Hope everyone is ready for another weekend! As I'm sure you noticed, the weather is getting warmer and the parties and cookouts will be ramping up again. And I for one can't wait! We already covered 5 games that will keep everyone at your party entertained now its time to dive into my 5 favorite foods that will have people talking and looking forward to the next time your hosting! I'm focusing on more simple to make, not too expensive and able to feed a large groups at once. I know not everyone has a smoker or deep fryer at their house and so were going to look at the best foods to make with things most everyone has. As always make sure to comment and any thoughts or what your favorite cookout foods are. Especially if you have a recipe or a special twist that you think needs to be tried!
Hot Dogs and Hamburgers- I figured I'd start off simple. Hot Dogs and Hamburgers is something everyone can make and is a staple of the cookout game. And while they are not the most exciting option, they are not only fool proof but a necessity. Most the times cookouts have kids who are in general more picky than not. Enter the tried and true favorite of youngsters everywhere. But you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this. Go all out with the toppings bar and you can transform a hot dog or hamburger into an exquisite work of art that let's people get creative. Also, don't underestimate the power of nostalgia that can be brought on with hot dogs and hamburgers.
Grilled Chicken- I know I'm in the vast minority here and I'm not disrespecting steak by any means (I have learned I have to preface this take with plenty of reasoning) but I am definitely a chicken over steak kind of guy. A good steak is delicious but chicken is just so versatile. It's almost universally liked and can be eaten on a sandwich, in a salad or by itself. It can be dressed up with toppings like a burger and also can be drizzled in a uncountable number of sauces. Buffalo and BBQ are two of the easiest and most delicious ways to make your chicken!
Pulled pork/beef/chicken- This is one of my favorite foods and is my go to at any cookout. The key to this is prep and an good BBQ sauce. This may be a little more involved than just simple burgers and dogs but its not overly complicated and an extra step or two will be so worth it in the long run. And with people being picky you can go with either pork, beef or chicken and make sure everyone is pleased.
Sides- I'm kind of cheating here but there's just a couple sides that are a must. First off if you know me, any get together needs mac and cheese and cookouts are no exception. Mac and cheese is so simple but it makes such a statement. You can almost guarantee it will be the first thing gone. It also pairs well with pretty much any type of main dish you will have at a cookout. Some type of fry or potato dish is a must as well and is a sure to please most if not everyone.
Crabs- This may be cheating as well, especially because it doesn't involve any cooking yourself but I'm unapologetically Maryland born and raised and it would be sacrilegious for me to talk about cookout foods and not mention the G.O.A.T. Now we all know crabs are expensive so most likely this will be a group effort but if you got it like that than by all means provide a bushel or two for your cookout and you will be everyone's favorite host. Crabs are more than just an amazing food, they are an experience that brings people together for hours and always lead to successful cookout.