Stepping Up Your Barbeque Style

Summer may be winding down, but with temperatures finally becoming a bit more tolerable, Labor Day on the horizon, and September sales just around the corner, now is the time to take a moment to re-evaluate how and what you’re grilling.

Outdoor kitchens have consistently been among the top updates and additions for homes over the years. Refrigerators, all-weather cabinets, and music systems are all finding a place alongside the grill, essentially creating an entire new living space for your home. But if you’re thinking updates, really consider your tastes and think outside the box. Food enthusiasts are evoking and creating a movement for wood-smoked dishes, rather than gas-grilled, emphasizing “low and slow.” With that, consider wood-pellet grills, slow-cookers or wood-fired ovens. Fryers are also finding a place on more patios.

For immediate change and ways to spice up your menu, grilling gurus are trying darker fish, like sardines, mackerel, bluefish, and other dark, oily fish, as well octopus. Vegies (branch out with artichokes and Brussels sprouts) are also making a comeback.

Want to take baby steps to up your grilling game? Try infused, gourmet salts and condiment – sriracha mayo and beer-infused mustards are a few favorites.