Summer evenings and weekend get-togethers get us fired up about grilling. Bring on the burgers, seasoned steaks and marinated chicken! If you love to cook for a crowd, then maybe it’s time to upgrade from a standalone grill to a full-on outdoor kitchen.
There are several important considerations when starting an outdoor kitchen designs.
“The keys to any grill or outdoor kitchen project are the reputation of the builder/manufacturer, the warranty of the products and project and the quality and grade of the products,” . “For example, many stainless steel grills look good but will deteriorate and fall apart in a year or two because the grade of the stainless was poor and the thickness or gauge is too thin to withstand the heat.”
“The grill you purchase is really the centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen, so purchase one that is going to last,”
“Otherwise, in 2 to 3 years you’ll end up replacing it and you’ll have to either go with the same low quality unit or you’ll have trouble finding a grill that fits the same hole. Do yourself a favor and buy the best grill you can afford.”
We recommends grills that have solid cast stainless steel burners, use 304 series stainless steel components that carry a lifetime warranty from a company . We suggest you developing a kitchen layout that makes sense. “From the food prep area, to the cooking station to serving, you should not have to ‘pass yourself ’ in order to prepare and serve meals,”. “Also, like the grill, make sure you use high-quality doors and drawers that are constructed of 304 grade stainless steel so they will last, too.”
OUTFITTING THE KITCHEN
Outdoor kitchens designs range from simple to sophisticated, discover the options that best fit your lifestyle and cooking style. “Pizza ovens are very popular, as well as wine refrigerators, drop-in ice coolers and high pressure burners for cooking with big pots,” . The best various options, including a built-in counter top blender. “You can also add things like a trashcan drawer and, of course a sink,”, sometimes you need a refrigerator and it has a lock for just $299. For the same price, you can add a wine cooler as well.
STATE OF THE GRILL
About innovations in grilling technologies, heat-zone cooking, which allows you to sear a steak in one zone of the grill while preparing delicate vegetables in the zone next to it. “You can also have internal lights for night-time cooking, as well as electronic ignition that works every time. Rotisseries with rear burners let you cook large meals slowly while locking in the juices.”
Nervous about cooking meats just right? the FireMagic brand makes grills with a temperature read-out pad on the control panel that indicates the internal temperature of each zone across the grill in real-time. “You can even insert the included temp probe to check the internal temp of the brisket or other large piece of meat you are preparing,” a combination of cooking fuels, “Hybrid grills that allow for gas as well as charcoal and wood grilling are quite popular,”. “Also, outdoor pizza ovens are becoming quite popular and allow for a variety of cooking options.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Are there any differences in fuel efficiency among today’s grills? “Basically, Natural Gas grills cost a little less to operate than propane and cost a lot less than electric grills,” Even with the slight difference between natural gas and propane, you’re still talking about only a buck or two to prepare the average meal on either fuel type.” The Infrared gas grills are probably as fuel efficient as any grill, the reason is the high temp—1200 to1500 degrees—allows for faster grilling time and therefore less gas consumption. Also, many folks now make their own lump charcoal from wood which is efficient use of wood.”
“Some folks just love the flavor it produces and prefer to slow smoke their meats. “No problem, FireMagic now offers a combo unit that has two separate lids, one for charcoal and one for gas. The charcoal side even has a gas-powered ignition system.”
HOW LONG & HOW MUCH?
The time frame from start to finish on an outdoor kitchen designs varies. “It depends. Some projects can be completed in just 2-3 days, while more elaborate ones can take weeks, although that’s rare. “You can even purchase some outdoor kitchen packages in a box with a 7-foot outdoor kitchen cabinet, refrigerator, stainless steel grill and stainless steel door all for just $2999 and be cooking on it tonight.
Custom projects generally take 7-10 days to finalize the plan and project scope. “Once construction starts it will take 3-14 days depending on the complexity. This does not include manufacturing lead time for grills and storage which can be 4-8 weeks depending on the time of year.” Pricing start around $3,000 to $4,000 and when a multitude of features and fixtures are incorporated into the outdoor kitchen, the price tag can be ten times that. “An outdoor kitchen can range from a simple grilling island for $4,000 to a full outdoor kitchen with all the bells and whistles for $50,000.
