Have you already marked 14 June 2024 in your calendar? Then it’s time for a grill brainstorming session, because what goes better with the opening game of the European Championship than a grill session? Ball skills on the pitch and culinary grill tricks to boot – for many, they simply belong together. If you want to surprise guests with delicious grill recipes for the title match, you can choose from grill classics such as “bratwurst” and steak for a beer garden atmosphere, as well as vegetarian grill specialities for those gourmet fans out there.

Do you want your grill evening to offer football fans relaxation and enjoyment? At the same time, do you want to avoid nasty surprises such as too few gas cylinders, charcoal or missing ingredients? Our tips will help:

1.      Select a suitable grill: A charcoal grill provides that classic grill feeling, but takes longer to preheat. You also need to keep an eye on the embers. Gas grills and electric grills shorten the preheating time and dispense with the typical embers and ash.

2.      Perfect grill location: Make sure there are enough benches, chairs and tables, as well as space for drinks and food. The grill you’ll be using should also match the location. While gas, electric and charcoal grills are suitable for the balcony, patio and garden, charcoal is rather unsuitable for barbecuing on the balcony. Also think about short walking distances or even using outdoor kitchen modules.

3.      Prepare the lighting: The opening game of the European Championship starts at 9 pm. Prepare enough lighting to create a cosy atmosphere – for example, with fairy lights, LEDs or torches.

4.      Television or projector: When watching the match at home, a large flatscreen with extension cable and a screen with projector are ideal.

5.      Note the grilling time: Create a timetable to announce the date and time to guests.

6.      Buying ingredients and drinks: Prepare ingredients and drinks in sufficient quantities.

Football grill sessions should always include the right decorations and accessories. Football shirts of your favourite team create the right football atmosphere. You can also decorate your grill area with football flags, garlands or football banners, and get the fans all fired up with the right music.

Safety precautions, legal requirements and creative ideas are also important when hosting a grill session We’ll be sure to give you the right tips:

Choose a safe, stable location and do not leave the grill unattended. This applies, in particular, to charcoal grills and flying sparks. If there is a fire caused by grease/fat, do not use water, but interrupt the oxygen supply with lids or fire blankets. Do not leave children or animals unattended. Extinguish the embers at the end and dispose of them once they have cooled down completely.

• Fire protection: Find out about the fire safety regulations of your city or state. Use a solid, non-flammable surface and position the grill away from flammable materials. A grill mat can help protect your floor from splashes or sparks. Pay attention to immission control laws regarding grill smoke that is harmful to the environment and health.
• Rest periods: So-called “rest periods” generally apply between 10 pm and 6 am. From the beginning of this rest period, you should reduce the volume or move the party inside.
• Tenancy agreement: You must adhere to any prohibition regarding in your tenancy agreement.
• Neighbourhood agreement: Announce the grill on a notice board or in person to neighbours.

Either side of half time, excitement is guaranteed. But what happens at half-time or before kick-off? The half-time break lasts 15 minutes, so there is just enough time for toilet breaks, new drinks or dessert. You can still create excitement by organising a sweepstake to predict goals, or even create a football quiz.

Be it for preparation or serving – getting the important basics right is crucial. These include:

• Grill tongs
• Grill turner
• Grill thermometer
• Grill cutlery
• Grill apron and grill gloves
• Grill brush or scraper for cleaning
• Optional: Pizza stone, pizza oven, grill tray, griddle

Creative serving ideas are available to match your football evening:

• Serve antipasti skewers in team colours (e.g. with cheese, tomatoes and black olives for Germany, mozzarella and tomatoes for Poland or basil, tomatoes and mozzarella for Italy)
• Create desserts – such as football muffins or cupcakes with green topping and marzipan footballs
• Grilling pizza with the Char-Broil pizza oven on the grill and cutting it into a football pattern

Customise your drinks selection to match the European Championship teams. If Germany is playing Spain, why not order Spanish beers or savour Italian wines at the Italy match? Country-specific grill recipes are also available.

Other classic serving ideas:

• Homemade dips and sauces, fresh bread and baguettes
• Exotic or unusual salads

For inspiration, here are three of our favourite grill recipes:

A different kind of burger – with our rib-eye burgers nestled in sandwich toast slices, plus smoked crème fraîche and onion marmalade. The BBQ party is rounded off with plantains, sweet potatoes, smoked chicken and fennel salsa.

Why not try hot dogs with venison, chipotle cream, cheddar cheese and apple and dill salsa – to match the colourful European Championship tournament? For sausage fans why not spoil your guests with unique hot dogs.

Our pimped-up vegetable skewers in herb marinade are quick to prepare, and go well with any football grill. Core ingredients: Herb marinade, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions, courgettes and vegetables.

Football fever on the pitch, hot sizzling goodies on the grill – they simply belong together. Use the time in the run-up to the Euro 2024 to prepare your own grill for the European Championships with our tips and inspiration, and then surprise guests with delicious dishes and an atmospheric grill location.

There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for a Euro 2024 grill session. Take your preferences as a guide, collect food requests from guests and try out new grill recipes to match the European Championships.

Both gas and electric grills, as well as classic charcoal grills are suitable. Please bear in mind that charcoal grills produce more smoke, and are less suitable for the balcony. If you want to get started quickly, gas and electric grills deliver an impressive performance with their fast preheating.

What you need for reliable preparation: Grill tongs, grill turner, grill cutlery and grill thermometer. Sharp knives, as well as bowls, plates and serving boards are also a must. Grill brushes and grill cleaner are required for cleaning later on.