For many homeowners, adding an outdoor kitchen is one of the best and most impactful decisions they ever made. The outdoor kitchen expands the capabilities of the indoor kitchen. It keeps your home cleaner, and of course we all know that there’s something truly special about preparing and sharing meals outdoors. The right appliances and equipment in your outdoor kitchen will enable some great dinner parties and revolutionize your family’s eating habits. What are the essentials for outdoor kitchens to prepare gourmet meals in the Riverhead, NY area?
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Cooling Equipment and Freezers
All outdoor kitchens require some sort of refrigeration and it turns out there are plenty of great options. Mini-fridges can fit underneath the counter space of your outdoor kitchen, but full-size fridges can be accommodated as well. Freezers are also perfect for the outdoor setting as they provide long term storage. Be sure to include plenty of cooling space for your drinks and include an icemaker for your bar setup.
A Grill
It’s true, no outdoor kitchen is complete without a grill. The classic gas or propane grill can anchor down your outdoor kitchen, but there are plenty of other options as well. Some homeowners opt for a charcoal grill or wood-fired grill instead. A gorgeous work of art in itself, a kamado grill can be the centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen. Even if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, anything prepared over an open flame will create some incredible flavors and keep your friends and family coming back for more.
A Pizza Oven
For multiple reasons, pizza ovens do not fit into an indoor kitchen setting. However, they can find a perfect home in an outdoor kitchen. The pizza oven can be a stand-alone unit that’s suitable for countertop use, or a large, traditional masonry structure that will take center stage in your outdoor cooking space. Though they’re most commonly fired by natural gas or propane, some pizza ovens are wood-fired. Backyard pizza parties are definitely in the cards!
A Side Burner or Griddle
A secondary cooking surface in your outdoor kitchen can make many cooking tasks far easier and expand your cooking capabilities. A side burner attached to a gas grill can act just like the stove surface in your indoor kitchen, bringing soups and hot drinks to the table as well as sauteing vegetables and eggs. A griddle is another great way to control heat and cook some delicious foods such as pancakes, hash browns, burgers, tacos, and more.
A Smoker
Barbecue lovers rejoice! A backyard smoker is a great addition to any outdoor kitchen, providing delicious smoke flavor to all sorts of meats and vegetables. Like outdoor pizza ovens, smokers can be small countertop models which are great for infrequent use, or they can be large appliances. If you love smoked meat, make sure to include a smoker in your outdoor kitchen design.
A Waste Receptacle
Cooking always produces food waste and other trash and you’ll need somewhere convenient and secure to place everything, without running back and forth to the house or garage. A waste receptacle shouldn’t be taken for granted. It will help keep your outdoor kitchen much cleaner and deter any animals from getting used to the presence of free food scraps. Beyond just a simple trash can, consider including a waste receptacle in the design of your outdoor kitchen.
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