Out to dinner: There’s more to outdoor cooking than the backyard barbecue
OUTDOOR cooking is no longer only about the backyard barbecue, writes CHELSEA CLARK.
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IT doesn’t matter if it was a party for 25 people or just a casual family gathering, we all remember the days of dad watching over the sausages sizzling on the barbie while mum busily moved between the kitchen and backyard with plates, cutlery, salad and drinks.
In days gone by backyard entertaining inevitably involved the host spending most of his or her time between the kitchen and the party ensuring guests were well catered for and everything ran smoothly.
And while the advent of the alfresco living and dining area has generally put the kitchen closer to the action, at-home entertainers all know the struggle of dividing your time between the two locations.
Enter the fully-appointed outdoor kitchen.
As Australians relocate more of their leisure time to outdoor spaces and invest in making these areas an extension of their indoor living rooms in terms of comfort and amenities, a trend has emerged to including state-of-the-art cooking and food preparation areas.
“Outdoor kitchens have come a long way from just a barbecue in the backyard,” says Dean Herald from Rolling Stone Landscapes.
“Essentially designed like an internal kitchen, an outdoor kitchen provides an easy way to entertain family and friends in the landscape, and ensuring everything is at your fingertips means convenience for the cook to make the most of their time with guests.”
PLANNING
Homes with existing alfresco living and dining areas have a ready-made location for installing an outdoor kitchen but if you’re building from scratch or don’t have an obvious spot for your kitchen, there are a few things to think about.
Most outdoor kitchens will generally be close to the main house to allow simple access to existing utility lines to make it easy to transport food to the outdoor cooking area.
“Power, gas and water if you want to include a sink, are the three major components you need to consider,” says Dean.
“If you’re building close to the back door, these services can be run directly from the home itself or if you’re installing a kitchen in a pavilion away from the main house it’s generally not a problem to get these services to the new kitchen.”
Given this space will be outside, it’s also worth considering exposure to the wind and sun, along with access to amenities such as a pool or a lawn.
To get the most from your outdoor kitchen year round, it’s best to protect it from the elements with a roof either extended from the main house or built separately for kitchens located further away in the backyard.
Dean says the area required depends solely on the kitchen’s intended use.
“Smaller areas aren’t a problem as long as the items selected for the kitchen are conducive to whatever space you have available,” he says.
“For example, someone working with a small courtyard setup probably wouldn’t choose an enormous barbecue because it just wouldn’t work.
“Generally smaller properties have fewer people living there so there is really no necessity for a very large space. Everyone’s needs are different so the space you want to devote to your kitchen really depends on its intended purpose.”
CHOOSING YOUR BARBECUE
The centrepiece of any outdoor kitchen is undoubtedly the barbecue and Kristen Beer from Bunnings says the first step in choosing your perfect model is to match the barbecue size to the area you’re working with.
“Compact portable barbecues suit small courtyards or apartments while larger setups are best for big decks and patios,” she says.
You should also consider the fuel source you’ll be cooking with, she says.
“Gas is ideal for beginners as it is easy to turn on and there are no messy ashes to clean up,” says Kristen.
“Or for an authentic barbecue taste and experience, you want to choose a charcoal-fuelled barbecue.
“To experience the best of both worlds use a charcoal gas grill which uses gas to light the charcoal, providing a traditional smoky flavour without the hassle of lighting coals.”
If you’re setting up a large outdoor kitchen, experts recommended you install a built-in barbecue which is generally sold as a large unit with inclusions such as bench space, storage, sinks, side burners and rotisseries.
But if your set up is smaller and your barbecue will be separate to any bench space, Kristen says hooded barbecues are a versatile and popular choice.
“Hooded barbecues are all-rounders as they can be used as a hotplate, grill or an outdoor oven,” she says.
“The hood traps in heat to give food a great flavour and many hooded barbecues come with extras such as rotisseries, side burners, a built-in thermometer, hood lights and glass windows for viewing.”
OTHER INCLUSIONS
While the barbecue may still be the king when it comes to outdoor cooking, there are an increasing number of other appliances that are gaining popularity as outdoor kitchens become more commonplace.
“Inclusions in an outdoor kitchen are only limited by your imagination,” says Dean.
A fridge — either full or bar-sized — will not only provide an extra food storage option on a day-to-day basis but also encourages guests to help themselves to drinks.
There’s something about an outdoor fridge that encourages people to serve themselves meaning you have one less thing to worry about when you’re trying to host a party,” says Dean.
“I think when people have to come into the kitchen to get a drink they can feel as though they’re intruding but they’re more than happy to help themselves if the fridge is outside.”
Pizza ovens are another option to consider — especially if you plan to cook a variety of food in your outdoor kitchen.
“A pizza oven doesn’t only do pizza,” says Dean. “You can also use it to bake or roast — it’s basically a way of having an oven outside.”
If space is an issue, Bunnings’ Bakerstone Pizza Oven Box, $129, sits on the plates of a traditional barbecue and combines a stone baking chamber with an enamelled steel housing to achieve the high temperatures required for this style of cooking.
“It can be used to bake pizzas, breads, cookies, roast meat, fish and vegetables in the one oven, saving on storage space and removing the need for multiple appliances,” says Kristen.
Pictures Karina Illovska
More Bunnings, bunnings.com.au; Appliances Online appliancesonline.com.au. Rolling Stone Landscapes, rollingstonelandscapes.com
KEEP IT CLEAN
A GRIMY barbecue is not a good look as the centrepiece of your outdoor kitchen. Barbecues Galore has these tips for keeping your barbie looking — and your food tasting — its best.
• When cooking is finished, brush excess food residue off the surface and then turn burners to high with the hood open for 5 minutes. This will burn off most of the grease
• Turn the gas cylinder off. Let the barbecue burn out then switch the barbecue burners off. This clears any excess gas from your barbecue hose
• Use a grease remover to heavily coat dirty hotplates, grills and racks. Leave for up to a few hours if necessary to attack fat, grease and carbon.
• Half fill a bucket with clean warm water and using a barbecue brush or scourer constantly soaked with water, scrub the cooking surface thoroughly
• Lightly coat your cast iron or steel hotplate with a non-stick barbecue cooking spray to prevent rusting. This is not required for vitreous enamel or stainless steel
• When the barbecue has completely cooled down, close the hood or weather lid to keep the cooking surface dry and rust free. Ensure the barbecue is cool before covering with a barbecue cover
More Barbeques Galore, barbequesgalore.com.au
LIGHT IT UP
Don’t forget about lighting when planning your outdoor kitchen.
Make safety a priority by installing brighter lights where the cooking or food preparation will occur and where possible, leave the ambient lighting to your outdoor living area.
If the two are combined, adjustable lighting is a great option.
Any pathways between the house and the outdoor kitchen should also be well lit to avoid any accidents.
If power supply to your outdoor paths is a problem, most hardware stores carry a range of solar lights and torches.
Originally published as Out to dinner: There’s more to outdoor cooking than the backyard barbecue
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