We’re in September now and it’s officially the end of BBQ season, or is it? I dare say the weather has been holding up and I think we may just have another decent outdoor event weekend in us. Surrounded by friends and family, a few drinks and amazing quality meat for the grill.

Bad weather, bad bbq?

Living in the UK you can never really rely on the weather when planning an outdoor gathering so we have had to devise ways to make it a success even when we are let down by the weather. Rain doesn’t need to put a dampener on your outdoor grilling plans. These are a few tips that will facilitate an outdoor party no matter what the weather has in store.

My number one tip would be have a canopy or a marquee set up with a seating area and the grill underneath so you’re prepared for all eventualities. You could even have a separate awning or cover just for the grill so your guests are not sat close to all the smoke.

Regularly checking the upcoming weather conditions gives you a chance to plan ahead and make sure you have all the necessary provisions to make it a dry success.

Only the best for our guests

One of the most exciting things about having or attending a bbq, for me, is the meat. You really can’t beat good quality meat to ensure everyone enjoys their food, it really makes a meal. I don’t know what other dishes you all make when you have a bbq but me personally I love to have a lot of dishes that can be eaten cold so that the meat that comes off the grill will be the start of the show.

I often prepare pasta salads, potato salad, a big leafy salad and all you your usual breads, buns and wraps. Having great food and somewhere comfy to hang out can really make the whole day for some people so grab a couple of hammocks and hammock stands to make your BBQ the place to be.

Swaledale online butchers is fantastic place to get great quality, fresh, sustainable meat for big gatherings and also for everyday. Swaledale specialise in traditional artisan butchery and have been providing premium grade meat to some of the top restaurants for many many years and have now made their produce available for anyone to order online.

All of their meat are fresh and never frozen so we get the absolute best it can be. You need to have a look at their website as I can’t rave about them enough, you should also have a look at online reviews because they really do provide amazing quality and service.

I have vegetarian and vegan family members so I always make sure I have enough options for them to. I find a lot of vegan mock meats are very very good now and it’s a great way to keep everyone included without them having to just eat salad and bread. I also prepare a few kid friendly picky bits for the younger kids to enjoy like cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, quiche bites and chips etc.

Until next time.

Until next summer, we over here will be having indoor gatherings until it warms up a bit again outside but will still be keeping everything else the same. Same amazing guests, same vibes and the same foods that have never let us down before. Ordering all the meat online takes the stress out of going from place to place to get the best cuts and with covid still a concern it’s nice to be able to stay out of crowded places while still supporting a family business.

Do you have any tips for outdoor grilling or keeping up the fun bbq vibes as the winter rolls through? we’d love to hear them in the comments below.

*collaborative post containing only my opinions.