There surely can be no smoke without fire, but to achieve a delicate balance of both requires lots of preparation and planning. Sometimes, your small backyard cookouts can leave your hands quite full and with many balls in the air. A concise and comprehensive checklist is surely what will keep unwanted surprises and mishaps at bay and ensure your cookout is as smooth and enjoyable as the marinade for your bbq.

 

Essentials for BBQ Cooking

#1. A well assembled barbecue - Oftentimes, barbecues come unassembled and assembling them may not seem like a huge hassle. But, you don't want to be stuck or spend too much time on assembling a grill which can require professional tools, especially for more complex grills. So always go for a well assembled barbecue.

#2. Add ons for your barbecue – Various barbecues comes with important add ons like a smoker box or a multilevel cooking stand. If you want these features, make sure they are a priority with your initial investment because buying them separately may not be feasible or convenient.

#3. A barbecue toolkit - Having a good toolkit is essential for any BBQ cookout. Preferably choose tools with wooden handles so that the tools don't become too hot to handle.

#4. A fire extinguisher - Safety is foremost when planning anything around a BBQ. So always keep a fire extinguisher handy in case of a flare-up.

#5. A grid scraper and wire brush - The grills on a BBQ can become greasy and blackened with usage and cooked foods. It's important to clean your grill after it has cooled down with a grill scraper and wire brush in order to remove food remnants that have become stuck to the grill.

 

Essentials for Serving

#1. Paper napkins - With all the grill sauces and juices flowing at a BBQ, paper napkins are essential. Make sure they're not too thin (they might stick to the meat) and preferably non-coloured for fear of colour bleeds.

#2. Cutlery - this may seem like an obvious essential but then this is also that one thing which always falls short. At Pollocks, we carry the Simply Clean compostable cutlery line of cups, plates, bowls, forks, knives, and spoons. All items are made from plants and can go everywhere you go and are totally compostable. So make sure you have more than enough cutlery for all your guests to have seconds and maybe even doggie-bowls to go too!

#3. Ice – While we may never forget the bevies,  we can often fall short of remembering the ice. So do ensure that you have plenty of ice to go with your beer bucket and summer coolers.

#4. Gloves - BBQs can get hot - literally! Keeping non-combustible gloves at hand is an absolute 'don't forget!'

#5. Salt - Salt is the most essential yet the most subjective of ingredients for any BBQ. So ensure that you have enough salt sprinkler bottles for guests who just can’t get enough salt.

#6. Extra herbs and condiments - It's best to keep some extra sprinkler bottles of basic herbs and condiments at hand for the guests to regulate the spice levels for individual taste buds.

 

Essentials for the Decor

#1. Drink dispensers - Drink dispensers don't just make the drinks service mess free but also add to the decor of the party. You can get transparent, colourful ones to go with the refreshing coolers to add that pop of colour.

#2. Outdoor torches and bulb lights - Cookouts often go late into the night and good lighting can make a world of difference to the mood of the party! So make sure there's lighting which suits the mood of your party. If you're going for a dusky, soothing mood then the mellow yellow lights go very well. And if you'd like to go for an all out rager then make it as colourful as you like!

#3. Tables - Having sturdy but funky tables can change the entire decor. Try experimenting with tables and don't just go for the regular, wooden square ones.

#4. Good Music - What's a party without good music?! Music sets the tone for the entire evening and having a playlist ready is a must. You don't want to be fumbling for the right songs at the last moment, do you? So put your best song forward and watch the magic unfold.

Pollocks BBQ Store in Toronto is your one stop destination for all the above-listed essentials and ingredients for the ultimate summer party.

So what are you waiting for! Plan your perfect BBQ cookouts with a bbq checklist that will keep all the essentials  in mind and watch your guests have the best time ever!