BBQ is undoubtedly the best menu item for your graduation party, but deciding on which BBQ menu item is best suited is a little tough. That is the reason I am going to share the best BBQ menu item in this blog post that you can easily make or order from your favorite eatery.
Even though this is your first graduation party to host, you can easily manage this all if you take care of the things I will discuss in this blog.
Best BBQ Menu Item For Graduation Party
BBQ pulled beef sandwiches are the main dish for your graduation party. Along with that, you must serve sides, beverages, and dessert. Let’s get started with the main dish.
Best BBQ Menu For Graduation Party in NJ
BBQ Pulled Beef Sandwiches
This first menu features BBQ pulled beef sandwiches as the main dish. Making this Slow Cooker Pulled beef is so economical, as beef can typically be found at very reasonable prices.
One of the reasons I selected this as the main dish is that it is economical. Also, you can cook it in advance and can put it in the sandwiches on the party day. Since the graduation party is big, you must consider an option that is easy to cook, can be prepared days before the party, and is economical. So, BBQ pulled beef sandwiches tick all these marks.
Cook it before the party and freeze it. Then you can defrost it in the morning and reheat using an electric roaster or any other way you know.
If you think it is difficult to cook it, you can also use catering services for your special event, like a graduation party.
How To Make BBQ Pulled Beef Sandwiches?
Recipe
Cut the meat into cubes and season it with your favorite spices. Now BBQ them on the grill or BBQ machine until fully cooked. You can also use an Instant Pot or a slow cooker to make the shredded beef for the sandwiches. Cook for 50 minutes in your Instant Pot, or cook in a slow cooker for 2 hours. Once cooked, leave it for a while, then shred all the pieces.
Add the BBQ sauce and beef stock, and cook for about 5 minutes. Now toast the bread, put the cheese on top of the bread, and put the seasoning and vegetables on it. The sandwiches are ready! You can make changes to this sandwich recipe if you want.
Which Bread To Use For BBQ Pulled Beef Sandwiches?
You can either use white bread, bran bread, French bread, pennini, or any bread you or your friends love the most. These sandwiches go best on Pennini and white bread but you can choose any.
Make sure you buy fresh bread. Toast them well, then add the beef, your choice of dressing, sauce, and vegetables for best results.
How Much Pulled Beef Do I Need?
Generally speaking, you can get eight to nine ounces of your pulled beef (cooked) from one pound of raw beef. To make the best sandwiches, you need about 3 ounces of cooked pulled beef per sandwich. As a rule of thumb, you can expect about 1.5 sandwiches per person.
Considering that, you will need about 150 sandwiches if you have 100 people at your graduation party. This entails starting with 50 to 60 pounds of raw beef.
At first, this might look expensive, but beef isn’t that expensive, it’s easy to make, and after all, you are catering to 100 people.
Sides With BBQ Pulled Beef Sandwiches
Your guests are going to love your sandwiches even more if you serve them with sides. For sides, you can choose any two from the following:
- Vegetable Salad: You can make a crisp, summery salad. It is the best choice because it is easy to prepare the day before. You can store it in the refrigerator and serve it on the day of the celebration.
- Coleslaw: You can use coleslaw as a topping for sandwiches as well as a light side dish. You can prepare the dressing a few days in advance and then simply mix it with the cabbage.
- Chips & Baked Beans: You can get chips from the store and some canned baked beans. Mix both things, and they are ready to go.
- Fresh Fruit Salad: Chop up some fresh fruit for a salad for something a little lighter and fresher for the party. Simply chop all of the fruit the day before and store it in different containers. Combine in a serving bowl the morning of the graduation party and serve it as fresh.
Beverages
Water
Water is a must at any party, and bottled water is the only good choice. You must buy small bottles so they can serve one person, and you don’t end up wasting a lot of bottles unfinished. Buying a lot of water bottles can be expensive, so you can look for sales a few days before the party.
How Much Water To Buy For A Party?
You must get at least 2 bottles for each guest. So, for 100 guests, expect to have 200 bottles of water.
Soda
Soda is the second most important beverage at the party. Buy the commonly liked sodas, such as Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, 7Up, Diet Sprite, and Diet Coke.
How Much Soda To Buy For A Party?
You must get at least 2 soda bottles for each guest. So, for 100 guests, expect to have 200 bottles of soda. Sodas are not only served with food, but people also love having them even before the food is served.
Dessert
After the food, everyone looks for dessert at any party. One of the best options is ice cream because everyone loves eating it in the summer. Mostly, people love chocolate and vanilla, so those are good choices. You can also put fresh fruits on them as a topping with some dry fruits and chocolate syrup.
FAQs
How many sandwiches do I need for my graduation party?
You must estimate about one and a half sandwiches per person. If you are hosting a party of 100 people, then arrange 150 sandwiches.
Can I use chicken instead of beef for these sandwiches?
Yes, you can use any meat of your choice for these sandwiches, but the best BBQ sandwiches are made with beef.
Can I have alcoholic beverages for the graduation party?
Having alcoholic beverages at the graduation party depends on your choice. If you are comfortable and your friends love it, you can have it. But keeping it alcohol-free will make it a better choice. Alcoholic beverages are generally expensive, and some people don’t enjoy them.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have shared the best BBQ menu item for your graduation party. We have added the main dish, which is BBQ pulled beef sandwiches, along with sides, beverages (water & soda), and dessert.
This guide will help you make your graduation party the best when it comes to food. You can make some changes to this plan as you like.
Alternatively, you can also book outdoor BBQ catering services.