Love Grilling? This one is for you.
By: Desi Dimitrova
Don’t you just love barbecues? The soothing sizzling sound, the smell of cooked meat with spices that makes your mouth water, and the sight of delicious side dishes to complete the taste you can almost feel before you’ve even had one bite. What a perfect way to spend an afternoon with your family and friends! Or maybe a special occasion. Whatever it is, barbecues are a great way to gather people together and enjoy a day out in the sun!
So, what makes a barbecue so amazing? The food, of course. There are two main elements to this: the meat and the side dishes. So, let’s take a look at what you can do for each of them!
Side Dishes
Side dishes are a great way to compliment any cooked meat. And the best part is that you can do them yourself! Most of them are usually easy and even fun to prepare. Here are 5 recipes of some of the best sides you can have!
Roasted Sweet Corn on The Cob
This one is easy and oh so good! For a portion of 4, you will need:
1/4 cup butter (preferably softened)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Now all you have to do is: pre-heat the oven to 350 °F. Then mix together the butter, the garlic, the parsley and the salt. Put the seasoning on each cob, and then place it into an aluminum foil. Bake it for about 20-30 min.
Potato Salad
Lick your bowl clean with this incredible old-fashioned potato salad! After all, it’s a classic for a reason. Here is what you need for a salad that would be big enough for 8 people:
8 potatoes (medium size - boiled)
5 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 celery ribs
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 cup onion (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Now that you have all the ingredients, all you have to do is chop the potatoes in smaller pieces. Next, mix the sugar, salt, pepper, cider vinegar, mayonnaise and mustard together. Add them to the potatoes, along with the onion and celery ribs. Cut up the eggs and put them inside the salad. You can add a touch of paprika on the top in order to complete the irresistible look of the dish!
Coleslaw
Speaking of salads, here’s another classical addition to the barbecue heaven! This is what you will need:
1 head cabbage (small — around 2 - 2.5 pounds)
2-3 carrots (large)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
The first thing you’d want to do is shred the cabbage. Cut it up into small pieces. Do the same with the carrots and mix the two together. Next comes the dressing. Whisk the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar and salt together. Pour the liquid onto the cabbage and carrots, and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving it. Yum!
Baked Macaroni And Cheese
This side dish takes a bit more time to prepare but it’s so good that you simply must try it! What you’ll need is:
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups of shredded cheese (Cheddar)
1/2teaspoon salt
Boil the macaroni, and in the meantime — pre-heat the oven to 400 °F. Next, heat up the milk in the microwave for 1.5 min. Melt the butter and whisk in the flour until you get a smooth concoction. Add the warm milk, and continue to whisk. Do the same with the salt, pepper and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix it in the with the macaroni. As for the rest of the cheese, put it on top. Bake it for about 20 min until the cheese starts to bubble or it reaches a nice golden color.
Mashed Potatoes
Let’s finish off our short list of the best barbecue side dishes with yet another classic! Who could resist the charming taste of mashed potatoes? To prepare them you’ll need:
2 pounds potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk
salt and paper to taste
Peel the potatoes and boil them for about 15 min in salted water. Then melt the butter, while adding milk. Next, take an electric beater or a potato masher, smash the potatoes and add the milk and butter until they become smooth and creamy. Tasty!
Barbecue Meat
You can’t have a barbecue without the delicious meat, right? But let’s face it, while side dishes can be easy to make, preparing the meat takes a lot of time and it can be tiresome. Especially if you’re having a lot of people over. So why not hire a caterer, save yourself the headache and be the hit of the party? Here are some of the many benefits you’ll have!
Always Delicious
Do you want to enjoy your barbecue day without a care in the world? Then rely on your caterers! You can be sure that the meat will be tender, and the spices will be just right. Your guests will love it. And so will you!
Relaxing
Yes, when you know that everyone and everything is taken care of, you have nothing left to worry about! Caterers usually bring everything that's needed (including barbecue sauce!). Pretty amazing, right? Now all you have to do is sit back and relax. Let others do the work for you!
Affordable
That’s right! Having someone cater for you won’t cost you more than you would spend if you tried to prepare everything yourself. Not to mention all the time you’ll be saving! It’s a win-win!
Which side dish is your favorite for a sunny barbecue afternoon?