1. Grill outdoors if possible, using charcoal (never gas). It’ll make your party feel more like an at-home tailgate.
2. Make sure the beer is SUPER cold, and try to have a variety of beer types. Serve American brands — some light, German beers — some dark, and maybe a Mexican beer with cut limes. You may also want to have some hard cider or lemonade on hand.
3. Create your own signature barbecue sauce. Experiment with different ingredients … ginger, pineapple, cinnamon, peppers, etc., until you have something that your friends will continue talking about after the party. It’ll add something personal to fish, chicken, ribs, etc.
4. Spice things up with different ethnic foods … or at least sauces. Sushi is popular these days, maybe have a few types of rolls on hand. Also consider hummus in addition to your regular dips and salsa. Instead of regular chicken fingers, maybe do a chicken satay instead. If you don’t want to go to that extreme, offer sauces with various ethnic inspirations for your wings like; Caribbean jerk, Italian parmesan and basil-encrusted, Asian teriyaki, sweet-and-sour, or any of the other popular variations. Use your imagination.
5. Remember that not everyone eats red meat — or meat period. Be sure to serve a variety of non-meat items. Grilled or sautéed veggies can be good. Also, make sure you isolate the fish, chicken and other meats from each other and the veggies. Cross-contamination can make your guests extremely ill.
–amir ahaw and eddie rhodman jr.
*The New York Jets will take on the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday at noon. The winner will advance to the Super Bowl.
