What are your favorite side dishes to go with BBQ?

[JoeSousa]

Every year I cook a big BBQ dinner for about 75 of the children's workers at our church. I will be serving brisket, pork butt, and pork belly burnt ends for the meats.

My regular side dish rotation includes potato salad, coleslaw, collards, biscuits, and beans. I would rather not do potato salad this year and maybe add a couple more sides.

What are some of your other favorite side dishes to serve with BBQ? I want it to be something easy to do in large enough quantities to serve a crowd and somewhat inexpensive. And if it could be made ahead of time even better. I know some of you probably have some brilliant ideas you could share.

[MsTwiggy]

I love corn! You could do a creamed corn in crockpots. 🔥🔥🐿️

[Alan Brice]

If you add a can of creamed corn to your cornbread mix, it will give you super moist cake and I have had people ask what the secret ingredient is.

[tamidw]

We like green beans and bacon as a side a lot. Chop up bacon and cook it down until it’s starts getting crisp-tender, then add in drained canned green beans, season with s,p,g and cook until you’re ready to serve.

[Carolyn]

+1 fresh beans and potatoes thrown in.

[HawkerXP]

Just like Grandma used to do.

[tamidw]

Oh, I usually use fresh green beans but it’s great with canned too.

[Finster]

Stewed tomatoes is a simple, yet oft overlooked, side.
sometimes when we are feeling fancy, we add in sautéed green pepper

[DavidNorcross]

Green beans as vegetables, potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob are all favorites.

[realdocBBQ]

For us, it's almost always 'cowboy beans'. Ranch style beans with a bunch of add-ins - ground fried up breakfast sausage, chopped peppers & onions, more seasoning, some BBQ sauce (just a little), some mustard, etc. They come out great, The Wife does these 95% of the time and she does an amazing job. Puts it all together in a big pot on the stove, then transfers to a pan to cook in the oven just to heat everything through. Freaking awesome.

BTW, these also make great leftovers, and are AWESOME in my 'day after' (sorta) huevos rancheros.

[captainlee]

I'll add macaroni to the list, easy to make.

[texastweeter]

Smoked jalapeño bacon macaroni at that.

[Mosca]

I’m boring.

Corn on the cob and baked beans are 1 and 2. After that, it’s pick ‘em among cole slaw, potato salad, pasta salad, macaroni salad, regular salad, and regular dinner sides.

I don’t get too complicated with sides. If I’m hosting, often guests treat it like a pot luck and bring something; that is customary here in NEPA. If I’m hosting family, like in laws etc, they want what they want, which are above. If we are guests at someone else’s party, I either make baked beans or potato salad.

[hoovarmin]

Good corn on the cob steals the show for me.

[Mosca]

We are right in the heart of PA corn country (ALL of PA is, really.) From mid-July to mid-September most corn is picked early in the morning and in the supermarket before noon.

[hoovarmin]

Mosca I lived in Abington, PA for 3 years and was astonished out how many cornfields were right next to completely urban areas. Heaven. I read that William Penn designated land usage that way back in the day.

[texastweeter]

Salt potatoes need a mention, as does cobbler, although that's a dessert. Sometimes veggies and ranch dip are a good side, or sauteed/grilled squash. Bread of course.other than that, see above.

[carolts]

I was hoping somebody would mention salt potatoes. Was always my favorite at firefighter's field days in upstate NY.

[RonB]

Rice - and you can cook ahead:

Bacon fried rice - just add bacon to yur favorite fried rice

Spanish or Mexican rice

Zataran's red, (or black or both), beans and rice. Just crumble and cook 1/3 lb breakfast sausage per box. Then add the rice and cook as directed. For less sausage flavor, use 1/4 lb per box.

[Troutman]

Beat me to it Ron. I’d add dirty rice to the list as well 👍

[hoovarmin]

Great ideas.

[Finster]

mmmmm.... bacon.

[Brisket Syndicate]

Cream corn with sausage pieces in it.

[Mosca]

Now that sounds like a winner!

[Troutman]

Just had cream corn at Interstellar BBQ in Austin that was divine. BTW, good to see you again, changed your handle!

[Greygoose]

PBR and PBR and grilled corn on the cob with a squeeze of lime,,,😋😋😋

[barelfly]

A green bean salad with onions, S&P and vinegar and oil dressing. I use canned green beans for this, just work better, and the sliced are best in my opinion.

I also make a German potato salad, it’s mustard and vinegar based, with caramelized onions and bacon. It’s the best potato salad ever!

Those are my go to’s for BBQ. Plus beans of some sort.

[Steve R.]

Meathead's Thai Cucumber Salad is a sneaky good BBQ side. I always make it a point to whip up a batch of that when hosting a cookout.

[barelfly]

Oh yeah! Cucumber salad too!

[hoovarmin]

I enjoy that one too. Sometimes I sneak a dab of fish sauce into it.

[Starsky]

One of my family members makes a great corn casserole.