Planning an Eid ul Adha BBQ night

Choose a short menu and realistic quantities

Pick one main grilled dish, such as boti or seekh kebabs, plus naan or rice, vegetables and a chilled accompaniment. Ask about allergies, dietary needs and whether guests want meat at all. Keep a separate ready-to-eat preparation area.

As a flexible hosting starting point, allow roughly 150–250 g of raw boneless meat per adult when serving substantial sides, not that amount for each meat dish. This is a planning estimate, not a nutrition recommendation or a measured average. Adjust for appetite, children, other dishes and leftovers; bone-in pieces need a separate allowance for bone.

Multiply your chosen total portion by the confirmed guest count, then split it across the meat dishes. Cook in small batches rather than putting the whole supply beside the grill.

The day before: marinate and organise

Identify a cut suitable for grilling, portion it evenly and marinate in covered containers in the refrigerator. Freeze any portion that cannot be used within its safe storage time. A marinade does not extend the storage window or disinfect meat.

Set aside clean sauce before it touches raw meat; do not pour used raw-meat marinade onto cooked food. Prepare separate tongs and plates for raw and cooked meat, and plan who will supervise the grill.^[1][2]

Set up a safe outdoor cooking area

Use charcoal and gas grills outdoors only, never inside a room, garage or tent: carbon monoxide can be deadly. Keep the grill on a stable surface well away from buildings, railings, overhead branches and anything that can burn. Do not use it on a balcony.

Keep children and pets outside the grill area, follow the equipment and fuel instructions, and never leave a lit grill unattended. Do not add petrol or other improvised accelerants. After cooking, allow coals to cool completely before placing them in a metal container with a lid.^[3]

Serve safely, then pack away

Check doneness with a food thermometer, not the colour of the crust. Ground meat, including seekh kebabs, needs 71°C. Whole beef, goat or lamb steaks and chops need 63°C and a three-minute rest. Reheated leftovers need 74°C.

Keep uncooked batches chilled. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within two hours, or one hour above 32°C; do not leave platters out all evening. Discard food that has exceeded these limits.^[4][5]