There’s More to Grilling than a Grill

Not everyone can afford, or even has the space for, the kind of kitchens you see on television. Yes, those professional chefs can turn out a ton of delicious food with their array of professional-class ovens, but what about the person with average appliances?

Well, think about it; do you even want to spend all that much time in the kitchen when you could be outside, enjoying the weather and taking in nature, chatting with your neighbors, and relaxing on your deck or patio? With a designer grill you don’t have to hole yourself up in the kitchen to cook lunch or dinner while everyone else hangs out and enjoys each others company.

Evolve Your Grilling
grillingYou may be saying to yourself, “How can I create a meal that will compete with what I see on TV just using designer grills?” And that would be a valid argument, except that with the best outdoor grills, they’re really what you’d call an outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens aren’t just grills; they’re several different appliances all in one.

In addition to outdoor grills, designer outdoor kitchens can include everything from pizza ovens to warming cabinets. Some outdoor kitchens even have dishwashers, if you can imagine it, meaning you won’t have to collect everyone’s dishes and trundle back inside to the kitchen with them. Instead, just pop them into the outdoor dishwasher (bet you’d never thought of that, huh?) and get on with the party.

The Outdoor Party of the Future

And really, a party is what you want an outdoor grill for. Sure, you can cook on your outdoor grill and kitchen for any old dinner or lunch, and you probably will – regularly. But when you’re having a party outdoors – say, a deck party or lawn party – then being able to toss a few burgers or hot dogs on the grill is a fantastic way to keep everyone fat and happy.

You’re not limited to standard grill fare when it comes to an outdoor kitchen, though. With the best outdoor grill at your disposal, you can steam clams, bake a few pizzas, and grill up some shish-kabobs. That kind of cuisine will really put your party head and shoulders above other outdoor “barbecue” parties where you end up eating the same thing as every other party.

You have a lot of food options when it comes to grilling, but you shouldn’t feel limited to simple party foods if you really want to do up a fancy meal for your guests. Explore your options, check out a few specialized “grilling” recipe books, and even contact your outdoor kitchen manufacturer to ask them if they can recommend some recipe resources. You’d be surprised at how many recipes specifically for an outdoor kitchen are out there, and how many are perfect for a summer party.

The Key to Any Great Party…
sinkAn even greater contributor to the Perfect Deck Party is an outdoor kitchen’s refrigeration unit. That’s right, your grill can have its own refrigerator to keep the beer and ice cold. You can even have a keg topper installed into your outdoor kitchen, allowing you to tap and pour beers rather than stocking up on bottles and cans.

Outdoor grills are also surprisingly easy to clean when designed right. Obviously, this partially depends upon what heating method you’ve chosen: charcoal, gas, and so on. Nevertheless, with a stainless steel grill, you never really have to worry about getting muck on it – because after all, it’s stainless steel. Cleanup is quick and easy!

Furthermore, maintenance is relatively simple. You can always call up maintenance professionals if something goes terribly, horribly wrong. For the most part though, you’ll be surprised with how similar an outdoor kitchen is to your regular kitchen, only with all the benefits of cooking outside and among friends.

T.M. Loyd is a freelance writer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who has been published across the web on topics ranging from landscaping to web security and all points in-between. He is schooled in finance, international relations, literature, consumer issues, and education, among many, many other disciplines.