You might think your last chance of a barbecue faded with the summer weather. But actually the fall is a great time to fire up the grill, and there are tons of awesome fall flavors and seasonal ingredients to take advantage of. If you’ve done well this growing season, chances are you’ll have plenty of delicious produce from fruits to vegetables to herbs you could utilize. Plus barbecues are always a fun way to get everyone together. Here’s how to make sure yours is a roaring success.
Keep An Eye On The Weather Forecast
While the weather should still be fair for at least a few more weeks, the change of season does mean we’re more prone to rain. A chilly day or evening won’t spoil the fun, but particularly bad winds and strong rain might throw your plans off course. Keep an eye on the weather and arrange your barbecue for when there’s not too much of a threat of rain. You may have to be prepared to rearrange if things take a turn for the worst!
Set The Scene
To throw the perfect barbecue for friends and family, you’ll need a good entertaining space. A large table (or a number of smaller ones) and enough comfy seating for everyone. You could set it up like a large family dinner, or arrange a few separate seating areas a bit like they would at a bar or restaurant. Something like a wicker pub set could help to create this kind of feel. Plus they’re hardwearing and waterproof, and last you for years to come. Alternatively you could go with traditional wood, and buy covers for when the weather turns bad. Unlike with summer barbecues it’s likely to be a bit chilly, and so a fire pit or even a bonfire in the garden could be a good idea! You could even consider something like an outdoor fireplace if you really wanted to impress your guests. And finally to set the scene,decorate. Adding seasonal touches such as fall wreaths, tealight candles, and leaf fairy lights will make your party look perfectly inspired for the fall.
Use Seasonal Flavours
To make your party that bit different to a regular summer’s barbecue, switch up the dishes to include seasonal ingredients. Take advantage of whatever you’ve managed to harvest. Corn on the cob, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and even cauliflower are all fantastic additions to the grill. You could even barbecue some fruit such as apples, pears, and quince which are all in season. You could show off your herbs by using them to marinate meat and vegetables, or alternatively coat them in warming fall spices. Cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and paprika would all be perfect for this. You could try Googling some recipes for spice rubs for ideas.
Serve Up Seasonal Drinks
Another way to use up your seasonal fruit is by making some fall-inspired drinks. If you’ve had a good harvest of blackberries, you could serve up some berry martinis or margaritas. Other more unusual berries such as sloe and elder are in season and make amazing additions to cocktails. You could make a big batch of apple cider in the slow cooker and scent it with some spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
Will you be throwing any barbecues this fall?