You already know that you want an Outdoor Kitchen. However, you may think, what are the top outdoor kitchen must-haves?
Below we have constructed a list of our top features to help you decide your needs and wants. To start, let’s talk about food.
Food
Meat
Let’s begin with cooking, there are many ways to cook on a BBQ, the most common way is to grill on the open grill and the juices fall onto the burner plates, which sends up a cloud of smoke that gives the meat its chargrilled flavour. The longer you use the bbq the better it gets! You can also use the flat griddle plate, this is much like using a large frying pan but the juices go back into the meats, with the lid down it seals the meat perfectly.
Vegetables
There’s are best cooked on the flat griddle plate with olive oil and seasoning.
Cooking with Charcoal
This type of BBQ cooking is very popular, the hardened bbq chef will only cook with charcoal, this option is great but is restricted when incorporating it in an outdoor kitchen.
The charcoal cooking process takes time and the timing of when you put the food on the grill is critical, too soon and it will burn too late and it will take a long time or not cook at all. So the prime time to cook on Charcoal is when the coals are just turning light grey.
Garden bar area
The garden bar is a fantastic place to relax and socialise with friends and family. We recommend a bar or seating area as a separate space or incorporate it in your outdoor kitchen design, the outdoor fridge is a must if you are thinking about a garden bar.
Keep it stocked up with your favorite wine and beers for your mates. There are no outdoor freezers available in the UK for ice, but there are tabletop ice makers and bar caddy’s that can provide a solution to the ice problem. We personally love ice in our drinks and bring out a cold box full of ice when entertaining outside.
A sink is a good option for a bar to rinse glasses and wash your hands. Or we have built kitchens with two sinks so one can be filled with ice and bottles.
The bar can be raised to provide a seating area with stools or just standing and chatting. A lot of our kitchens just have an extended worktop to achieve the same thing and use it as a seating area/bar.
BBQ types
Kamado BBQ
These Kamado BBQs are perfect for an outdoor kitchen setup. The two most popular makes are the Kamado Joe and The Green Egg.
Both are equally amazing to cook on and have slightly different features but essentially they both work on the same principle, by heating up to high temperatures and sealing the smoke and heat into the chamber. You can adjust the heat output by opening the air hole at the bottom. The fuel is charcoal generally and gives an authentic taste. The outside of the bbq will not get too hot and this is why it’s perfect for a bespoke outdoor kitchen setup
Electric BBQs
This is an unusual subject as the very thought of an electric appliance being cooked on the outside is a bit of a mystery. However they are made and they are not overly popular, personally, I’ve never sold one and would worry about electricity and rain in the same sentence so I can’t tell you much. I would suggest that if you are contemplating getting one be sure to keep it dry when not in use.
For a full list of our recommended BBQs, take a look at our How to choose the right Outdoor Kitchen guide. Or browse our What is the best outdoor BBQ? guide.
Pizza oven
This is one of the popular appliances that we are asked for to be incorporated into our outdoor kitchens.
Take a look at our What to consider when buying an outdoor pizza oven guide for more information.
There are lots of makes out there and also different fuels to cook with. The most basic tabletop pizza oven starts at around £300.00 and can reach £6,000.00 so a lot of homework is needed. We can advise you on the best options for your needs. Get in touch
Chefs anvil bbq
This is a great way to cook, there are several manufacturers one of which is Quan garden art.
This is a wood-fired cast iron hot plate and gives a variety of ways to cook outside. We are a main dealer for Quan and are happy to give you more information.
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