Posted on: June 24, 2008

Give 'em something to talk about

Tricked-out grills and fusion cooking tables spice up this summer's backyard parties with meals to remember

By Chuck Ross
CTW Features

Is it a kitchen or a living room? That's the question homeowners face today when it comes to planning the outdoor space that used to be, simply, the back yard. With furniture suitable for even formal entertaining and upscale appliances, including built-in refrigerators and wine chillers, today's patio can take on multiple personalities. There's one thing you can count on, though, regardless of the design - the grill will occupy center stage.

Of course, many of today's grills seem to be having their own identity crises, looking like they would be more at home in a high-end restaurant than out in the elements. And with their smoker boxes, electric rotisseries, high-temperature searing stations and LED lighting, these models might require cooks to pursue an advanced education to make the most of their food-prep potential. But once mastered, today's grills create unlimited chances to pursue the dream of an endless summer by offering new cooking options that can be used all year long.

Sizzling Sales

As a result, homeowners can't seem to get enough outdoor cooking equipment. The grill industry had yet another record year last year, despite the fact that 80 percent of U.S. households already owned an outdoor grill or smoker, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association.

In fact, manufacturers shipped more than 17 million grills last year, according to the HPBA. Almost 60 percent of those grills use gas or propane, with almost 40 percent burning charcoal. Electric models made up the small remaining difference. Many households now own multiple grills with specialized functions, allowing adventurous cooks to go far beyond the basic burgers and brats.

"A house may have a regular grill and a smoker, too, for low-temperature cooking" says Leslie Wheeler, HPBA's communications director. "That gives you more flexibility to cook outdoors."

And the proliferation of portable grills means you can cook outdoors in more places. For picnics, camping and the ever-popular tailgating party, new clamshell designs feature collapsible legs for easier carrying. Some charcoal models now even come with "snuff-out" heat-proof carrying cases, so you don't have to wait for hours to pack the grill away.

With new features being added annually, it's not surprising that frequent turnover has become a fact of life in the backyard cooking scene. The latest HPBA survey found that fickle outdoor chefs are holding onto their grills an average of only two to three years.

"People definitely are trading up," Wheeler says.

Shiny & New

And, these days, there's a lot to trade up to. Homeowners' preference for top-line cooking appliances for their indoor kitchens has moved outdoors, and big-ticket appliance makers are following quickly. For example, Viking Range Corp., the manufacturer of commercial-quality indoor-kitchen equipment, now offers a full line of outdoor-kitchen equipment, as well. This includes a number of tricked-out grills, starting at $1,600 and climbing to $6,000 and higher, all in the same stainless steel finish you'll find on the manufacturer's indoor offerings.

Rotisserie motors come standard on Viking products, along with those of many other high-end makers. And nighttime grillers no longer have to do that awkward flashlight juggling act if they choose one of the many grills that now include LED or halogen lighting. Infrared "searing" burners also are becoming common, even on less expensive models, to seal in juices and create restaurant-style char marks.

"Cooking on an infrared burner takes a little practice, because it's very hot and very intense," Wheeler says. "But they're wonderful, because they cook the food so fast."

Even mid-market mainstay Weber has gotten into the high-end act with its Summit line. Also clad in silvery stainless steel, the Summit comes in four- and six-burner models, topping out at $2,500. The Summit S-670 features a center "sear station" that reaches temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. And its spit-fork rotisserie attachment can handle a whole turkey or multiple chickens.

To tie grills into larger outdoor-living designs, a number of manufacturers - Viking included - have developed coordinating cabinet lines, so homeowners can create complete outdoor-kitchen suites.

"You can do 90-degree angles, 180-degree angles and islands," says Taylor Calhoun, the company's product manager for outdoor products. "When you use our cabinets along with our appliances, the sky's the limit."

Homeowners with even bigger budgets can eliminate the whole living room/kitchen question entirely with a custom-designed Korean-style grill table. The "Tepan Grill" by West Hollywood, Calif.-based designer Troy Adams incorporates a traditional tepanyaki grill into a low-slung coffee/dining table. The grill uses Lava charcoal that produces infrared radiant heat to create a sizzling-hot cooking surface. You won't find this cooking and entertaining centerpiece at the local home-improvement store, however - Adams custom creates and installs each unit at a cost of approximately $15,000.

Tried & True

Despite the proliferation of ultra-premium grills now on the market, HPBA's Wheeler says the biggest percentage of grills sold now fall into the $200 to $300 price range. And, while gas grills remain the most popular design, charcoal grills appear to be regaining popularity. According to Weber's 19th annual GrillWatch Survey, 53 percent of grill owners say they own a charcoal model, up from 47 percent just three years ago.

This, of course, is great news to Weber. Its classic kettle-shaped One-Touch charcoal grill remains a top seller, despite a design that has remained unmodified for decades.

"The iconic kettle has not changed," says Ernie Boys, Weber's vice president of product management. "It's one of those things that, if it's not broke, you don't fix it."

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