15 Best BBQ Potluck Ideas
They there fellow lovers of all things smoked food and welcome to my post where we will discuss my 15 best BBQ Potluck ideas to feed the hungry hoards this year. You know the feeling, you get invited to that potluck dinner or party and the host says something like “bring whatever you want!”.
So, rather than fret, why not steer into the skid of what you are good at, BBQ! I mean who doesn’t love some good BBQ fixings right?
BBQ Potluck Ideas
So, here are 15 good BBQ inspired ideas for your next potluck dinner…
1. Pulled Pork Sliders
I have started with pulled pork sliders however you really could just smoke yourself up a good pulled pork and make pretty much whatever you wanted out of it.
Sliders are good as they are easy to eat which is often a good thing if the potluck is more of a party than a dinner.
- Ingredients: Pork shoulder, BBQ rub, buns, BBQ sauce, coleslaw for topping.
- Cooking Guide:
- Season pork shoulder with BBQ rub and smoke at 225°F for about 8-10 hours, until internal temperature reaches 195°F.
- Shred pork, mix with BBQ sauce, and serve on buns with coleslaw.
For more information, check out my Traeger Pulled Pork recipe and cooking guide.
2. Smoked BBQ Pork Ribs
Pork ribs are always a favorite as like the sliders above, they are easy to pick up and eat. You can cook them a number of ways but I have outlined the unwrapped version below as these are a little less soft making them easier to pick up. Party ribs however are always a good option here as well.
- Ingredients: Pork ribs, BBQ rub, apple cider vinegar, BBQ sauce.
- Cooking Guide:
- Apply BBQ rub on ribs and smoke at 225°F for 5 hours – spritzing with apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes to an hour.
- Brush with BBQ sauce, and smoke for another hour.
- Remove and cut in between the bones for easy access and eating.
For both cooking options, check out my Pork ribs – wrapped vs unwrapped cooking guide
3. BBQ Chicken Wings
Another great option for a BBQ potluck is the chicken wing. And for fear of repeating myself over and over, their appeal here is – apart from the taste – that they are easy to eat when standing. I love the 0-400 method myself however another easy cooking option is as follows:
- Ingredients: Chicken wings, BBQ rub, assorted wing sauces.
- Cooking Guide:
- Season wings with BBQ rub and smoke at 275°F for 1.5 to 2 hours until crispy.
- Toss in desired sauce (like BBQ, buffalo, or honey mustard).
Check out my: Traeger Hot and Sweet Chicken Wings recipe and cooking guide
4. BBQ Meatballs
Who doesn’t love a good meatball? And the best ting here is that they can be served as a party/standing type food or added to a great marinara sauce for a sit down main course as well.
- Ingredients: Ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, BBQ sauce.
- Cooking Guide:
- Mix ground beef with breadcrumbs and egg; form into meatballs.
- Smoke at 275°F for 45 minutes – or until just cooked. Toss in BBQ sauce and serve warm.
If converting to a main course, create yourself a nice marinara sauce as follows:
- Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh basil (or dried Italian herbs if preferred)
- Cooking Guide:
- Warm the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, black pepper, and herbs. If you like a spicy kick, add some red pepper flakes.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 20-30 minutes.
- Throw in your smoked meatballs and you are good to go!
5. Smoked Sausages
I love smoked sausages and these are another great option as a standing party food or main course. And the beauty here is that you can grab a few of each sausage type for great variation and different tastes.
- Ingredients: Assorted sausages (spicy, mild, cheese-filled).
- Cooking Guide:
- Smoke sausages at 225°F for 1-2 hours until heated through.
- Slice for easy serving if for a standing meal or place on a bed of mashed potato for a main course.
6. Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
These babies sell themselves as a potluck favorite. I mean there is nothing not to like here. The recipe below called for the Jalapeños to be stuffed with cream cheese but take it as a given here that you can add anything you like to your mix such as chili, BBQ rub, diced bacon, crab meat, chorizo and so on and so on…
You can even add some real cheese to it as well.
- Ingredients: Jalapeños, cream cheese (with whatever you wish to add as above), shredded cheese, bacon.
- Cooking Guide:
- Halve jalapeños, remove seeds, and fill with cheese mixture.
- Wrap with bacon and smoke at 250°F for 1 hour or so.
- When the bacon is crispy and the jalapeños are tender, remove the poppers from the smoker.
7. BBQ Pork Belly Burnt Ends
These are an absolute favorite in our house and always a hit at any potluck dinner. And if the entourage is big enough, you also can make a few batches with different flavor profiles (such as sweet BBQ, spicy, or even Asian-inspired).
- Ingredients: Pork belly, BBQ rub, BBQ sauce, butter, brown sugar, honey.
- Cooking Guide:
- Cube pork belly, season with your rub, and smoke at 250°F for 2 hours.
- Remove and place in an aluminum tray then toss in BBQ sauce, butter, brown sugar and honey (or not, or anything else you like such as chilli or other spices)
- Cover tray with aluminum foil and smoke for another 1-2 hours until caramelized.
- Remove foil cover and smoke for a further half hour or so until everything goes really nice and sticky.
Check out my Traeger Pork Belly Burnt ends recipe and cooking guide
8. BBQ Pulled Chicken
As with pulled pork above, pulled chicken is another extremely versatile option that can be made into anything from sliders, to nachos and anything else that chicken is good for – you could even add it to the cream cheese in your Jalapeño Poppers if you like as well.
- Ingredients: Chicken breast or thighs, BBQ rub, BBQ sauce.
- Cooking Guide:
- Season chicken, smoke at 225°F for 2 hours, and shred.
- Toss with BBQ sauce to serve on buns or sliders or add some applicable spices for nachos etc.
Check out my Trager Shredded Chicken Breast recipe and cooking guide
9. Smoked Mac and Cheese
For a great potluck idea, you really can’t go past the creamy, cheesy goodness of Mac and Cheese. Its main advantage is that it can be made in large batches, and is loved by both adults and children alike.
You can make it as smoked mac and cheese, or alternatively, add some BBQ’d meats such as pork or brisket to it before cooking in a more traditional fashion.
- Ingredients: Elbow macaroni, cheddar cheese, cream, butter, smoked paprika.
- Cooking Guide:
- Cook pasta, make a cheese sauce with cream and cheese, and season with smoked paprika.
- Add anything else you like (bacon bits, chopped brisket, pulled pork etc.) and pour into an aluminum pan – Add some breadcrumbs to the top for some extra crunch if you like as well.
- Smoke at 225°F for 1 hour.
10. Coleslaw with a Twist
Although technically not a smoked dish, this is a great way to round out your potluck offerings as side to your pulled pork or chicken dish as well as anything else you can think of.
- Ingredients: Shredded cabbage, carrots, apple slices, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Cooking Guide:
- Mix cabbage, carrots, and apples.
- Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and toss with veggies.
11. BBQ Baked Beans
As with coleslaw above, smoked baked beans are a great option as they complement many other popular potluck dishes such as barbecued meats, coleslaw, and cornbread.
As with mac and cheese, BBQ baked beans can be made in large batches and if cooked on the smoker, can be a great meal all on their own.
- Ingredients: Canned navy or mixed beans, bacon, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, onion.
- Cooking Guide:
- Sauté bacon and onion, then mix with beans, BBQ sauce (tomato passata or similar for a more ‘tomatoey’ taste), and brown sugar.
- Smoke in a foil pan at 250°F for 1-2 hours.
12. Grilled Corn on the Cob
You know, this one really describes itself so I will keep it brief. Oh, and they are probably better cooked on a grill rather than a smoker as well.
Of course, once cooked, you can also shave the kernels off with a knife and add them to your nachos, coleslaw, Jalapeño poppers or even mac and cheese as well.
- Ingredients: Corn on the cob, butter, seasoning (garlic, chili powder, or cheese).
- Cooking Guide:
- Grill corn over medium heat, turning often, for 10-15 minutes.
- Brush with seasoned butter (LOTS of it) or sprinkle with cheese.
13. Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends
I can’t really list pork belly burnt ends in this list without including the original option as well. This is a little more complex however the results are well worth the effort.
For the cooking guide below I am going to assume you have smoked your brisket and have your point cut ready to go.
- Ingredients: Brisket Point (smoked), BBQ sauce, brown sugar, butter
- Cooking Guide:
- Cut the brisket into 1-1.5 inch cubes and place in an aluminum pan.
- Add BBQ sauce, brown sugar and a few pats of butter.
- Place the pan into the smoker at 225°F for another 1.5-2 hours, or until they’re tender and caramelized.
Check out my Traeger Beef Brisket recipe and cooking guide
14. Potato Salad with Smoked Paprika
As with coleslaw above, whilst not technically a smoked dish (unless you want to count the paprika), potato salad makes for a great side to accompany many of the other dishes included within this list.
Potato salad also holds up well for extended periods, so it can be prepared in advance, transported easily, and served cold or at room temperature.
- Ingredients: Potatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, celery, smoked paprika.
- Cooking Guide:
- Boil potatoes, cool, and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, and celery.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
15. BBQ Shrimp Skewers
And finally, BBQ shrimp skewers are a fantastic choice for a potluck because they’re flavorful, easy to serve, and quick to cook.
What’s more, shrimp absorbs flavor very well, meaning they can be grilled as is, or have any spices or sauces added as they are cooked. As with corn however, they are best cooked on a grill and not the smoker.
- Ingredients: Shrimp, olive oil, garlic, BBQ seasoning.
- Cooking Guide:
- Marinate shrimp in olive oil, garlic, and BBQ seasoning.
- Skewer and grill for 2-3 minutes per side over medium heat.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my 15 best BBQ Potluck ideas to feed the hungry hoards this year. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
