21 Tips to Make “Outdoor Parties and Picnics” Better!
Hello August!
August is one of the best months for outdoor parties and family picnics. Here are some tips to help make your backyard event even better!
21 Tips
1. For summer parties and picnics, avoid watered-down drinks by making ice cubes with the same beverages you plan to serve. This tip works great with lemonade, ice tea & other non-carbonated beverages
2. Create DIY ice packs by soaking new and unused kitchen sponges in water and freezing them overnight. In the morning, remove from freezer and seal in a plastic bag before placing inside your picnic coolers or lunch boxes/bags.
3. Another inexpensive way to keep school lunches cool is to freeze juice boxes or other non-carbonated beverage containers (e.g. water bottles) overnight so they can double as ice packs the next day.
4. Large chunks of ice do not melt as fast as small cubes. To take advantage of this, rinse and fill empty ½ gallon cardboard milk or orange juice containers with water and freeze overnight. Add the frozen containers to your picnic coolers to keep food and drinks cool longer.
Tip: The following grilling tips are loosely based on recommendations found in Weber’s Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling. We have reviewed this cookbook and you can read more about that here —> Weber’s Way to Grill the perfect grilling cookbook for summer!
5. According to Weber’s Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling, the ideal thickness for hamburger patties is ¾ of an inch. Thinner patties tend to overcook or fall apart on the grill, while thicker burgers may burn on the outside before they reach a safe temperature inside.
6. When it comes to grilling, it is important to know the difference between direct and indirect heat. Direct heat refers to when the fire or heat source is positioned directly under the food you are cooking. With indirect heat, the fire or heat source is still present, but it is not directly below the food. As a result, direct heat tends to cook foods faster than indirect heat.
7. Direct heat is ideal for smaller and faster-cooking items that won’t over-cook on the outside before they are cooked through on the inside. Burgers, fruits and vegetables are examples of foods that can be
cooked over direct heat.
8. When grilling, use indirect heat for larger items, such as roasts or whole chickens that require a longer cooking time.Indirect heat can also be used to finish items that were seared over direct heat.
9. Plain ground beef doesn’t have a lot of flavor, so be sure to blend in plenty of seasonings before forming it into hamburger patties. Basic additions like salt and pepper make a big difference, but why stop there? Worcestershire Sauce, very finely minced onions, garlic, and fresh rosemary add wonderful flavor, as well.
10. Tired of dry, boring burgers? The “secret” to juicier burgers is to select meat with a higher fat content. Regular ground beef is a great choice because it is higher in fat than ground chuck, ground round or ground sirloin. If the package isn’t clearly labeled, don’t hesitate to ask whoever is behind the meat counter to point you in the right direction.
For less “fatty” alternatives, add Worcestershire sauce and/or very finely minced onions to your ground beef before making into patties. Both add moisture to your ground beef mixture, so your burgers will be juicier (and will taste better) as a result.
11. According to the USDA, the minimum safe internal temperature of ground meat, including beef and pork, is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest portion of your burger to ensure it has reached a safe temperature.
12. For best results, grill burgers over direct, high heat for 8-10 minutes. Actual cook time will depend on the thickness of your burgers and the desired degree of doneness. Add softer sliced cheese to the patties about 1 minute before they are done. For harder, chunkier cheese, such as crumbled blue cheese, move your burgers to indirect heat a couple minutes before they are finished. Then add the cheese and close the lid for 2-3 minutes until it has completely melted.
13. When it comes to planning your next picnic, embrace the concept of “less is more.” A perfect picnic comes down to just 3 things: a great location, good company, and delicious food. Keep the menu simple – think along the lines of finger foods, salads, fresh fruit, veggies, and plenty of cold drinks – so you can relax and enjoy the experience when you arrive.
14. Want to add some spice to your morning smoothies? Many popular fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, cilantro and parsley, freeze well. Wash, remove stems and chop herbs. Add chopped herbs to the bottom of an ice cube tray (filling each compartment about half way) and top off with water. Once frozen, add one or two herb-filled ice cubes (plus a few regular cubes) to your blender for an extra “pop” of flavor.
15. Food safety tip: Keep cold foods at or below 40 degrees F to avoid contamination from harmful bacteria. Once this temperature is exceeded, you have a 2-hour window before your food will spoil. On exceptionally warm days (exceeding 90 degrees), that window is reduced to just one hour.
16. On the other hand, hot foods need to be kept 140 degrees or warmer to prevent harmful bacteria growth. Cooked foods that fall below 140 degrees need to be refrigerated within 2 hours (or less on super hot days).
17. Foil packet cooking is perfect for carefree summer meals. This method is super simple and there is no messy clean up involved. Just layer your food items on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to fold over your ingredients. Then, seal the 3 open edges completely when you are finished. You want to seal it tight enough that no steam escapes, but leave enough room for some expansion while cooking.
18. Many types of fish can be tricky to cook directly on the grill because they tend to fall apart. So, cook it in a foil packet, instead. As an added bonus, there is no reason to defrost frozen fish before cooking with this method. Simply place the frozen fish in the pocket as you normally would and leave on the grill a few minutes longer than normal.
19. No more soggy, wilted sandwiches! For perfect “on-the-go” picnic or lunch sandwiches, pack vegetables and condiments in separate containers. This will keep the veggies fresh, while protecting your bread from excess moisture.
20. Beat the heat! Cold side dishes are a great way to stay cool on a hot summer day. Traditional summer classics like pasta salad, potato salad and coleslaw taste even better when made a day or two in advance – so they are perfect to make and take to your next picnic, potluck dinner, or backyard BBQ.
21. Make your next outdoor soiree a feast for the eyes, as well as for the palate, by strategically placing large containers of fresh flowers around your deck or patio to add bursts of vibrant color. If possible, use cuttings from your own garden to pull the colors of your landscape in toward your house. This will instantly give your design a more integrated, cohesive look. Also, a few large, colorful blooms will have a bigger impact – and will appear less cluttered – than a bunch of smaller ones.
