How to plan the perfect barbecue menu

The secret to a great barbecue is all in the planning. You need a balance between mains, sides and make-ahead dishes. We recommend the following for a well-rounded barbecue menu:

• 1-2 barbecue mains. Go for a couple of crowdpleasers like burgers, chicken wings, skewers or hot dogs, or one showstopper main like jerk lamb or smoky pork shoulder tacos. Have a table set up to the side of your barbecue to host all the trimmings, such as buns, taco tortillas, cheese slices, relishes and sauces.
• 1 vegetarian or vegan main dish. Check how many vegetarian or vegan guests you have coming and always cook extra, as dishes like falafel burgers and halloumi skewers are often a big hit with the omnivores, too.
• 2-3 easy side dishes that can feed a crowd. Think potato salads, pasta salads and simple, seasonal vegetable dishes. Choose recipe that you can make ahead and chill in the fridge until ready, then add a few fresh touches like herbs and spring onions just before serving.
• 1 dessert option is plenty. Pick either a simple recipe such as eton mess, that scales up easily, or a showstopper sharing pud like a pavlova. If you have room on the grill, try one of our delicious barbecued desserts, including barbecued pineapple with rum caramel or grilled peaches.
• When planning your menu, think about what’s in season. In late spring/early summer, that means crisp asparagus, broad beans, succulent spring lamb and fresh strawberries for simple desserts. High and late summer bring ripe tomatoes, courgettes, aubergine and peppers into play, plus plenty of juicy stone fruits, gooseberries and raspberries to use in puddings.

How to light a charcoal barbecue

• We recommend using a barbecue with a lid, such as those by Weber.
• About 30 minutes before you plan to cook, remove the lid and cooking grill, then open the vents (fires need oxygen to breathe). Tip enough charcoal onto the bottom charcoal rack to give one even layer. Add 3 or 4 firelighters.
• Using a long match, light up the firelighters, then use a long pair of tongs to pile up the charcoal in a mound over the lit firelighters. Leave for 20-30 minutes.
• The coals are ready when they have a covering of grey ash and you can see a glow visible underneath. Rearrange the coals in an even layer, return the cooking grill and cover with the lid. To keep the heat in, replace the lid quickly if you turn or remove food.
• Before you get grilling, read our complete guide to how to cook on a charcoal barbecue.

What fuel to use for a barbecue

Charcoal

• If you have a charcoal barbecue, there are various options available. ‘Instant light’ charcoal is widely available, easy to use and quick to get started, but it isn’t the best option either for flavour or the environment. Instant light coals tend to be soaked in chemicals which are often petroleum-based and can give your food an unpleasant, petrol-like flavour.
• At lot of charcoal available in the UK is imported and made using trees felled from tropical rainforests. We recommend using sustainably-sourced lumpwood charcoal from smaller producers, instead. It lights quickly and isn’t coated in chemicals.

Wood

• Seasoned hard wood is another option for your barbecue. Choose a supplier that specialises in drying wood from felled trees or dry out your own wood before using.
• Choose kiln-dried wood for wood-fired ovens, as it burns wonderfully for a decent length of time.

Gas

• A gas barbecue is great for convenience, but bear in mind that gas is a fossil fuel and non-renewable. Gas barbecues usually use butane or propane gas for fuel.
• Light a gas barbecue 25 minutes before cooking. You won’t get the same flavour as with charcoal or wood, but you can now buy products to put in the barbecue to impart extra flavour.

The ultimate barbecue menu

The mains: simple

The ultimate homemade beef burgers
A doorstop of a beef patty, tangy burger sauce, melted cheese and pickles all crammed into a soft sesame seed bun: our ultimate homemade beef burgers are a homage to fast food favourites but taste so much better!

Loaded hot dogs
Hot dogs are a barbecue staple and with a few easy tweaks you can take them from so-so to special. Braise hot dog sausages in beer, then top with a tangle of caramelised onions, gooey comté cheese and a sprinkling of crispy shallots for a simple but elevated take on classic hot dogs.

Chicken drumsticks
Coat these hand-held favourites in a quick Cajun marinade before grilling until golden and lightly charred. Add a twist and serve with juicy wedges of pineapple alongside, if you like.

The mains: posh

Smoky pork shoulder tacos
Low-and-slow barbecuing is a big deal in the States and these smoky pork tacos provide a great introduction to this style of grilling. Marinade a pork shoulder overnight with a heady mixture of toasted chipotle chillies, garlic, spices, orange and pineapple, before a long 4-5-hour cook on the barbecue the next day. The result is tender, pull-apart pork ready to pile onto soft tacos with pickled onions, pico de gallo and a squirt of hot sauce.

Smoked brisket buns
If you’re a seasoned barbecuer and fancy stretching your skills, this is the recipe for you. Smokestak founder David Carter shows you how to recreate the restaurant’s cult brisket buns on the barbecue. Source top-quality brisket from a butcher, barbecue it low and slow, then slice and serve in brioche buns with homemade mustard, barbecue sauce and pickled chillies. Tip: read David’s expert brisket-cooking guide before you get started.

Prawn and crab hot dogs
Our seafood dogs are a fancy alternative to classic hot dogs, featuring juicy homemade prawn and crab sausages in pillowy buns, topped with a zesty sweetcorn and bacon salsa. Go the extra mile and make your own hot dog buns, too!

More barbecue main ideas

• Jerk lamb shoulder
• Korean-style barbecue chicken wings
• Tom Kerridge’s barbecue salmon with fennel and dill
• Chipotle pork and pineapple skewers
• Spatchcock saffron chicken

Vegetarian barbecue ideas: simple

Smoky BBQ carrot hot dogs
Looking for an alternative to shop-bought plant-based sausages? Try these easy carrot hot dogs. Grill long, thin carrots with rosemary in foil parcels and serve with a triple hit of alliums: curried onions, a charred spring onion crème fraîche and a sprinkling of nigella seeds. To make the carrot dogs vegan-friendly, use a plant-based mayo and oat crème fraîche.

Barbecued vegetables with tahini dressing
If you’ve been growing your own courgettes, aubergines or runner beans, this is the recipe to show off your harvest. Simply grill fresh veggies over the coals and serve with a herb-packed tahini dressing. When the seasonal vegetables are this good, there’s no need to complicate things.

Herby falafel burgers
For a veggie burger even the meat-eaters will try to get their hands on, fill squishy brioche buns with herby falafel patties topped with griddled fennel and golden halloumi.

Vegetarian barbecue ideas: posh

Halloumi, apricot and pistachio skewers
Everyone loves a bit of squeaky cheese on a stick and this halloumi skewers recipe is an elevated twist on a modern barbecue favourite. Lace halloumi, apricot halves and onion wedges onto skewers, coat with a chilli-honey glaze and barbecue for 10-12 minutes. Tip: steep the halloumi chunks in freshly-boiled water for 20 minutes first before patting dry. This gives the cheese cubes fluffier centres, contrasting beautifully with those golden edges.

Barbecued aubergine and figs with pickled apricot salsa
Smoky charred aubergines, sweet figs, creamy tahini and the tang of a lightly-pickled apricot salsa: this vegetarian dish from fire cooking expert Helen Graves is a great showcase for high-summer produce. Tip: try wrapping up in soft flatbreads for a filling barbecue main.

More vegetarian and vegan barbecue ideas

• Pepper and paneer skewers with gooseberry raita
• Aubergine and courgette shawarma skewers
• Flame-baked cauliflower kebabs
• Feta parcels with grilled courgettes and peaches

The sides: simple

Summer rice salad
Summer veggies at the ready: this flexible rice salad works with almost any veg. Think early-summer asparagus, freshly-podded peas or fridge-drawer favourites like mangetout and Tenderstem broccoli.

Corn on the cob with garlic and herb butter
Sweet, juicy sunshine-yellow corn is a beloved barbecue side dish for good reason. Fresh sweetcorn is at its best in high summer and a stint over the coals adds some delicious char. Serve with a simple garlic and herb butter. Tip: roast the garlic in the oven first for extra depth of flavour.

Potato salad
A classic potato salad with a few seasonal touches. We’re talking fresh mint, peas, broad beans and a creamy mayonnaise dressing lifted with lemon and parsley.

Tomato pasta salad
Is there an easier make-ahead side dish than a pasta salad? This quick tomato and basil number is suitable for vegans and  the perfect foil for rich barbecue mains.

The sides: posh

Crispy paprika beans with mint slaw
This sophisticated side is two dishes in one: a crunchy and refreshing mint and white cabbage slaw topped with crispy, smoky butter beans. Tip: get ahead by roasting or air-frying the butter beans the day before.

Baked feta and green vegetable potato salad
Baked feta makes everything better… including this next-level potato salad. Roast new potatoes, then tumble together with the feta, broad beans, courgettes, baby leeks, kalamata olives and a simple lemon dressing. Perfect with barbecued lamb, fish or even as a vegetarian main dish.

More barbecue side dish ideas

• Green goddess potato salad
• Authentic Greek salad
• Elotes (Mexican-style street corn)
• Charred aubergines with caponata dressing
• Avocado slaw with runner beans

The desserts: simple

Eton mess
Desserts don’t get much easier than eton mess. Whipped cream, ripe strawberries and crumbled meringues join forces in this classic summer dessert. If you want to put a spin on it, check out our ideas for eton mess with a twist, including giant banoffee mess and an eton mess traybake.

Aperol spritz ice lollies
It’s an iconic summer cocktail and dessert in one… these Aperol spritz ice lollies are a breeze to make ahead of your barbecue. Tip: dunking the moulds into a bowl of warm water just before serving helps stubborn lollies slide out of the moulds in once piece.

The desserts: posh

Barbecued pineapple with spiced rum burnt caramel and lime cream
If barbecued desserts make you think of stuffing chocolate squares into a banana at Cubs or Brownies, think again. Roast pineapple over the coals for smoky-sweet flavour then drizzle over the heady rum caramel and zesty lime cream to serve.

Grilled peaches with rose-scented madeira cake
Grilling peaches on the barbecue coaxes out their sweetness and adds an extra dimension of caramelised flavour. This sophisticated-looking pud is easy to assemble. Soak slices of shop-bought madeira cake in rosewater, then serve topped with greek yogurt, toasted pistachios, the grilled peaches and a drizzle of honey.

More barbecue dessert ideas

• Barbecued maple and pecan banana splits
• Barbecued raspberry brownie pan pudding
• Strawberry daiquiri tart
• Blueberry latte cheesecake
• Peach bellini pavlova

For even more delicious inspiration, check out our complete barbecue recipes collection.