Do you like to cook? Whether your meals are master chef quality or you’re more comfortable reheating leftovers, cooking in the kitchen all the time can be mighty boring.
You should think outside of the proverbial box that is your indoor kitchen and instead try cooking outdoors. If you sometimes use the grill for cooking steaks, hot dogs, and ribs, you know that outdoor cooking can be a great experience, whether alone or with company.
If you’re open to doing more cooking outside, here are five options that’ll help you do so.
- Outdoor Pizza Oven
Did you know that Americans eat 3 billion pizzas annually and that around one in eight Americans — or about 13% of the population — consume pizza on any given day? It’s easy to get on the phone, order your favorite pizza, and then wait for it to be delivered. But you can up the enjoyment factor by creating your own pizza and baking it in an outdoor pizza oven.
Do you have kids? Allow all of them to make their own pizzas from the ground up. It’ll be even easier if you get already-made pizza dough that only requires adding toppings and baking the pizzas. You won’t have trouble getting the kids to help with meal prep. You’ll all be hooked when you and yours get to make pizza the way you all want it and then watch it cooking in your outdoor pizza oven. Pizza time will be a fun time for you and yours.
- Campfire Grate
Cooking with a campfire grate is a fun way to prepare meals in the great outdoors. It’s also one of the more rustic ways to go about outdoor cooking. You can use this method on your own property or when on a camping trip in a national park or elsewhere. First, get a nice fire going in a fire pit or campfire, and then add a grate on top to cook your food on the grate. Ensure you observe any local open-air fire laws and exercise caution otherwise. But it can be a simple and satisfying way to grill your steaks or pan-sear your salmon or cod.
- BBQ Grill
A common way to cook outdoors involves using a BBQ grill. They’re available in all types of configurations, and you can choose the fuel source that suits you best. For instance, you can get BBQ grills powered by natural gas, propane, pellets, or charcoal. If you’re willing to spend more, you can get a unit with side burners for pans. A BBQ grill will make it easy to cook burgers, lamb chops, shish kabobs, vegetable skewers, and more.
- Smoker
A smoker is also a good idea if you want to cook outdoors — especially if you enjoy smoked meat. You can smoke ribs, poultry, seafood, sausages, and veggies. You can even get flavored pellets that give your meat more flavor.
- Dutch Oven
Yet another way to cook outdoors is with a Dutch oven. It’s a sturdy and large pot designed to handle high-temperature cooking. So, you can place a Dutch oven on a bed of hot coals if you’re interested in cooking a hearty stew or whatever else you’re in the mood for. These pots are heavy, so you’ll want to be careful when using them.
If you’re not experienced with outdoor cooking, you now know what you’ve been missing. And if you have cooked outside before, you now have more options to enjoy cooking and eating outside. Outdoor cooking isn’t just about having fun, though. It can also come in handy if a power outage leaves your kitchen stove inoperable.
Having alternative ways to prepare meals will ensure you and yours get to eat even if the grid goes down. The next time you’re preparing dinner, consider cooking outside.
