Summer is here, and families all over are gearing up to host backyard cookouts and barbecues. If it has been awhile since you used your outdoor kitchen, we have some tips for your party prep!
Start by wiping your counters and other prep surfaces, cleaning out any sinks that might be part of your outdoor kitchen and scrubbing your tables and chairs. Do it in this order so you aren’t having to clean the deck or patio twice. Efficiency! Sprinkle a little water on your clean counters to check the sealant. If those drops are still standing after 10 to 15 minutes, you can skip resealing the counters.
Depending on your patio or deck’s surface, a simple sweeping with a broom and a hosing may be all you need to do. Other surfaces might need a power washing and resealing. You’ll have to judge this based on how the material reacts to your efforts. If water beads on the surface, you’re probably ok to skip the sealant here, too. For decks, make sure you drive any popping nails and replace any that have gone missing.
There’s no one definition of an “outdoor kitchen,” so what sort of appliances that this may entail can vary wildly from a charcoal grill with a side table to a high end gas number, plus a full size fridge, wine fridge, ice maker, sink with disposal and so on.
Whatever appliances you have, you should clean them completely before you turn the kitchen on. It’s always the best time to clean appliances when they’re empty and not in service. Just be careful to dry them completely, inside and out.
When it comes to cleaning your grill, break it down entirely, scrub every bit of it within an inch of its life with soapy water and reseason any cast iron grates as needed. Once you’ve rebuilt the grill, it’s a perfect time to test for hot spots.
This Old House recommends covering your grill with slices of white bread and then turning the grill’s heat to high. When the bread’s mostly toasted, kill the heat and flip the bread to learn which areas are cooler and which are hotter.
Your surfaces are clean, your appliances are ready to go (the pros even said they’re in great working order!), but what about all that little fiddly stuff you’re always running out of: disposables like plates, cups, plastic ware, paper goods? Now’s the time. They never go bad and you can keep them inside if necessary.
While you’re out shopping, check out the grilling tools. Your spatula looks like it may have spatula-ed its last burger and that poor pair of tongs was on its last leg last season. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a new meat thermometer because food poisoning is never fun. Last, but far from least, safety gear like fire extinguishers, heat- and cut-proof gloves and something to keep your beard from catching on fire can also prove invaluable. Fire and beards don’t mix.
When stocking your outdoor kitchen, keep in mind that animals and bugs live outside. If you’re planning on storing food in the great outdoors, make sure you have a place that’s safe from bugs, animals and mold spores. Better yet, keep food in the inside kitchen in a designated place unless you have an outside refrigerator. There are a lot fewer things competing with you for that last kettle cooked potato chip indoors.
Your outdoor kitchen is ready to go, all you need is for your guest to arrive! The waiting can be excruciating, though. While you wait, you can work on other outdoor projects to make your patio or deck space even more inviting, even if you’re not all that handy.