When the sun makes its grand appearance, fire up the grill, it’s BBQ party time!
Imagine lazing in the garden with your nearest and dearest while the honey-and-herb chicken gently sizzles and the kids frolic outdoors, momentarily disconnected from their devices. Heaven!
The British BBQ – accompanied by the traditional rain shower – is a summer party staple and, with my easy barbecue recipes, simple drink ideas, and rainproof outdoor furniture, organising one won't have you in a sweat.
For an easy, low-stress BBQ party, the last thing you want to worry about is spilled sauces or an unexpected summer rain shower. Armadillo Sun patio furniture is crafted in cutting-edge, weatherproof and stain-resistant fabric: spills wipe away effortlessly and your seating can stay out in the rain, drying swiftly, ready for the party to pick up where it left off!
Plan a stress-free summer barbecue (so you enjoy it too!)
I love to entertain outdoors in the garden but a "laidback" BBQ party can quickly become an anxiety-ridden rigmarole. These are the three essentials I keep in mind to make an impromptu barbecue easy and enjoyable for all (including me).
1. What to cook for an easy BBQ party? Keep it simple
BBQ parties sound fun and effortless, but cooking barbecue food can be fiddly and worrisome. No-one wants to be known as the host who sent their guests home with a portion of food poisoning.
It can be tempting to attempt to offer a little of this and a little of that: don't. Stick to one or two meat dishes and something for the vegetarians. A BBQ party is about the experience of socialising outdoors after the long months of winter and engaging the senses with the nostalgic scent of charring sausages. An elaborate dinner party misses the point.
Opt for quality and visit your local butchers. Or shop from the comfort of your sofa and order a BBQ meatbox online from Field & Flower.
I’ve added two of my favourite BBQ chicken recipes below for you – simple but delicious (and they can be prepped and left to marinade ahead of time). For great tips on BBQing meat to perfection, check out Field and Flower’s detailed checklist.
Take the pressure off cooking times and have pre-barbecue nibbles ready for guests to help themselves when they arrive. I often make crispy fennel flatbreads a day or so beforehand and set them out with (store-bought) dips and plenty of olives.
If you have children on the guest list, it's worth having something for them to eat early on (even some oven-cooked pizza slices) or serve them first from the BBQ.
Don't feel obliged to provide a cornucopia of side dishes – three is perfect for a manageable level of variety. A pile of crusty bread and a large dish of herbed new potatoes offers an inviting selection of carbs. Add a leafy salad and you're done. Alternatively, especially for larger gatherings, ask guests to bring a side of their choice – visitors enjoy contributing, so let them.
At the risk of facing the BBQ-loving backlash, if you want social outdoor dining but don't fancy a barbecue, what about a summer grazing table as an inviting, delicious alternative? I've shared my grazing table tips for a summer party, including a shopping list.
2. What's good to drink at a BBQ? Keep it light
Jugs of iced water, flavoured with cucumber, thinly sliced lemon, and a scattering of thyme and mint, look attractive and are easy to prepare.
Choose your favourite wine – I like something light and fruity for alfresco dining. To make things easy, have a selection of options delivered to the door by the lovely people at Smashing Wines. They've let me know their top wine choices for a summer BBQ party.
Smashing Wines for a BBQ ...
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Kick your BBQ off with a bit of fizz - Cremant de Loire will get the party started!
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Then the all time favourite BBQ wine at Smashing Wines is the Syrah from JF Jacouton. This pairs perfectly with barbecued food - or cold cuts and a camembert!
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When the sun is out who doesn’t love a rosé? Light and dry, and perfect on a summer’s day.
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For the steak lovers it always has to be a Malbec!
If you’d like to up your barbecuing credentials, try this Smoky Peach and Rosemary Bourbon Spritz - but I’d opt for the stress-free option and set-up a do-it-yourself G&T corner.
Don’t forget some non-alcholic botanical drinks too. So many fabulous choices these days!
3. How to keep your guests comfortable? Lots of relaxed, social seating (that's easy to clean!)
Whilst the beauty of alfresco dining is the informality, the BBQ balancing act of plate in one hand and glass in the other is to be avoided. With outdoor bean bag chairs, seating is relaxed but seriously comfortable. Being light and portable (Armadillo Sun bean bags come with a handy carry strap too) you can follow the sun, or the conversation, around the garden.
Because of its tough, fade- and weather-proof fabric, Armadillo Sun soft garden furniture is extra comfortable but is made to last outdoors. This is an absolute boon when you want to throw together a barbecue at the last minute. Not having to get the outdoor furniture ready for guests is one less thing to worry about when you can’t remember where you put the skewers or have run out of charcoal.
Then, if it starts to rain, the garden furniture is not a concern – it’s all weatherproof and can stay outside in the rain. When the sun, fingerscrossed, comes out again it dries fast, so you’ll be able to pick the party up where it left off without getting soggy!
The Armadillo Sun modular garden sofa is perfect for informal dining. Each sofa chair features clever D-ring connectors which link the pieces together in various arrangements to perfectly accommodate your guests. The corner chairs lend themselves to sociable nooks for in-depth chatting, and an ottoman makes a perfect tray for drinks or condiments. Being wipe clean and stain resistant, there’s no worrying about drinks, sauces and salad dressings – they will simply wipe off. Leaving you plenty of time for a postprandial snooze!
What are your favourite recipes for a fun and easy BBQ party? Please let me know and do try out my alfresco chicken recipes below.
If you love to host summer BBQs and garden parties at home, you'll enjoy our ten expert tips for a garden that's perfect for entertaining.
Image: an Armadillo Sun modular outdoor sofa, with a couple of garden pouffes as tables, makes hosting an impromptu BBQ party easy – it stays outside in the rain, is stain resistant, and is exceptionally comfortable.
Easy BBQ Chicken Recipes
GRILLED CHICKEN & CORN
Serves 6
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
11/2 tbsp olive oil
600g chicken breast fillets
4 sweetcorn cobs
4 tbsp greek style yoghurt
2 tbsps mayonnaise
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 heaped tsp dried dill
1 lime, juice
2 Romaine lettuce hearts, roughly torn
2 ripe extra large avocados
1 shallot, finely sliced
Method:
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In a bowl, mix together the paprika, 3/4 of the finely grated garlic and 1 tbsp oil. Season and then rub all over the chicken breasts, coating them well. BBQ immediatly or chill and marinate for up to 4 hours.
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Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the sweetcorn and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes. Drain.
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Make the dressing by mixing the remaining finely grated garlic with the yoghurt, mayonnaise, vinegar and dill. Season well.
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BBQ the chicken
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Whilst the chicken is cooking, arrange the lettuce, avocado and shallots on a large plate. Slice the corn off the cob with a sharp knife and sprinkle over the top. Once cooked, slice the chicken and place on the top. Spoon over the dressing.
BBQ BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH HONEY & HERBS
Serves 6
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
One chicken
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp honey
Rosemary sprigs, to garnish
Method:
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Place the chicken on a chopping board, with the backbone facing up. Butterfly the chicken by inserting a heavy, sharp knife into the cavity and cut down the backbone. Open up the chicken with the skin-side down. Flatten out the breastbone. Cut the backbone from the chicken. Remove the ribs from the flesh.
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Place the chicken skin-side up in a pan just large enough to hold it.
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Combine the marinade ingredients in a mini blender and pour over the chicken. Cover and marinate for at least two hours in the fridge, turning over once.
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Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Barbecue on a hot plate on medium heat, skin-side up, for about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until cooked through, or the internal temperature is 74°C. Remove to a serving plate. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
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