Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet News and Press

Consumer-Advocate.org
May 7, 2008

Everything Tastes Better Outdoors

Everything Tastes Better Outdoors

Warm weather is on the wing and you know what that entails: people expecting you to cook outside in the boiling sun as well as inside a heated kitchen. Luckily outdoor cooking is simple, quick, and rewarding – it’s nearly idiot proof, which is precisely why so many men are eager to don one of those “Kiss the Cook” aprons right around Fourth of July. But even I, Mrs. X, must pay my respects to this particular tradition – on a scorching summer’s day there are few things better than a slab of sizzling hot meat fresh off the grill, nestled between two slices of bread and smothered in barbecue sauce.

Though charcoal grills are quite popular among the BBQ set, no gal out there wants to smudge her new sundress by messing around with charcoal. Therefore, for maximum ease and minimum mess, I recommend using a gas grill. They offer better temperature control, cook food quicker than charcoal, usually come with tons of neat extras, are a snap to clean (the real issue on your mind, don’t even try to deny it). They’re also generally safer than an open flame.
Devotees of the charcoal grill claim that the gas grills don’t produce food with the same “flavor” offered by the hardened chunks of wood and ash littering the basin of their grill. “Flavor” forsooth, I say. All you really need is a convenient appliance with the ability to speedily grill the hell out of whatever is on the menu du jour. In a gas grill you should be looking for a few specific qualities that will contribute beautifully to your grilling experience.

No matter what price range you’re shopping in, a gas grill should always be made out of stainless steel. The metal makes in a cinch to clean (just give it a light brushing after use) and guarantees the grill will make it through many years with little extra care. Try to find a grill with separate burners, which will be able to distribute heat differently on its cooking surface. You could be steaming some veggies while tending to some wieners at the same time. Multi-tasking! It truly is a modern age. Natural gas grills are more expensive than propane, but they provide assurance that you will never humiliate yourself by running out of fuel in the middle of the family reunion BBQ and cake walk.

Barbecues.com offers a wide selection of reasonably priced gas grills on their easily searchable website. If you’d prefer talking to a human being before purchasing a grill at 3 in the morning, try Gas Grills Now’s 24 hour phone ordering line at (877)669-4669. For the ladies of leisure with a hankering for hamburgers, skip all the niceties and head straight for the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. This Michigan-based company has been shipping out the finest in stainless gas grills for 10 years. Though pricey, their stellar equipment has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes Magazine, and Home and Gardens. Happy grilling!