If you are planning on serving large groups of people in a BBQ catering business then you’ll need some go-to recipes to feed them. Catering to BBQ fanatics is not as easy as catering to the average consumer. For starters, you’ll need a competition grade BBQ smoker and skilled cook. You’ll also need to be prepared for catering to large groups of people since the larger the group requires more complexity to pull off successfully.

One of the best ways to find out how to cater to large events is by joining the National BBQ Association. And you can find plenty of advice on starting a BBQ catering business, one of the up and coming business opportunities in the US today with a strong earning potential. We have dug up some of the best BBQ food ideas you can try out for your BBQ catering, which we think large groups of meat lovers will enjoy.

The Best of Barbecue


Slow Cook Barbecue Ribs – One of the staple dishes of any BBQ, slow-cooked ribs are always a huge hit, and these are sure to fall off the bone after the long hours of cooking. The trick here is to pre-cook the ribs in a slow-cooker to ensure they are tender, and include the tomato-based spicy sauce while cooking. When grilling, start top side down, and grill until lightly charred, basting with the sauce for added flavor. The pre-cooking means these succulent ribs can be ready in around 10 minutes.

Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Brown Butter and Blue Cheese – The daddy of barbecue dishes, rib-eye steaks are used when the occasion calls for something special. And this dish makes special even better. The steaks are grilled with a light seasoning of canola oil, salt, and pepper, until well charred on the outside. Then the steaks are sliced almost all the way through and continue grilling until cooked to perfection, and served topped with a little hot brown butter and slices of blue cheese.

Sliders and Sandwiches


Slow Cook Sloppy Joe Sliders – Sliders are always a winner for barbecues, and make a great appetizer for the main course to come. You’ll need to make the spicy Sloppy Joe mix beforehand but spooning the mix of ground beef, garlic, onions, peppers, and the variety of condiments into large white buns will give them something to talk about for years to come.

Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders – Tender juicy pork slices are marinated in a fresh citrus and soy sauce for this delectable slider sandwich to give the barbecue a little Singaporean edge. The sweet and sour sauce is made from orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, pepper, garlic, ginger and orange zest, and used to coat the tenderloin pork before grilling. The mix is then heated through with arrowroot until it thickens, and poured onto the pork slices in the bun, and topped with slaw made from green cabbage, red cabbage, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, and green onions.

Hot Hawaiian Beef Sandwiches – Hawaiian sweet bread rolls are perfect for this beef sandwich, to give a soft and tender mini bite for a delicious appetizer. The rolls are filled with tender grilled beef and Pepper Jack cheese, and then grilled again until the cheese melts down the sides of the rolls. It is almost impossible to refuse these delicious mouth-watering nibbles.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches – Grilled chicken abounds at a BBQ, so why not make some into sandwiches or sliders. Tasty chicken cutlets are hammered into thin strips, grilled with a little olive oil, and tossed in a home-made BBQ sauce mix of ketchup, apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard, onion powder, and hot sauce. Then, the chicken strips are added to the bun with the mayo, red onion slices, and pickles for a saucy, tangy sandwich fit for any BBQ king.

Finger-Lickin’ Chicken


Perfect Grilled Chicken – For the most perfect and juicy grilled chicken, this is an ideal choice for any barbecue occasion. The chicken breasts are pounded to a uniform thickness and then marinated in a mix of olive oil, honey and mustard, salt, thyme, oregano, and lemon juice. Then grill on both sides until golden brown and serve with a drizzle of the marinade to taste.

Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken – Nobody can resist delicious chicken thighs, complete with skin on and bone in, and these chipotle and mango delights make for a succulent backyard barbecue bonus. Paired with a sweet and spicy mango sauce, these smokey and fruity drumsticks will leave their mouths watering for more.

Greek Souvlaki Chicken Wings – Greek-inspired flavors abound with these souvlaki chicken skewers for a mild Mediterranean tinge to your barbecue. Marinated in a mix of garlic, lemon, olive oil, wine, mint and oregano, these grilled chicken skewers are best served with a tangy yogurt dip infused with garlic, dill, and lemon juice.

Grilled Yucatan Chicken Skewers – Using skewers to cook chicken means there is more skin area that you can caramelize as you cook. This dish is a main serving that is packed with protein, and with a variety of spicy and vibrant extras. The chipotle peppers add a little zing to the chicken, while the chili powder, garlic, orange juice, and lime juice give the thighs that little pep they need to make them extra special.

Skewered Sensations

Grilled Shrimp Skewers – These Shrimp Skewers add more than a little Asian flavor to the occasion, served with a delicious ginger and sesame tinted soy sauce. The shrimp are first coated with a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice and peanut oil before being grilled on both sides until cooked through. Serve them with a drizzle of vinaigrette and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Garlic Mustard Beef Skewers – Marinated in garlic and Dijon mustard, these sumptuous beef skewers are an awesome and flavorful addition to any backyard barbecue. The tender beef bites are glazed with the garlic-mustard mix and grilled to medium-rare to get the best infusion of flavors.

Grilled Cheeseburger Kebabs – This idea for small deconstructed cheeseburgers on a stick makes for a fun way to enjoy that classic barbecue favorite in bite sized servings. Using home-made meatball burger patties, cheese slices, cherry tomatoes, and pickles, this is the ultimate in burger-based finger food to stir any griller’s gathering.

Grilled Pork Skewers with Chile Sauce – These delicious pork kebabs bring a little Asian influence to any barbecue party, using freshly-squeezed limes and spicy Thai chilies to make a blazing home-made dipping sauce. The use of soy sauce, oyster sauce, cilantro and pepper gives it a distinctly Asian flavor.

Chicken and Pineapple Skewers – Packed with flavors, these delicious Caribbean-style chicken skewers use chunks of pineapple interspersed throughout, with its own special sauce. Made from ketchup, soy sauce, honey, mustard, sugar, garlic, and lemon juice, the sauce is thick and tasty, with a sweet yet savory tang to it.

Saucy Sausages


Spicy Sausage Dogs – A simple dish for dipping bread, this spicy sausage and onion style extra dish can also be eaten with a little white rice as an additional specialty dish. The sauce is made from beer, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, curry powder, and hot sauce to give it a very tasty, spicy flavor, and the grilled sausages and onions are added later and cooked further to infuse the dogs with the spicy flavors.

Grilled NY Style Sausages – Another appetizer bite that is perfect for barbecues, these tasty sausage-topped chunks of freshly-baked bread are loaded up with a balsamic onion sauce, some grilled cherry tomatoes, and a little fresh basil for the perfect BBQ nibbles.

Special Sides


Garlic and Herb Grilled Sweet Potato Fries – Potato salad not enough? Then try these sweet potato wedges to give your side dishes a wonderfully rich flavor. The caramelized smoky sweet potatoes are grilled until golden brown, then coated with a mix of garlic, thyme and chili flakes in a light coconut oil and topped with some chopped parsley for a stunning complement to any barbecue food.

Southwestern Potato Salad – No BBQ is complete without a good potato salad, and this unique style of potato salad features fresh new potatoes, ripe tomatoes, and strong red onions, seasoned with salt and pepper. The perfect complement to any barbecue food.

Grilled Garlic Bread with Thyme Infused Butter – Garlic bread is another popular addition to the side dishes at a BBQ party, and this version will tantalize your taste buds. The butter is blended with the garlic and thyme, then spread on both sides of some thickly-cut cottage loaf or similar long breads, and grilled lightly on both sides to infuse the bread with the garlicky-thyme flavors, with a little black pepper for taste.