Somewhere along the way, "backyard BBQ" became shorthand for hot dogs, bagged buns, and a case of macaroni salad from the grocery store. It doesn't have to be. Some of the best food we put out all summer comes off the grill, and the difference between a forgettable cookout and a memorable one comes down to a few decisions made early.
The meat is not the hard part — the smoke is
If you're going to serve brisket at a backyard event, start 14 hours earlier. We smoke ours over a mix of oak and cherry wood at 225°F until the internal temperature hits 203°F and a probe slides in like it's going into warm butter. Anything faster is barbecue in name only. For clients who want the experience without the 14-hour commitment, we bring a smoker to the site and handle it ourselves.
Handmade sausages from local pork
We work with a small farm in the North Bay area for our pork, and we grind and case our sausages the morning of the event. Maple and fennel, beer and mustard, a smoked chorizo for the cocktail hour — the sausages alone have anchored a few events.
Sides that don't come out of a plastic tub
The sides are where most backyard events fall apart. We lean on what's in season:
- Early summer: grilled asparagus with lemon-caper dressing, broad bean salad with fresh mint
- Midsummer: charred corn with cilantro and cotija, watermelon-feta salad with basil
- Late summer: heirloom tomato panzanella, grilled peach and burrata
Slaw, always. But a real slaw, with apple cider vinegar and caraway seeds, not the mayonnaise-drowned kind.
Sauces made that week
Store-bought BBQ sauce is fine at home. At an event, it's the wrong signal. We make our own — a Kansas City-style with molasses and bourbon, a Carolina-style with mustard and vinegar, and a white Alabama sauce with horseradish and buttermilk that turns chicken into something unforgettable.
Setup matters as much as the food
A proper BBQ event needs shade, seating, a drink station separate from the food line, and enough space around the grill that guests can watch without getting smoked out. We handle the logistics as part of our BBQ catering service.
Ready for a better BBQ?
Canada Day, a family reunion, a summer wedding rehearsal — they all deserve better than burgers and chips. Let's design a BBQ that your guests will remember.
Ready to plan an event with Savoir Faire?
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