New Year's Eve BBQ
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with friends, a glowing grill and a menu spread across the evening. Planning ahead, serving small portions and monitoring safe temperatures leaves more time to enjoy the occasion together.
Here are flavour ideas, a late-night menu and practical cold-weather grilling tips. The clock times are serving suggestions, not guarantees that food will be cooked by then.
Flavours for New Year’s Eve
Tex Mex works with chicken, wraps and a homemade dip: mix a clean portion of rub into a suitable dip base, never into sauce that has touched raw meat. Memphis BBQ adds a sweet, smoky accent to ribs and pulled pork. Choose Korean for umami with ribeye strips or wings, or Jamaican Jerk for a spiced chicken variation.
Start large cuts early and allow extra time for cooking and resting. Keep someone supervising the BBQ while guests arrive or head outdoors at midnight.
The late-night menu
- 18:00–20:00, pulled pork: with Memphis BBQ. Eight hours at 110°C is only a planning example, not an endpoint or promise. Size, shape, starting temperature, grill and weather affect the duration. Monitor actual BBQ and internal temperatures as well as tenderness. For pulled pork, cook beyond the minimum safety temperature until the meat pulls apart easily.
- 21:00–23:00, spareribs: with Tex Mex. The previous 3–4 hours over indirect heat is a rough indication; thickness, meat type and cooking temperature also determine the time. Check safe doneness and desired tenderness, not just the clock.
- 23:30, chicken wings: with Korean or Jamaican Jerk. Twenty minutes over direct heat does not reliably guarantee doneness. Use a cooler zone to finish cooking gently and limit flare-ups. Chicken must reach at least 74°C before removal; check several wings in the thickest meat without touching bone.
- After midnight, grilled wraps: tortillas with previously cooked pulled pork, Tex Mex and sour cream. Only use meat that has been held hot under controlled conditions or rapidly chilled and properly stored. Reheat refrigerated leftovers to at least 74°C before serving; toasting the tortilla alone does not establish that.
For whole cuts of pork, USDA specifies at least 63°C before removal followed by a minimum three-minute rest. This is not the tenderness endpoint for pulled pork or ribs. Use the correct sensor position, as explained in measuring internal temperature.
Hot holding, cooling and serving small portions
For extended hot holding, keep cooked food actually at or above 60°C and check with a food thermometer. A closed BBQ or insulated cooler does not guarantee that temperature. Do not leave pulled pork on the table without temperature control from early evening until after midnight.
For later serving, divide leftovers into small, shallow portions and refrigerate at 4°C or below within two hours at most, sooner in hot conditions. Keep sour cream and cold dips refrigerated and serve small amounts. Use clean utensils and dishes for cooked food, separate from raw products. Reheating does not make food safe after excessive uncontrolled storage.
Grilling in the cold: practical tips
Fuel and time: have extra suitable fuel available and allow a margin. There is no fixed winter allowance of 20–30% more fuel or 15–20% longer cooking time. Wind, outdoor temperature, insulation, ventilation and opening the lid all matter. Monitor the grill and meat temperatures; never obstruct ventilation openings.
Lid and plates: limit unnecessary lid opening during indirect cooking. Only warm plates declared oven-safe by their manufacturer and follow the instructions; 10 minutes at 80°C is not suitable for every plate.
Outdoor safety: never use a wood or charcoal BBQ inside a home, garage, tent or other enclosed space because of carbon monoxide. Position the BBQ and any fire pit securely, away from flammable materials and walkways. Follow local rules, keep children at a safe distance and separate cooking from fireworks activities. Keep a responsible, attentive adult supervising the fire.
Three flavours for a long evening
The Starter Pack contains three 100g bags of your choice. One combination for this menu is Memphis for pulled pork, Tex Mex for ribs and Korean for wings. You choose which three flavours to include.
View the Starter Pack or browse all rubs. Shipping costs and any free shipping depend on the destination and order value. Check current delivery information when ordering; delivery before 31 December is not promised here.