How to Choose Side Dishes for a Barbecue

Barbecue side dishes range from simple garden salads to grilled vegetables, depending upon your personal preference. Selecting the best side dishes for your barbecue varies at each barbecue, so follow these steps to decide which side dishes work best for you.

Things You'll Need

• Grill basket
• Skewers

Instructions

1. Decide your preference between preparing side dishes prior to the day of the barbecue versus on the day. Time constraints and number of guests contribute to this decision.

2. Choose standard barbecue side dishes such as potato salad, baked beans or coleslaw if you want to save time on the day you barbecue the meat. These dishes are also very manageable for guests to self-serve and eat while standing and mingling.

3. Cook side dishes on the grill in a grill basket the same day as the meat to reduce kitchen cleanup. Vegetables such as onions, squash, potatoes, mushrooms peppers and corn easily grill on the barbecue. For added preparation ease, chop the vegetables and grill them on skewer.

4. Purchase reusable stainless steel skewers or grill baskets online. Remember to presoak bamboo skewers to prevent burning them on the grill.

Resources

• Barbecue accessories