BBQ Party & Holiday Planners

Jump to the day planner: a timeline back from serving time.

Event-specific planners that go beyond quantities: serving schedules, holiday timing, turnout for open houses and smoker plans. Each one uses the same per-person amounts as the rest of the site.

Prices checked Oct 2026, average US grocery prices. Portions follow common catering rules of thumb; safe temperatures follow USDA. How we calculate

Memorial Day cookoutSeason opener: fuel and grill check, plus quantities for any group.
Open planner
Graduation open house (May–June)Plans for the 70% of invites who come, with a refill schedule.
Open planner
4th of July BBQFood, ice for the heat and a schedule timed to the fireworks.
Open planner
Labor Day BBQA full menu scaled for 25, 50 or 100, plus tailgate tips.
Open planner
Thanksgiving smoked turkeyTurkey size per person, number of birds, thaw days and smoke time.
Open planner

BBQ Day Planner: When to Start

Enter serving time and what you are cooking. The planner works backward: when to light the smoker, wrap, pull, rest, start the grill and put the sides in, with a printable checklist and calendar alarms.

Smoker
Grill
Start day before, 2:00 pm
day before, 2:00 pmMake the potato salad (cook, cool and dress the day before; chill at least 4 hours)
day before, 10:00 pmLight the smoker for the brisket (whole packer) 14 lb (250°F)
day before, 10:45 pmBrisket (whole packer) 14 lb on
6:05 amCheck the brisket (whole packer) 14 lb: stall near 155°F, wrap if you want to speed up
12:25 pmProbe the brisket (whole packer) 14 lb: pull at about 203°F
1:25 pmBrisket (whole packer) 14 lb off, rest and hold in a dry cooler (153 min, keep above 140°F)
5:00 pmSmoked meat and sides ready; buffer for late guests and slicing
5:15 pmMac and cheese in: oven 350°F for 45 min (bake covered, uncover for the last 10 minutes)
6:00 pmServe
8:00 pmPut leftovers away: 2 hours out max (1 hour above 90°F)
Food safety timer for the table →Smoke times by cut →

How we calculate

  1. Smoked meats: plan time from the smoke time calculator (60% into the sourced range), plus 45 minutes to light and settle the smoker, the rest, and your buffer before serving.
  2. If a cook would start between midnight and 5 am and overnight is not OK, the planner starts it at 10 pm the night before and holds the meat in a dry cooler, as long as the hold stays within 4 hours above 140°F; otherwise it suggests 275°F.
  3. Grilling: batches and minutes from the grill planner, ending at serving time, plus 20 minutes for the charcoal.
  4. Sides: typical recipe times; potato salad the day before, slaw 2–3 hours ahead, hot sides timed to come out at serving.

Data as of Oct 2026. Full list of sources: How we calculate.

Everyday Party Calculators

No holiday? Use the BBQ party calculator for any menu, the cookout calculator for burgers and hot dogs, or the catering calculator for 50+ guests.

FAQ

How far ahead should I plan a holiday BBQ?

Shop for shelf-stable items a week ahead, buy meat 1–2 days ahead and ice the morning of. For smoked meats, start thawing 2–3 days ahead and plan the cook backward from serving time.

Do these planners work for any party?

Yes. The quantities are per guest and work for birthdays, reunions and company picnics too; use the cookout calculator or the full BBQ calculator for everyday parties.