Outdoor cooking is an art: it involves creativity, learning certain cooking fundamentals and having a "fiery" passion for good food. With a little time and effort, you can become a great outdoor chef, and prepare grilled or barbecued foods that will bring a smile to the faces of your friends and family. You do need an array of interesting recipes that you are comfortable preparing. For example, there are lots of different to grill shrimp. Try marinating the shrimp in lime juice and red pepper flakes. Stuff the shrimp with jalapeno slices or glaze with an oriental sauce. Try garnishing your steak with barely grilled truffle slices, the mushroom not the chocolate candy. And no you won't have to try to hunt these rare fungi down yourself. Buy white truffle online and save yourself the effort.

You also need to pay attention to food safety through proper Food Storage and the safety of pets or children who may be around the hot grill while you are cooking. You also need to understand how to select the freshest and highest quality ingredients for your backyard grilling masterpieces.

Outdoor grilling is a relaxed cooking experience that allows you to socialize with others while you work. And eventually, it won’t seem like work at all. You’ll be so confident of your skills that grilling and barbecuing will seem like pure fun. Here's how to build a smoker pit in your own backyard.

Involve the kids in the grilling process with Cooking Games Make meals using foods that are all pink. Come up with a grilled vegetable platter where each vegetable starts with a letter of the alphabet. Measuring ingredients is a fun game that teaches math skills.

Indoor and Outdoor Kitchen Design for Grilling

What would your ideal outdoor kitchen look like? Maybe you’re not thinking "kitchen" at all. You just want the standard kettle grill that has been a favorite for decades, perhaps a table nearby to set the food on as you prepare it, and of course a cooler with the appropriate beverages. Or you could be a little more elaborate and have a built-in grilling area in one corner of the patio. Maybe have a small refrigerator there so you don’t have to keep running back and forth from the kitchen. Or you could go upscale and have a full stainless steel outdoor kitchen with nearly enough cooking capacity as a small restaurant. Now, the choices of equipment available to the backyard chef are seemingly endless.

Your first step is to design your outdoor cooking area, and select the equipment that best fits your cooking needs and budget. There are a few questions you need to answer. Do you prefer the ease of gas barbecues or the enhanced flavor that charcoal/wood grilling allows? Do you want to have backyard parties and entertain lots of guests, or will you be cooking for just a few people? A griddle Makes cooking delicate food like vegetables and fish a snap. More on Outdoor and Indoor Kitchens

Tips and Techniques

Easy gourmet grilling starts with great ingredients, and then from there you have many ways to add flavor before, during and after the meat is cooked. One secret all great chefs, indoor and outdoor, rely on is to start with the freshest, best quality meats. (And let’s not forget fresh vegetables. Grilled vegetables such as squash and pepper can be very tasty, too.) If you’re lucky enough to have prime beef at your grocery store, you’re well on your way to preparing memorable steaks. But even less expensive meat, chicken, or pork for that matter, can turn out absolutely delicious, just spend a little time enhancing the flavor of these foods. How do you do that? More on food, equipment and supplies

Recipes and Menus

One of the pleasures of outdoor cooking is discovering and trying a new recipe that turns out delicious. It’s also fun to create your own recipe collection. Researching recipes for outdoor cooking is easy.

Marinades enhance the flavor and tenderness of meats. The base of the marinade can be wine, beer, or citrus juice. More on recipes and menus

Read our reviews of gourmet burger restaurants new york city

Grilling Safety

Easy gourmet grilling can also be safe grilling, if you take a few simple precautions. Healthy Advice keeps you and your family safe. The same fire that will help you create a delicious meal can present dangers to you, your guests and your property. Your first consideration is where you locate your grill. Flame-ups occur on a grill—sometimes the food catches on fire--and you don’t want that to result in a nearby tree or your patio roof catching fire. Accidents like this happen all the time, and are easily preventable. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby, or even a garden hose if that is possible. Having a large pitcher of water close by can also be useful for dousing flame-ups. Find out more about Grilling Safety

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