My backyard brisket turned into a neighborhood event last weekend

People came over once the smell hit, and I learned to cook extra. How do you handle surprise visitors?

3 comments

3 Comments

Yeah, I've been there. Last summer my smoked ribs drew a crowd out of nowhere. I started keeping frozen burger patties and extra buns on hand for when that happens. Throw those on the grill, whip up a quick potato salad from stuff in the pantry, and nobody goes home hungry. You ever notice how food just brings people together? Now I always plan for a few extra mouths, just in case.

barbara_brown391mo ago

I saw that line about "a few extra mouths" and it reminded me of something my grandma always said... she called it the "rule of three." Always make enough for three more people than you invited, because someone always brings a friend or a neighbor stops by. It stuck with me. I don't keep a freezer full of patties, but I usually grab an extra bag of rolls and some beans when I know I'm grilling. It's not about a big feast, just... not having that panic when you see another car pull up.

the_noah2mo ago

At my block party last month, we grilled hot dogs and burgers, and we had just enough for everyone who showed up. I get the idea of being ready for extras, but keeping frozen patties on hand all summer seems like overkill (I mean, who has that much freezer space?). Food does bring people together, but does it always have to turn into a big feed? Sometimes a few bags of chips and some drinks are enough, you know? Planning for 'a few extra mouths' every time sounds like a sure way to end up with wasted food. Maybe it's better to just go with the flow and not stress about it.