The nights may be getting darker, and the temperatures are starting to drop, but the incoming winter season does not mean the end of outdoor entertaining. It’s all about changing your mindset and approach to hosting your nearest and dearest.
By selecting a simple but delicious menu, providing plenty of warm blankets, and ensuring your guests have a selection of tasty vodka premix alcohol or a warm, comforting mug of hot chocolate spiked with a shot of liqueur, you will quickly forget about the dreary weather while you enjoy the perfect night with friends.
Start Early
If you have ever woken up in the morning with everything outside frozen over, it goes without saying that these low temperatures will also affect your barbeque. When the weather is colder than usual, it will take longer for your BBQ to get going and reach the temperature needed to grill. Ensure you plan ahead and get started earlier than expected, using long-lasting fuel to avoid eating hours later than you initially planned.
In addition, it may be worthwhile repositioning your BBQ should you have the ability to move it. If you plan to host both indoors and potentially outdoors, you may find it easier to place it closer to the back door to shorten the walk from grill to table. Alternatively, it may be better to place it closer to or further away from outdoor seating options to prevent your guests from being flooded with smoke with the changing winds.
Wrap Up Warm
Whether it is just you or your entire party, regardless of how long you plan to be outside, it is essential to keep everyone warm and toasty. This can be easily achieved by providing each of our guests with a Mexican picnic blanket. These blankets offer plenty of insulation and will keep everyone warm and dry during the cold winter months. As an added bonus, they can be used as a beach blanket once summer rolls around.
Alternatively, you can invest in a fire pit filled with seasoned hardwood logs for longer burning times or purchase a patio heater that can be positioned around the garden as needed for an extra kick of warmth.
Keep Things Simple
When barbequing during the winter months, it is best to keep food simple. Opting for food like sausages, burgers, chicken legs or thighs, and vegetables on skewers cooks quickly with little fuss and is easier to keep warm without the risk of overcooking.
If you want to include a jacket potato with the meal, precook them in the oven beforehand before popping them on the barbeque at the end to rewarm them and give them a delicious smoky flavor. This will help you avoid staying outside for longer than you desire while waiting for them to cook.
Must-Have Hot Drinks
A fantastic way to keep your guests warm in chilly weather is to provide them with a small selection of hot drinks. You can opt for tea, coffee, or rich and silky hot chocolate with a small shot of Bailey’s for an adult-friendly sweet treat.
Alternatively, if you are hosting during the holidays, you can go the extra step and brew up a pot of hot apple cider or mulled wine. Keep in mind that not all your guests may prefer to drink something warm. Having one or two cold drink options on hand will ensure that everyone has something they like.
Embrace Fairly Lights
You can never underestimate the importance of lighting. Selecting the right lighting solutions for a specific room or space in your home can dramatically affect its function and ambiance. For many people, winter brings early sunsets and darker evenings, so introducing additional lighting features outside is an important addition to winter entertaining.
Keep things laid-back and whimsical with festoons, lanterns, twinkling fairy lights, and, should space and budget allow, a blazing fire pit, and you will soon be enjoying plenty of cozy evenings with your loved ones. The benefit of opting for these lighting choices is that they can be used year-round, making them cost-effective investments.
Use the Right Equipment
When cooking in freezing temperatures, it is essential to use cookware that will trap as much heat as possible. This will keep your food warm and pleasant while you prepare your finishing touches and gather your guests around the dining table to eat.
Ceramic cookware is perfect for keeping food warm and toasty, while a preheated cast iron pan will provide additional space to keep a winter spread warm. Heating trays can be used indoors, but they may pose a safety risk when used outside in wet or icy conditions. If you plan to utilize heated pans, take your food off a little earlier than normal, as it will continue to cook in the pan for a while afterward.
Outdoor Kitchens
If you enjoy hosting your friends and family and love the idea of having year-round entertainment options, it may be worthwhile investing in an outdoor kitchen in your garden. Outdoor kitchens have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it is easy to see why.
Having a simple, functional yet stylish design with a BBQ or wood-fired oven, sufficient worktop space, ample storage options, a small sink, and possibly a small fridge or wine cooler may seem like a costly investment, but it will significantly transform your outdoor space for years to come. The good news is that there are plenty of budget design options to suit any bank account.
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