Grilling is Haute

Millions of Americans are adding living space to their homes without putting up a single sheet of drywall. They’re doing so by upgrading their patios or decks to outdoor living spaces with all the comforts of their favorite indoor rooms. Cover an LCD TV with a protective casing, and you have instant outdoor theater. Upgrade your portable barbecue pit to a high-BTU range, and you’re searing mahimahi to restaurant-grade perfection rather than just tossing a burger on a charcoal grill.

With all the comforts of home, no wonder people are spending more time outdoors.

“Outdoor areas like gardens, decks, and patios are now often considered rooms of the house,” says Taylor Calhoun, outdoor product manager at Viking. “Since cooking and entertaining are such popular indoor activities, consumers are making the natural transition to doing these activities outdoors.” According to Calhoun, there’s been a jump in the popularity of not only outdoor grills but also full outdoor kitchens. Homeowners, he says, “now have the ability to prepare an entire meal outdoors without endless trips back into the house.”

Courtesy Fuego The opportunities haven’t been lost on Viking or other high-end manufacturers who are catering to outdoor chefs with not only professional-grade grills but accessory burners, warming trays, and refrigeration units. Stainless steel cabinetry and weather-resistant controls protect the appliances against the elements.

Viking’s standard 25,000-BTU burners produce intense heat all across the heating surface, making them well-suited to grilling steaks, fish, poultry, and vegetables. Add a 30,000-BTU infrared burner for searing heat, perfect for caramelizing vegetables or locking in the juices of a thick porterhouse. Power down to Viking’s 15,000-BTU Gourmet-Glo for all the slow-cooking tools—burner, rotisserie motor, rod, and forks—to smoke a turkey or chicken.

One of the most important features of an outdoor kitchen is a gas grill. These Fuego grills cater to outdoor chefs, with stainless steel cabinets, professional-style features, and infrared burner technology. Alfresco Extras. Of course, once the outdoor kitchen is outfitted with the heavy-duty appliances, then it’s time to accessorize. For homeowners who crave the taste of that charcoal-grilled burger, Viking’s C4 series of charcoal cookers fits the bill. Just don’t call them “pits”; Viking dubs them “charcoal ceramic cooking capsules.”

Wolf has expanded its line of outdoor cooking products as well. The Wolf line features closely spaced burners that provide more horsepower for specific types of grilling. Each burner is individually adjustable to the required heat level. For searing heat that locks in the juices of a chicken breast, there’s the infrared broiler element in the rear. Everything can be kept at a safe temperature until dinner’s ready in the add-on warming drawer.

Outdoor cooking options are limited only by space and budget. Twin Eagles sells a palette of accessories to complete the meal. Start with a 30-inch or 42-inch grill base and build out from there with add-on side stations for searing and specialized tasks. The Twin Eagles 17,500-BTU side cooker can handle sauces or other typical stove-top functions. One Twin Eagles model comes with a griddle plate, which can handle short-order specialties from eggs and bacon to grilled cheese sandwiches. Prep stations with built-in cutting boards, storage drawers, and pull-out trash bins complete the outdoor kitchen and then top it off with a neat and uniform appearance.

Viking offers grills with a range of BTUs, including choices for grilling meat and seafood, caramelizing vegetables, or slow-cooking rotisserie meals. For full autonomy from the kitchen, consider running a water line to the outdoor galley so your homeowners have water available for food prep, cleanup, and bar use. Twin Eagles’ Outdoor Bar sports a bar sink and chrome faucet—more options to limit the time spent running back to the house.

When cooking in the great outdoors, it’s necessary to keep those meats, dairy goods, and beverages at a safe temperature, but why should the cook have to run in and out of the house to do it? The fully loaded al fresco kitchen is only complete with a top-notch icebox. Even high-end maker Sub-Zero has headed outdoors. The company introduced its first outdoor model at the recent Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas. The 5.7-cubic-foot chiller, UL-approved for outdoor use, packs electronic controls, an LCD display, and cantilevered glass shelves.