1 Week or More Before Feast
■ Buy any items you need on Block Party Essentials and Outdoor Cooking Essentials lists.
3 Days Before Feast
■ Do your big grocery shop.
■ Make burger sauce.
■ Make sauerkraut.
■ Make Texas BBQ Dry Rub.
■ Order or grind burger meat (see The Beef on Ground Beef).
2 Days Before Feast
■ Make or buy bratwursts.
■ Make cookies and mix ice cream.
■ Assemble and freeze ice cream sandwiches.
1 Day Before Feast
■ Slice potatoes for chips and soak in water.
■ Make punch base. (Add soda and booze later!)
FEAST DAY
Morning of the Feast
■ Set up grill with all the tools you need nearby.
■ Form burger patties.
■ Make (but don’t dress!) potato salad.
■ Fry potato chips.
2 Hours Before Feast
■ Fire up grill.
■ Slice tomatoes and avocados for burgers.
■ Pull and clean lettuce for burgers.
■ Braise bratwursts.
1 Hour Before Feast
■ Set up an assembly station near your grill with condiments, cheese, buns, melted butter, salt, pepper, pickles, kraut, and lots of dish towels.
■ Enlist one or more friends for assembly.
■ Put out potato chips.
■ Make sure keg is flowing.
Feast Time
■ Finish and put out punch.
■ Dress and put out potato salad.
■ Grab a beer and start grilling.