Halloween BBQ
Pumpkins by the front door, a fire pit in the garden, and the scent of spicy chicken in the air — in the US, BBQ has long been a part of Halloween. In Amsterdam, more and more people are adopting this tradition. With a few simple choices, you can turn your evening into one that is both thrilling and genuinely delicious.
Below you will find everything for a successful Halloween BBQ in Amsterdam: a heat scale ranging from friendly to 'scary hot', a spooky menu, presentation tips, and the right drinks to match. Also, read our Smoking Wood Guide for an extra smoke effect on the grill.
The heat scale: from ghost to devil
Halloween is all about excitement, and our rubs are perfect for that — from child-friendly mild to seriously hot for the daredevils. Clearly label every bowl so that no one accidentally takes a bite of the wrong one.
Carolina Gold (825 SHU): the friendly ghost — mild, sweet, and no tricks. Memphis BBQ (2,050 SHU): the little spider — slightly more exciting, but perfectly manageable. Shawarma (845 SHU): the vampire — warm, aromatic, and more dangerous than it looks. Tex Mex (3,920 SHU): the zombie — spicy enough to feel. Korean (5,450 SHU): the devil — intense and fiery, keep some milk on hand. Jamaican Jerk (7,020 SHU): the skull — the boss-level, with scotch bonnet powder as the base.
A small card with a heat icon for each bowl — a ghost for Carolina Gold, a skull for Jamaican Jerk — serves as both a warning and a decoration at the same time.
A menu for children and daredevils alike
A great Halloween BBQ works for everyone at the same time — from kids with their mild plates to adults seeking out the heat.
Spooky drumsticks (kid-friendly): chicken legs with Carolina Gold rub, with the bone wrapped in foil to look like a handle. Devil's wings (scary hot): chicken wings with Jamaican Jerk or Korean rub, served on a black plate. Zombie fingers (medium): long chicken thighs with Tex Mex rub, presented like fingers with green guacamole as a 'monster dip'. Grilled pumpkin (vegetarian): pumpkin slices with Memphis BBQ rub, 20 minutes indirect. Spooky corn (snack): grilled cobs with Tex Mex rub, served upright in glasses. Grilled banana (dessert): banana in the peel with chocolate inside, 5 minutes on the grill, with matcha whipped cream on the side.
Presentation that makes the difference
Half of a successful Halloween BBQ is in how you serve it. A few simple tricks have a big effect.
Black boards: the contrast with the orange-red bark of the rubs really stands out. Skull labels: small cards with heat icons, from ghost to skull. Orange and black: in napkins, plates, and candles — the colors of the rubs happen to match perfectly. Torch lighting: tiki torches provide exactly the right eerie atmosphere. Pumpkin as a sauce holder: a hollowed-out pumpkin as a bowl for the dip. Smoke effect: a small block of smoking wood on the coals creates spectacular plumes of smoke in the dark.
Drinks to match the mood
The drinks should enhance the Halloween atmosphere, for every age.
Dark ale or stout: a smoky stout pairs well with the Memphis BBQ rub. Red wine: a full-bodied Shiraz with the spicier rubs. Blackcurrant juice: non-alcoholic, dark in color, sweet-and-sour in taste. Pumpkin lemonade: orange juice with ginger and a pinch of cinnamon, ideal for the kids. Cold milk: sounds boring, but it's the best antidote after the Jamaican Jerk — casein neutralizes the capsaicin.
With the Jamaican Jerk and Korean rub, there should always be a pitcher of cold milk or a bowl of Greek yogurt on the table. Water doesn't help against capsaicin — milk and yogurt do, and at 7,020 SHU, that's not an unnecessary luxury.
The Rub Kitchen Heat Challenge
- → Product knowledge All ingredients and techniques explained
- → Which rub suits me? Selection guide based on flavor and meat
Ready for the scary hot BBQ?
From mild to monstrous. Freshly mixed to order, delivered for free via DHL throughout Amsterdam.
💀 Jamaican Jerk · 7,020 SHU Starter Pack · 3 flavors