Bistro in the Backyard

Want to up your grill game without upping your budget?  Burgers and dogs are great. But sometimes, you just want to whip up something a little more ‘special’ for guests. Here are some tips and ideas on how make your guest feel like they’re at a Bistro in your Backyard, without having to splurge on pricey groceries. 

5 Tips To Make Your Bistro an Affordable Celebration

Shop where the meat is on sale.

If you have time to shop at lots of stores for all the deals, I envy you. I am pretty much a one stop shopper. I try to shop where I’ll find the best deals on the most expensive things on my list. For this BBQ, meat was the priority. Serving steak at a BBQ can be pricy. Top sirloin grilling medallions are really tasty and are easy on the budget. I got these for 1/3 off and was able to get great quality steak for less than $5/person. Fancy.

Not sure how to grill the perfect steak?

Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.
Pat the meat dry and season simply with salt and pepper.
Ensure the grill is hot.
Give the meat a 1/4 turn before flipping to achieve those classic grill marks.
Use a thermometer to ensure the perfect temp.
Rest the meat for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Stock your menu with in-season items. 

Right now, peaches and strawberries are both in season, thanks to the wonky weather here. I added grilled peaches to the menu to up the visual appeal of the table, and keep costs low. 

Everything looks more impressive grilled.

You don’t have to be a superstar chef to add flair to your feast. Just grill all the things. Steak and caesar salad are a classic combo. Toss the whole lettuce leaves on the grill whole, flip a few times, then plate, drizzle the dressing over top, and sprinkle on the croutons. Cut lemons in half and grill. Then toss some tomatoes on to char them for added colour on the plate.

Keep dessert simple

There’s no shame in store-bought cake. If you want to dial it up a little, those personal shortcakes are the perfect canvas. Create your own topping and voila – easy dessert in minutes.

Get the Flipp App

If you haven’t already, download the Flipp app. It brings all your local flyers and coupons together in one convenient place. You can shop by store, or search an item, and see the sale price at different retailers. For this meal, I knew I wanted to make a steak dinner, so I searched steak to narrow down my choices. Once I found who had great steak on sale, I looked at who was offering the best price on the other things I needed. Like I said, I’m a one and done shopper, so the best steak sale that also had the other stuff I needed won the day.

Here’s the Full Menu:

Grilled Stirling Silver Top Sirloin Medallions
Grilled Local Peaches
Homemade Lactose-Free Tzatziki
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Corn on the Cob
Charred Caesar Salad
Grilled Tomatos
Sliced Bread
Strawberry Shortcakes with homemade lactose-free whipped cream, cracked pepper and balsamic drizzle

Total Cost: $80.00