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Blog - feature - Best 4th of July

Tips for The Best 4th of July BBQ Ever

It’s nearly here! The second most important grilling day of the year! We’ve got the 5 Tips for the Best 4th of July BBQ Ever. From food to décor, and everything in between, we can walk you through it and ensure your 4th of July party goes off without a hitch. All you need to add are your friends.

 

1. Your BBQ

Start by having a look at your grill. Make sure that it’s clean, that you have checked all hoses and connections, and that you have enough fuel for cooking your 4th of July feast. Do you need some help with cleaning your BBQ, or checking on your hoses and connections? We’ve got blogs that can help you with that.

Grill Maintenance

Cooking for a crowd can get hectic. If you have a large grill like our Prestige PRO825 with two grilling heads, it’s easy to set up for direct and indirect grilling. Direct grilling is great for quick cooking foods like kebabs, hotdogs, and burgers. Indirect grilling is ideal for foods that take longer to cook, like baked potatoes, beer can chicken, and roasts. You can also use wood chips and the PRO Stainless Steel Smoker Tube to add a light smoky flavor while you cook using indirect heat. If you don’t have a two-headed grill, don’t panic. You can use any barbecue that has at least two burners; just set up a direct and indirect zone. Simply turn one burner on and leave the other off. You could also consider setting up two grills! Use the gas grill for hot and fast foods that can sear quickly over high heat, while you reserve the charcoal grill for some low and slow barbecue. Just remember to allow enough time for anything you are cooking low and slow, especially if you are smoking something like pork shoulder for pulled pork. Please remember to practice grill safety at your 4th of July Party. Never leave a lit grill unattended, and keep a fire prevention kit – hose, baking soda, fire extinguisher – handy just in case.

 

2. 4th of July Menu

An excellent 4th of July menu is important for a memorable 4th of July party. Right? Start with the main dish when planning the menu, then branch out from there. Keep it super simple with burgers, salad, and snacks, or go crazy with pulled pork. Either way, consider greeting guests with a nibble as they enter the party. A couple of ribs on the way to the drink station and into the party will create a lasting impression.

 

Food safety is as important as grill safety. Keep your potato and pasta salads on ice and in the shade, and refrigerate after being out for an hour. If they’re left out longer than that, err on the safe side and toss them. The same goes for creamy dips, meat, and raw meat especially.

 

3. Lighting and Décor

You’re already going to be decking everything you can in Red, White, and Blue, but don’t forget to add lights. Fairy lights, Christmas lights, or strings of party lights draped in trees and under/over/around your deck (or patio) will add a festive ambiance more effectively than turning on the motion activated light at the back of the house. (Though using that light may keep people dancing.)

 

4. Organization

When laying out the backyard for this party, think in terms of stations, like back in school. You should have your BBQ station, drink station, a few conversation stations with nibbles, and one or two activity stations. The reason you want to do this is to ensure that your guests aren’t just hovering around with nothing to do. They will feel more welcomed into your space and encouraged to mingle, converse, and will be less likely to bother you about how many times you flip the burgers.

Blog - 4th of july - Entertainment

 

5. Entertainment

No 4th of July party should be without entertainment. Especially not the Best 4th of July BBQ Ever! Music should suit the audience.

 

Don’t forget sprinkle in: Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen, American Woman by The Guess Who, American Pie by Don McLean, Living in America by James Brown.

 

Remember how I mentioned stations for activities? Having a few games like flip cup, beer pong, and cornhole are a great way to keep partygoers engaged. It’s also a great idea to have a timetable in your head. This is especially important if you’re going to be watching fireworks.

Fireworks can be dangerous. If you are going to be doing a small display at home, ensure that you have checked with local bylaws to make sure you won’t be inviting the police or fire department without knowing it. This is another great reason to have a fire prevention kit on hand. If you aren’t able to host your own fireworks display, most places will have a local show that you can enjoy instead.

Have these 5 tips for the best 4th of July BBQ ever helped you to plan yours? Did we leave any out? Tell us what you are going to be doing this 4th of July on social – like Facebook or Instagram.

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