to three pieces of meat per adult, or roughly 250g, with more for a long afternoon and less if there are plenty of sides. Children usually manage one or two pieces. For twenty adults:
What | Per adult | For 20 adults |
|---|---|---|
Burgers | 1 | 20 |
Sausages | 1 | 20, plus a few spare (they go first) |
Chicken thighs or skewers | 1 | 20 |
Vegetarian option | For everyone who wants one, plus a few | 8 to 10 halloumi skewers or veggie burgers |
Buns and rolls | 2 | 40 |
Salads and sides | A big spoonful of each | 3 or 4 large bowls |
Leftover burgers freeze. A queue of hungry people does not.
Keep the menu short
Three things off the grill is plenty: burgers, sausages and one other, like chicken or halloumi. Then a few sides that can be made the day before: a potato salad, a green salad, coleslaw and some bread. Corn on the cob is the exception worth doing on the grill.
What to cook first
Light the barbecue early. Charcoal is ready when the flames have died down and the coals are covered in grey ash, usually 30 to 45 minutes after lighting.
Set up two zones. Push most of the coals to one side. Sear on the hot side, then move food to the cooler side to finish without burning.
Sausages and chicken first. They take the longest and are happy to sit warm on the cooler side.
Burgers and halloumi last. They’re quick and best eaten straight off the grill.
Food safety, briefly
The boring bit, but the one that matters most:
Keep raw meat in the fridge until it’s going on the grill.
Use separate tongs and plates for raw and cooked meat.
Cook burgers, sausages and chicken until they’re steaming hot all the way through, with no pink in the middle and juices running clear. Cut the biggest piece open to check.
Charred on the outside doesn’t mean cooked on the inside. If in doubt, finish it on the cooler side with the lid on.
Drinks that keep up with the grill
Whoever is cooking can’t also be running the bar. Put beer and soft drinks in a cool box people help themselves from, make a jug of something, and keep water on the table. If you want to take it further, let guests order drinks and food from their phones: with Orders Up they choose from your menu and say where they are, and the order lands on your phone, so the person at the grill can see what is wanted and when. There is more on the drinks side in how to run a bar at a house party.
Questions people ask
How much meat per person for a BBQ?
Two to three pieces, or about 250g, per adult. Children usually eat one or two pieces. Buy a little more for a long afternoon.
What should I cook first on a barbecue?
Sausages and chicken, which take longest and can sit warm on the cooler side. Burgers and halloumi last, as they’re quick and best eaten straight away.
How do I know BBQ chicken is cooked?
It should be steaming hot all the way through with no pink meat and clear juices. Cut the thickest piece open to check.
How long before cooking should I light the barbecue?
For charcoal, 30 to 45 minutes, until the flames have gone and the coals are covered in grey ash.
Take orders from the grill
Set up a menu for food and drinks in about ten minutes, in a look like The Pit or Garden Grill.
