Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 15th and one thing that many dads / men enjoy to do is BBQing / Grilling. I know my husband and my dad is a big fan (and I am a big fan of the food).

1950s vintage photo of two men in Scottish kilts grilling on their BBQ outside of a store opening celebration.

1950s vintage photo of two men in Scottish kilts grilling on their BBQ outside of a store opening celebration (Source).

Today’s post is a collection of 1950s BBQ fun. Vintage images, advertising, cookbooks and even some fun vintage items.

Let’s fire up the grill and begin!

1950s Backyard Barbeque illustration of a 1950s housewife setting the table while her husband looks on smiling while cooking his chicken

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.


The Weber Grill is Invented & Barbecuing is all the Rage!

1952: George Stephen, a welder at Weber Brothers Metal Works, cuts a metal buoy in half to make a dome-shaped grill. He uses the top half as a lid that seals in flavor and evenly distributes heat, and adds vents to get oxygen to the fire. The iconic Weber grill is born (Source).

Further Reading: A Brief History of the BBQ Grill by Popular Mechanics

1950s vintage image of the creator of Weber Grills, George Stephen showing off his Weber Grills he created in 1952.

Source: Weber.com

Shopping note: On the Weber website they are selling Limited-Edition 70th Anniversary Kettle Collection at WEBER (avail as of June 2024). If you are looking for a grill, off you go!

Available colors from the 1950s were Jet Black, Chestnut Coppertone and Marbleized- a squiggly lined/crazed finish (source).

In 1952, WEBER founder George Stephen introduced a charcoal kettle grill that started a global outdoor cooking revolution. This limited-edition Collection celebrates Weber’s innovative spirit and passion for creating a better grilling experience for people everywhere. Available in four heritage colours with intricate details that reflect American culture in the 1950s, these kettles pay tribute to the past, present, and future of cooking outside.

1950s photo of demoing Weber grills on television.

Fun Fact: WNBQ in Chicago was the first television station in the world to broadcast all of its programming in color (source).

1950s vintage photo of a man in a hat demoing Weber grills on television.

Source: tvwbb.com

The Vintage Photos, Advertisements, Cook Books/Recipes & More!

A 1956 ‘BIG BOY BARBECUE BOOK‘ – “Shows how easy it is to cook on spit or Grill”.

1950s vintage Barbeque cookbook featuring vintage recipes for the bbq or grill -The 1956 Big Boy Barbecue Book. The cover features a dad in a BBQ chefs hat grilling steaks for his family outside.

“A Picture Treasury of Barbecuing-A test recipe institute cook book”.

1950s vintage Barbeque cookbook featuring vintage recipes for the bbq or grill -The 1956 Big Boy Barbecue Book.

Source: Etsy-CathysVintageTrunk

1956 Rheingold beer advertisement featuring “Miss Rheingold 1956-Hillie Merritt” serving up some BBQ.

Further Reading: Let’s Have A Beer! Vintage Beer Advertising

1956 Rheingold beer advertisement featuring "Miss Rheingold 1956-Hillie Merritt" serving up some BBQ. Fantastic 1950s vintage hairstyle inspiration.

Source: Vintage-ads.livejournal.com

Barbecue for two as seen in a Life Picture Cookbook, 1958.

1950s vintage photo of a couple having a barbeque on their patio in 1958 in their 1950s fashions.

Source: Pinterest

1950’s MCM vintage “Come And Get It” apron featuring a Chef with a barbecue tool.

1950’s MCM vintage "Come And Get It" Barbeque Apron featuring a Chef with a Barbecue tool

Source: eBay

Here is a 1950s man smoking a cigarette while grilling and wearing his own chef’s apron with a fun image on the front.

1950s vintage photo of a man having a BBQ in his backyard while wearing a chef apron and smoking a cigarette

Source: Everyday life in the past

1950s Reynolds Wrap advertisement. “Let’s have a Bar-b-q it’s easy!”

1950s vintage advertising for Reynolds Wrap featuring an illustration of a couple having a barbeque outside while dad grills and kids looks over the fence

Source: Pinterest

1950s vintage Mid Century enamelware platter depicting a BBQ Grill, and all the things to go with it! Fun!

1950s vintage Mid Century enamelware platter depicting a BBQ Grill, and all the things to go with it

Source: Etsy-UppityWomen

1950s BBQ cookbook: The Terraced Chef offers an array of recipes for meat, seafood, drinks, salads, desserts, For anyone that has dreamed of having a backyard cooking event that features crabs stuffed with avocado and guinea hen, or eggs stuffed with caviar and pheasant, then this book is for you.

This cook book was actually written by ‘Ruth Cheir Rosen (but her husband was given the credit) who was a very popular cook book writer during the mid-century. Learn about Ruth and see her cook books & some recipes in my blog post, ‘Dig That Dish-The Coolest Vintage Recipe Book Around

1950s BBQ cookbook: The Terraced Chef offers an array of recipes for meat, seafood, drinks, salads, desserts, For anyone that has dreamed of having a backyard cooking event that features crabs stuffed with avocado and guinea hen, or eggs stuffed with caviar and pheasant, then this book is for you.

Barbecue party planning ideas.

1950s vintage cook book showcasing party planning for your next outdoor barbecue

Source: Etsy-fabfunkyfunvintage

Vintage photo of a happy man grilling in the backyard.

1950s vintage photo of a man grilling steaks in his backyard

Source: eater.com

Stylish 1950s barbecue party.

1950s vintage illustration of well dressed men and women in 1950s fashions having a barbecue

Source: Pinterest

“It’s Cookout Time Start with SPAM for “Kabobs Neapolitan”” 1950s vintage ad.

1950s vintage advertisement for SPAM for a barbecue in the backyard with the family

Source: Vintage-ads.livejournal.com

1950s beach barbecue.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of people Having fun at the Beach

1950s Beach Barbecue as seen in a 1950s vintage photo

Source: eBay

1957 “How to Cook Outdoors, Easy as 1-2-3”. “Charcoal Grilling, Spit Barbecuing, Hickory Smoking, Sauces and Seasoning”. Vintage cookbook is from Montgomery Ward.

1957 "How to Cook Outdoors, Easy as 1-2-3". "Charcoal Grilling, Spit Barbecuing, Hickory Smoking, Sauces and Seasoning". Vintage cookbook is from Montgomery Ward.
1950s vintage recipe for how to cook round steak on the barbeque from a vintage cook book from 1957

Source: Etsy-CopperPraire

“Time to flip the sausages!” 1950s photo of a woman barbequing with a makeshift grill stand out of concrete blocks.

1950s vintage photo of a woman having a barbeque and flipping sausages outside of her house.

Source: Etsy-RenascenceVintage

1950s Fashion: 1950’s “Kenrose” Cotton Sundress edged in Black-White Gingham. Front Pockets have Pixie-Type Girls poised at the Barbecue Grill dressed in Matching Gingham Dresses which actually have Pockets which MIRROR their images!

1950s Fashion: 1950’s “Kenrose” Cotton Sundress edged in Black-White Gingham. Front Pockets have Pixie-Type Girls poised at the Barbecue Grill dressed in Matching Gingham Dresses which actually have Pockets which MIRROR their images!

Source: Etsy-WildRoseVintageDtcom

“Gene Kelly’s Flavor Tips for the Barbecue!” “Try these exciting new outdoor cooking recipes from Durkee Foods”. June 27, 1955 Life Magazine.

1950s vintage advertisement featuring Gene Kelly giving Outdoor cooking tips and vintage recipes from Durkee Foods

Source: jana-treeclimber.blogspot.com

Father and daughter barbecuing in the backyard…in their cute 50’s fashions. Love the chefs hat dad!

1950s vintage photo of a fatgher and daughter cooking steaks together in cute 1950s summer fashions and the dad is wearing a chefs hat

Source: Photo by Josef Scaylea/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

As we end this post, here is one last 1950s cookbook that should bring on some giggle and laughter…

WONDERS WITH WIENERS-45 way to prepare.

1950s vintage cookbook-WONDERS WITH WIENERS-45 way to prepare

Source: Pinterest

Question Time: Do you like to BBQ/Grill? What do you enjoy to eat? Share any thoughts in the comment section below.

Further Reading:

Thanks for dropping by and Happy Father’s Day to all that Celebrate!

Liz

2 Comments on Barbecuing in the 1950s

  1. Thank you Liz!
    Alway a beautiful job you do.
    You should also do a YouTube video once in a while. The pictures and your story takes us back. Imagine if we can hear and see with some background music and such. Otherwise your alway do a wonderful job on your Vintage blog. Love it very much.

    Frank.

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