Organizing a BBQ for large groups — planning, menu, and tips | The Rub Kitchen
Organizing a BBQ for 20 or more people is a different skill than for 4–6 people. The challenge isn't the taste, but the timing: getting everything hot and on the table at once without your guests waiting for hours. With the right planning, it's perfectly doable.
The golden rule: choose meats you can prepare in advance
The biggest mistake with large BBQs is live grilling for everyone at once. Instead, choose meats that you can prepare hours in advance and keep warm:
- Pulled pork — make it the night before or early in the morning. Keep warm in a hot box (cooler with towels) for 4–6 hours. Pull just before serving.
- Spareribs (3-2-1) — do the first 3+2 phases in advance, store in foil, finish on the BBQ just before eating.
- Whole chicken or chicken thighs — pre-cook well in advance, finish last-minute on direct heat for crispy skin.
- Sausage — quickest option, ideal as an opener while the main course rests.
How much meat per person?
| Dish | Raw weight per person | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pulled pork | 350–400 g | Shrinks 40–50% during cooking |
| Spareribs | 400–500 g (raw) | Approx. 3–4 ribs per person |
| Chicken thighs | 250–300 g | 1–2 pieces per person |
| Sausage | 150–200 g | As a side dish or opener |
| Mix (meat + vegetables) | 300–350 g meat + 200 g vegetables | With a wide selection of side dishes |
Timeline for a BBQ of 20+ people
- Day before: Pulled pork on the smoker (overnight) or spareribs phase 1+2 preparation. Apply rubs to everything that will be grilled the next day.
- 4 hours before: Pulled pork in a hot box. Chicken thighs on the BBQ (indirect).
- 2 hours before: Start spareribs phase 3. Prepare side dishes (coleslaw, salad, buns).
- 1 hour before: Finish chicken on direct heat. Grill sausages as an opener.
- 30 min before: Pull pulled pork. Spareribs out of foil, final glaze.
- At dinner: Everything is ready, you can enjoy.
Practical tips for large groups
- Use a hot box (cooler) as a BBQ oven — filled with towels, it keeps pulled pork warm for 6 hours
- Use two BBQs if possible — one for low & slow, one for direct finishing
- Make a written timeline — otherwise you'll forget when something needs to be done during the party
- Prepare more than you think you need — people consistently eat more at BBQs
- Serve two side dishes that can be at room temperature (coleslaw, buns, baked beans)
Rub Kitchen tip
For large groups, the Starter Pack (3 x 100g) or the 3-Evening Pack is ideal — this way you have multiple flavors for different types of meat without multiple orders.