What to Buy for a Low-and-Slow BBQ
A low-and-slow barbecue needs more than meat and charcoal. Plan the food by weight, then add equipment for steady cooking, temperature checks, chilled storage and serving. This shopping list also covers the practical items that are easy to miss, such as foil, ice, fuel, lighting and separate tools for raw and cooked meat. Check dietary requirements before shopping and keep meat refrigerated until it goes on the smoker.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Party tent
- Tablesqty 5
- Chairsqty 30
- Tableclothsqty 5
Tableware
- Reusable platesqty 35
- Reusable bowlsqty 30
- Reusable glassesqty 40
- Coffee cupsqty 25
- Cutlery setsqty 35
- Serving spoonsqty 8
- Meat Tongsqty 4
Equipment
- Barbecue smoker
- Wireless meat thermometersqty 2
- Instant-read thermometer
- Gas burnersqty 2
- Coolersqty 3
- Ice containersqty 2
- Extension cordsqty 2
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 4
- Chef's knifeqty 3
- Measuring cupsqty 2
- Mixing bowlsqty 5
- Aluminum traysqty 8
- Meat tongsqty 2
- Heat-resistant glovesqty 3
- Meat clawsqty 2
- Brushesqty 3
- Aluminum foilqty 2
- Food storage containersqty 12
Lighting
- String lightsqty 3
- Outdoor lightsqty 4
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Washing-up tubsqty 2
- Spongesqty 6
- Hand brush and dustpanqty 2
- Bucketsqty 2
Catering
- Groceries
- Pork shoulder - 6 kilograms
- Beef brisket - 5 kilogram
- Chicken thighs - 3 kilogram
- Vegetarian burgers - 6 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 36 pieces
- Hot dog buns - 24 pieces
- Coleslaw - 3 kilograms
- Potato salad - 3 kilogram
- Pasta salad - 2 kilogram
- Corn cobs - 30 pieces
- Potatoes - 4 kilograms
- Red cabbage - 2 pieces
- White cabbage - 2 pieces
- Carrots - 2 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Red onions - 1 kilogram
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Fresh parsley - 4 bunches
- Fresh chives - 3 bunches
- Butter - 750 grams
- Olive oil - 1 bottle
- Apple cider vinegar - 1 bottle
- Cane sugar - 1 kilogram
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Garlic powder - 1 jar
- Onion powder - 1 jar
- Chili powder - 1 jar
- Cumin powder - 1 jar
- Barbecue rub - 2 jars
- Barbecue sauce - 4 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Pickles - 2 jars
- Jalapeños - 2 jars
- Shredded cheese - 1 kilogram
- Tortilla chips - 2 kilogram
- Peanut-free snacks - 4 bags
- Brownies - 30 pieces
- Popsicles - 30 pieces
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Iced tea - 4 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Beer - 48 bottles
- Rosé - 4 bottles
- Red wine - 4 bottles
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 1 box
- Milk - 4 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 pack
- Charcoal - 3 bags
- Wood smoking chunks - 3 bags
- Firelighters - 2 packs
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Napkins - 100 pieces
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Rubber gloves - 2 boxes
- Hand soap - 3 bottles
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
Tips
- Allow about 400–500 g of uncooked meat per adult when meat is the main meal, or 250–300 g if you are serving several substantial side dishes. Add 10–15% extra for seconds and trimming loss.
- Buy smoking wood and fuel before the cooking day, not when the smoker is already lit. A long cook can run for 8–12 hours, so check that you have enough for the full session and a safe way to replenish it.
- Plan at least 1 litre of drinks per guest for a four-hour event, then add ice for the coolers. Chill drinks several hours ahead and keep raw meat in a separate cooler from ready-to-eat food.
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked meat. Foil, aluminum trays and food storage containers are useful for resting, wrapping and storing leftovers without putting cooked food back on a raw-meat surface.
- Check the serving setup the day before: plates, bowls, glasses, cutlery, serving spoons, meat tongs, lighting and extension cords. Set up tables and the party tent before the barbecue starts, especially if guests arrive while the meat is cooking.
Frequently asked questions
- How much meat do I need for a low-and-slow BBQ?
- Buy around 400–500 g of uncooked meat per adult when meat is the main course. For a menu with several filling sides, 250–300 g per adult is usually enough; add 10–15% if you expect large appetites or trimming loss.
- What equipment do I need for a low-and-slow barbecue?
- You need a barbecue smoker, fuel or gas burners as appropriate, smoking wood, a wireless meat thermometer and an instant-read thermometer. Heat-resistant gloves, meat tongs, trays, foil and coolers make the long cook and serving safer and easier.
- How much ice do I need for a BBQ cooler?
- Allow roughly 1 kg of ice per person for a four-hour outdoor event, with extra if the weather is warm or the cooler is opened often. Chill drinks before guests arrive so the ice is used for keeping them cold rather than cooling them from room temperature.
- When should I buy and prepare the food for a low-and-slow BBQ?
- Buy fresh meat no more than 1–2 days before the event and keep it refrigerated and covered. Prepare rubs, sauces and side dishes the day before where possible, but keep meat chilled until trimming and marinating.
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