If you and your family are still not keen on heading to the local beaches and resorts this summer despite the easing mobility restrictions (introduced because of the COVID-19 global health crisis), you don’t have to. With a bit of creativity and planning, you can throw a fun summer event right in the comfort and safety of your own property.
For the summer, nothing beats a barbecue. It’s a highly interactive event, plus, everybody can enjoy an abundance of food. It’s worth mentioning, too, that you can also create a resort vibe for the get-together. A lot of families bring out their inflatable pool for the kids, set up parasols, and plan for various lawn games to keep young and old entertained.
Summer Barbecue Picks
And speaking of your summer spread, the possibilities are endless. To help you create a menu that everybody will love, rounded up below are classic barbecue food and other crowd-pleasers.
1. Steak
A barbecue is not complete without steak grilled and sliced for everybody to share, which you can purchase online from the most trusted meat suppliers in UAE. Tenderloin, sirloin, T-Bone, and even Salisbury steaks are popular cuts you can serve in various ways. You can have everything – from steak slices and onions, steak fajitas, steak and salad, to hamburgers.
2. Hot dogs and Sausages
For something quite easy to eat for the kids, you can’t go wrong with hotdogs and sausages. Stick these in a long skewer and let the young ones cook them over a fire pit. Prepare hotdog buns, ketchup, mayo, mustard, and pickle relish, and caramelized onions for some sloppy joes that both kids and adults would love.
3. Corn
Another summer barbecue staple is roasted corn. Again, put these in a skewer and cook them over an open fire or on a barbecue grill. For guests who like their corn a bit fancy, set out a tub of butter with a brush or herb-infused oil.
Meanwhile, for those who like their corn spicy, prepare the condiments for Mexicanoelotes. For these, you will need butter, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese (some people say Parmesan is good enough), chili powder, salt, lime, and corn. The corn can either be roasted lightly or boiled – either way, it tastes delicious when given that Mexican zing and spice.
4. Seafood
Different kinds of seafood are perfect for a barbecue, as well. Fish, squid, prawns, clams, mussels, and other shellfish on the grill will make your stay-at-home summer party smell like a favorite beachfront seafood restaurant. Prepare a lot of salt, lime, lemon juice, and melted garlic butter, which are stapled seasonings for clambakes.
If you want a more Asian flavor, purchase zesty Japanese sauces, Thai fish sauce, and Filipino vinegar with garlic, red onions, and red hot chili peppers.
5. Pineapples
Get some fresh pineapples from an Asian store, peel them, and slice them into rounds. These taste divine when roasted over charcoal. Different chefs on TLC swear by this barbecue treat. It’s unexpectedly superb, and its natural tart flavor is replaced by a roasted sweetness when cooked over charcoal.
If you want to make it even more interesting for those who are trying roasted pineapples for the first time, dice them into chunks and complement with bell peppers and mushrooms. The unlikely combo is surprisingly tasty.
6. Watermelons
Cut watermelon into triangles and season the slices with salt and pepper and grill it. This is another fruit that takes on a different flavor when roasted over charcoal, yet remains refreshing to eat.
But the lovely thing about serving watermelons for your barbecue is people can still enjoy them as they are and keep the body temperature down when it gets scorching hot outside.
7. Tofu
This is a fantastic option for non-meat eating friends or members of the family. Fish tofu particularly tastes the best when grilled. Put a few chunks in a skewer, along with paprika, garlic, and broccoli, season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, and you get a healthy vegan barbecue.
Extras
Those are seven wholesome barbecue-obedient ingredients to try for your summer party.
But you can still add a few more appetizers like chips and hummus, fresh bruschetta, and parmesan zucchini fries. It wouldn’t hurt to throw in a few more dishes such as fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and offer various desserts, as well. And to keep everybody well hydrated, prepare a selection of bottled beverages in a galvanized bucket filled with ice.
During these trying times, it’s always helpful to regain a sense of normalcy through activities you used to enjoy, such as a stay-home summer barbecue. You and your loved ones can still have a lot of fun with each other, while also taking care to not get yourselves exposed to the novel coronavirus.
Hopefully, the summer barbecue ideas shared here can help in easing you back to your simple sources of joy.
Photo by Sarah Pflug from Burst
