5 Tips for the Best Summer Backyard BBQ

This post sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All comments and opinions are my own.

Get Outdoors and Enjoy the Warm Weather with These 5 Tips for the Best Summer Backyard BBQ! So Easy and Fun You’ll Want to Grill Every Day!

At my house, summertime means getting together with friends and family and sharing a great meal. It also means we grill a lot instead of turning on the stove. Hosting a crowd, or even a few people, doesn’t have to be a struggle. With these 5 Tips for the Best Summer Backyard BBQ, Ball Park^® Beef Franks, and Hillshire Farm^® Smoked Sausage you can be the host or hostess with the most-est!

LOVE THESE TIPS? PIN THEM FOR LATER!
Follow Bread Booze Bacon on Pinterest

For years I was nervous about grilling. I really have no idea why. I think I was worried that I needed to be a pit master level grill expert to make anything. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ever since we got our little tabletop propane-powered grill, I grill out all the time. It’s my favorite. I’ve even been known to kick Mike off of grilling duty because I want in on the action.

Whether you’re a grilling pro or a beginner, these backyard BBQ ideas will help make your cookout a hit. So grab those tongs, light up the grill, and get ready to have the best summer backyard BBQ!

Tip #1 – Get Plenty of Food

Sam’s Club is our favorite place to stock up on all our summer grilling needs while getting a great deal. I love that I can get all my groceries and cookout needs in one stop. We get plenty of water bottles, plates, napkins, and the club-sized packs make it easy to make sure there’s plenty of food for all our backyard BBQ lovers without breaking the bank. Just head on over to the refrigerator section at Sam’s Club to grab a 24-count pack of Ball Park Beef Franks and the 4 pack of 12-ounce Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage while you’re shopping.

I like to make sure there are a couple of entree options at our cookouts. The grill’s on so I like to make good use of it. Usually, the cookouts in our family have Ball Park Beef Franks and hamburgers, which I fully support. However, I like to mix things up and make Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage instead of burgers. They’re a rich, smoky sausage that melts in your mouth. It’s a great change up to the usual menu, especially when I’m making foil packet meals.

Tip #2 – The Grill is Your Friend

Whether you prefer propane (and propane accessories) or charcoal grills, it’s all about that live fire flavor. Give me grill marks and some char and I’m a happy girl. But grilling isn’t just for you usual cuts of meat or kabobs. You can also make amazing dinners like these Smoked Sausage and Potato Foil Packet Meals. You pop everything into a heavy-duty foil pack, grill for about 20 minutes and boom! A gourmet meal that’s backyard BBQ worthy!

While the adults love smoked sausage, our boys and their friends tend to gravitate towards the Ball Park Beef Franks. What kid doesn’t love a hot dog?! It’s one of the only meats aside from chicken nuggets I can get them to eat…and thank goodness for that! Serve up your dogs with whatever you like – relish, mustard, ketchup, onion, or all the chili dog fixins. You can’t go wrong! I’ve even started making chili dog bowls for our boys with chopped hotdogs, chili, and cheese. They eat it with a fork and clean their bowls in record time.

Tip #3 – Keep It Simple

While I absolutely love to cook, when we’re hosting people for a meal I’ve learned a couple of important lessons. Not every recipe has to all be from scratch and you don’t need a million menu options. The classics are your friend. People generally expect certain foods for a backyard BBQ and I aim to please. Sure you can add a couple of different options to your table, but give them something familiar too.

I was a habitual “OMG they’re here already?!” party hostess. I’m not proud of it, but over the years I’ve gotten better at planning our menu. One of the biggest things that’s helped is choosing dishes I can make the day or morning before and cooking semi-homemade instead of from scratch. It’s a game changer when we’re having a lot of people over. Buy pre-cooked and peeled hard-boiled eggs for your deviled eggs and potato salad. Use canned baked beans and hot dog chili. No one will judge you for it. Choose summer salads and desserts you can make the day before. Most of these recipes get better when they sit overnight.

Backyard BBQ Menu

• Grilled Ball Park Beef Franks with chili cheese dog toppings, relish, mustard, and ketchup
• Grilled Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage on French-style buns or in foil packets with veggies
• French Onion Dip and Potato Chips
• Deviled Eggs
• Baked Beans
• Fresh Vegetable Salad
• Potato Salad
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Tip #4 – Minimize Clean Up

You don’t have to break out all your dishes and silverware. Most people are perfectly fine with paper plates, plastic cups, plastic forks & spoons at a backyard cookout, just be sure to get strong plates. Once everyone eats, there’s hardly any clean up for you. Everything goes in the trash except just a few serving plates and bowls. No one I know looks forward to dishes after a day of eating and hanging out.

Easy clean up is another reason I love making Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage foil packs and Ball Park Beef Franks. The only utensils I need are tongs! I put the cooked hot dogs and foil packs on paper plates and serve everything buffet-style, so guests can help themselves. Then, we toss empty plates after the party or cover them with foil before storing in the fridge. It’s SO easy!! And doesn’t forget plastic cups and a marker for drinks. You can put out beverage dispensers of lemonade and iced tea that everyone can serve themselves from in addition to a cooler of chilled water bottles.

Tip #5 – Have Fun!

This is a party after all. Take turns manning the grill so that you’re not stuck cooking the entire party…unless you’re into the grill master position. That way you can grab a cold drink, take a big bite of your Ball Park Hot Dog, and enjoy the beautiful weather while chatting. It also makes it easier to grab little bites of everything you love on the table. I’m a big grazer at parties.

We tend to migrate outside and soak up the sun when the weather is nice. Everyone finds their way to benches or couches and we talk or break off to play cornhole and horseshoes. These games are great for kids and adults and having them on hand adds another element of fun to our parties.

This summer is for grilling and with these easy tips, you will have a backyard BBQ that’ll have all your friends asking when the next party is! Be sure to swing by Sam’s Club to stock up on all your summer backyard BBQ needs and for the quality products that will make your backyard BBQ menu shine!!