If you are trying to organize a barbecue or throwing a dinner party, you will probably want to construct a cooking process chart to help you manage your cooking.
Manage Your Meats
A good barbecue will have several kinds of foods available for your guests. Ideally, all the foods will be ready to eat at the same time and it can be a good idea to to construct a cooking process chart to keep your barbecue on track. Keeping track of all the foods you are making can get confusing without a written list of what you are making, how much time it will take to marinade, and how long it will take to cook each item. When a large dining event is planned in a professional kitchen, a production list will be worked out and from there a banquet event order will be developed. Now, the odds are that you will probably not be attempting to feed a hundred or more people, but even a dinner for 20 people can be easier to pull together if you work out a cooking schedule.
If you were to construct a cooking process chart, you may want to start with something that looks like this:
| Type of Food | Weight | Cooking Temperature | Marinate Time | Cooking Time |
| Beef - London broil | 1 1/2 pounds | Medium Heat | At least 4 hours up to 24 hrs | 7- 10 Minutes |
| Hamburger | 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces) | Medium Heat | Not Applicable | 8 - 10 minutes |
| Pork chops | 1 Inch Thick | Medium Heat | 2 - 4 hours | 8 - 10 minutes |
| Pork Ribs | 2 1/4 pounds | low | Overnight | 4 hours |
| Lamb Chops | 1/2 Inch Thick | 1 hour at room temp | Medium | 6 - 12 minutes |
| Boneless Chicken Halves | 1 Pound | Medium | Overnight | 12 minutes |
| Whole chicken | 3-4 Pounds | Low (with rotisserie) | Use a Rub - at least an hour | 75- 90 minutes |
| Asparagus | Not Applicable | Medium | 10- 15 minutes | 6 -8 minutes |
| Carrots | Not Applicable | Medium | 10 - 15 minutes | 10 -15 minutes |
| Corn on the Cob | Not Applicable | Medium | Soak in cold water for 15 minutes with husk on | 25 - 35 minutes |
| Eggplant | Not Applicable | Medium | 10 - 15 minutes | 6 - 8 minutes per side |
| Zucchini | Not Applicable | Medium | 10 - 15 minuets | 6 - 8 minutes per side |
Get Time on Your Side
The good part about grilling is that most foods will cook well using a medium heat, so you can simply adjust your grill to one temperature and go from there. Start with the foods that will take the longest to cook and end with the veggies which usually only take a few minutes. Most of your marinades will have to be started the night before, but many of the rubs only need to be left on the food for about an hour. For your veggies, a quick mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a little bit of salt, pepper, and chili pepper flakes can be whipped up and your veggies can marinate for just a few minutes.
Construct a Cooking Process Chart
Not every grilling party has to be so elaborate. If you only have a few people joining you or if you are only grilling one kind of food, getting all the meats and veggies cooked and ready to eat at the same time is pretty simple. Even so, figuring out when your food will be ready to eat is a very important thing if you want your guests to arrive and eat in a timely manner. .
