Outdoor Kitchens: A Hot Addition to Your Backyard This Summer!

T'is the season to cook out of doors. However most people hate this , being bored of just standing by a dinky grill , flipping burgers and dogs. What's the solution? Build an outdoor kitchen. Create amazing meals alfresco while entertaining guests or just feeding the family. It's a simple set up that will have outdoor cooks wondering why they didn't do this sooner,

Outdoor kitchens have some great advantages. One, you don't have to prepare chicken or ribs in a hot, stuffy kitchen. You can marinate or filet cuts in the backyard and store them in the outdoor kitchen's fridge. Also you're not alienated from your guests during a party. You're right there, steps away from the table. Another asset is you can cook sumptuous meals in a very airy and roomy environment. Most units have extra inches for storage so everything from condiments to utensils can be kept outside. More expensive outdoor kitchens even have outlets to plug in toasters, blenders and food processors. These also come with more storage space. You can even install an outdoor wine cellar with the extra room.

The one problem with outdoor kitchens is space. You can have a good sized cooking area but you'll need to sacrifice some of your yard or patio for it. An outdoor kitchen's grill is approximately 48 inches (4 feet) wide and 15 to 26 inches deep. If you add a side burner and a shelf, count for another foot of yard or patio gone. Some outdoor chefs are opting for the more compact U shaped kitchens. They do save some space but these are made to keep kids from running through the cooking area.