16 Backyard BBQ Menu Ideas

A backyard BBQ is a gathering of friends and family in a host’s backyard where barbecue gets prepared and served along with a host of accompaniments. It’s a common practice to hold this type of get-together during the summertime when you can enjoy warm weather. The host often cooks the main dishes on a barbecue grill or pellet smoker, which they serve alongside a variety of family-style side dishes and appetizers.

Backyard BBQs are a common way to celebrate US holidays like the 4th of July and Memorial Day. Follow these tips to elevate your next backyard barbecue:

1. 1. Choose dishes with complementary prep needs. Remember you’ll have limited prep space, grill space, and fridge space when organizing your backyard barbecue. Choose dishes that use similar ingredients that take comparable times to prepare. This will help optimize your prep time and space.
2. 2. Consider dietary restrictions. When hosting a backyard BBQ, consider your guest’s restrictions (gluten-free, dairy intolerant, vegetarian, etc.) to ensure you have options for everyone. Always include at least one entirely vegetarian entrée.
3. 3. Make a variety of dishes. The cornerstone of any backyard BBQ is the buffet table teeming with flavorful side dishes. If you’re hosting, prepare various sides, some cold, hot, hand-held, or scoopable.

Use these menu items as inspiration for your next cookout:

1. 1. Arrosticini: With notes of olive oil and rosemary, these charcoal-grilled sheep meat skewers make the perfect Mediterranean-inspired BBQ main dish. Serve arrosticini with some crusty bread and a watermelon, mint, and feta salad.
2. 2. Baked beans: With sweet, savory, and meaty flavors owing to the addition of animal fat, baked beans make a classic addition to any backyard barbecue. Serve baked beans with any hearty, slow-cooked pork dish.
3. 3. Barbecue chicken: When you cover it in sweet, savory barbecue sauce, almost any cut of chicken becomes perfectly juicy and flavorful. Serve BBQ chicken with corn on the cob, summer salad, or on a potato roll as a sandwich.
4. 4. BBQ sauce: Use this sweet-and-savory sauce as a marinade, condiment, or topping for barbecued meats such as pulled pork, baby back ribs, beef ribs, brisket, and chicken. The ingredients in barbecue sauce vary widely, but most will include different ratios of tomato and vinegar for the base, along with a combination of liquid smoke, spices, seasonings, and sweeteners.
5. 5. Beef brisket: Over the course of a low-and-slow cook time in the smoker, the fat and connective tissue in a piece of brisket render to make tender, flavorful meat. With smoked beef brisket, keep the seasoning simple and clean. Every bite should taste smoky and beefy. Serve this succulent cut of meat with German potato salad, salad, or mac and cheese.
6. 6. Chocolate ice cream: Nothing pleases a summer backyard barbecue crowd more than a scoop of homemade ice cream. Set up a sundae station for your homemade chocolate ice cream with toppings like marshmallows, candy, walnuts, and chocolate syrup.
7. 7. Coleslaw: Any home cook can customize a coleslaw recipe to their specific tastes. Common coleslaw ingredients include shredded carrots, onions, broccoli, and cauliflower. Serve this fresh side dish alongside any of your favorite grilled or smoked meats to cut the fatty richness of the protein perfectly.
8. 8. German potato salad: Contrasting the mayonnaise-based version served in the US, German potato salad features a light vinegar- and mustard-based dressing. Many German potato salad recipes also incorporate bacon, making it the perfect side dish for smoked pork belly. Keep in mind that diners typically enjoy German potato salad warm.
9. 9. Green beans almondine: This green bean dish combines fresh produce with lemon juice, garlic, and slivered or sliced almonds. Serve green beans almondine with smoked turkey as a backyard-friendly, Thanksgiving-inspired meal.
10. 10. Pesto bruschetta: Instead of rubbing toasted bread with garlic and tomatoes, spread a layer of fresh basil pesto atop toasted bread crostini, followed by a spoonful of a fruity tomato mixture. This last-minute pesto bruschetta is the perfect summer-friendly appetizer to tide your guests over until it’s time to enjoy the main course.
11. 11. Pulled pork: The most popular cuts of meat for this slow-smoked tender dish include Boston butt, pork shoulder, and center-cut pork loin. Pulled pork is a crowd-pleasing main course, whether you coat it in barbecue sauce or enjoy it with a bit of vinegar. Use this tender shredded meat to make pulled pork sandwiches, or serve it with coleslaw and a buttered roll for a classic barbecue platter.
12. 12. Shish kebab: This dish consists of small pieces of meat and vegetables grilled together on skewers. Use beef or chicken for your shish kebab, and serve with grilled veggies, potatoes, and pita.
13. 13. Smoked burger: Grilling hamburgers is an easy and quick process, but smoking the patties infuses them with juiciness and complex smoke flavor. Serve your smoked hamburger patties with your favorite condiments, cheeses, and toppings.
14. 14. Smoked chicken wings: Cooking chicken wings low and slow on a pellet smoker, charcoal grill, or electric smoker infuses the meat with complex juiciness and flavor while giving them crispy skin. Baste smoked chicken wings in your favorite barbecue sauce or marinade, or serve them alongside homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing.
15. 15. Smoked mac and cheese: To make this smoky spin on the cheesy pasta dish, mix cooked macaroni noodles with a creamy cheese sauce. Then, warm the dish over low indirect heat in a smoker. This infuses the pasta with a subtle smoky flavor. Smoked mac and cheese is a perfect carbohydrate-packed vegetarian main dish or an indulgent side dish for your favorite barbecued meats.
16. 16. Sōmen salad: Consisting of thin Japanese sōmen noodles tossed in a tart and savory vinegar-based dressing, this cold pasta salad works well for a cookout in the high heat of summer. Common toppings for sōmen salad include shredded cabbage, scrambled eggs, sliced veggies, and chopped herbs.

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