If there is one thing most people love to do during the summer season, it is host a BBQ! Hopefully, we’ll all be celebrating getting out of lockdown by then, and so there will be a lot of parties to be had! When it comes to hosting a BBQ, not only do you need to make sure you invest in beautiful outdoor furniture and get the food order in, but you need to make sure the BBQ area is safe. With that being said, read on to discover how to party-proof your garden for the BBQ season
Invest in a quality barbecue – The first tip to follow when it comes to party-proofing your barbecue is to invest in a good quality barbecue. After all, the last thing you want is for the food to taste bad because your barbecue burns the meat too quickly. Even worse, your barbecue could end up cutting out if you do not invest in something with high levels of quality.
Don’t leave a grill unattended – Another important tip to follow is to make sure that you never leave your grill unattended. Therefore, when you are planning for your party, make sure that you organise it so that there is always going to be someone at the grill.
Make sure your grill is at least ten feet away from your property – The farther you can move your grill from your home, the better. This includes anything that is attached to your property, such as porches and garages. You also need to make sure that your grill is not used underneath any sort of overhangs, especially if they are made of wood, as the fire cloud flare up into the structure and cause a serious problem! This is something that applies to both gas and charcoal grills.
Cover your furniture – If you are worried about your gorgeous garden furniture getting ruined, you may want to consider investing in protection covers. This is definitely recommended if you have spent a lot of money on outside sofas with fabric, and so you cannot easily wipe down any stains.
Plan for bad weather – Have you got a back-up plan should the weather be bad? Of course, you may decide that you want to move the party indoors. However, one of the best things you can do is invest in a pop-up marquee. These do not cost a lot, and they come in very useful. You should put your marquee up at the start of the day, otherwise, you will have a right hassle on your hand trying to do so while it is raining. Plus, by having a marquee set-up, you are going to have a safe place for people to sit if they do not want to be in direct sunlight.
Keep a bottle of spray water handy – It is certainly a good idea to keep a bottle of spray water nearby. This is because you will be able to use it whenever you have a little flare-up. You just need to spray a little bit of water onto it, which will calm it instantly. Plus, water is not going to harm your food, meaning what you are cooking is not going to be ruined if you need to do this.
Keep any decorations away from your barbecue – Aside from the tips that have been provided so far, you need to make sure that you keep any party decorations away from your grill. This also includes any of your usual garden decorations, such as hanging baskets. Not only do these items look pretty, but they can provide plenty of fuel for a fire, which is why you need to make sure that everything is kept away. Plus, to make matters worse, most of the décor that is available today tend to be made of artificial fibres, which burn hot and fast – making this piece of advice even more important!
Serve snacks away from the cooking – One of the worst things you can do is have all of the snacks around the grill, as this means everyone is going to be standing around it while you are cooking. The best thing to do is invest in an affordable compact folding table, so you can easily put it in your garage or shed whenever you do not need it. Having a lot of people around a live flame, especially if there are children about, is not a good idea!
Don’t put too much food on your barbecue – This is especially important if you are going to be cooking fatty meats. The basic reason for this is because too much fat can end up dripping on the flames at any one time. This could result in a big flare-up, which could light things on fire nearby.
Put up some decorative lights outside – Last but not least, you need to make sure that you have plenty of outdoor lights on the go! After all, parties tend to last into the evening, and no one wants to be sitting outside in complete darkness, do they? Not only should you use this as an opportunity to make sure that your garden is bright and safe, but it is a good opportunity to add some more décor and beauty to your garden area as well. There are some great lights out there, from lanterns to outdoor solar powered string lights. There is something for everyone! Plus, they will see you through many summers, not just the one!
As you can see, there are a number of different steps you can take to make sure that you have a safe and fun BBQ party with all of your friends or family. No matter how many people you can invite, there is no denying that summer BBQs are something that we are all going to be looking forward to at the moment. Follow the tips that have been provided and you can make sure that your BBQ party goes off without any problems.
