Outdoor Kitchens Add More Than Just Value

November 22, 2022 Outdoor Cooking

Building an outdoor kitchen is the perfect option for anyone looking to take their backyard to the next level. Check out the great possibilities that only an outdoor kitchen can bring.

Home Value

An outdoor kitchen is a great way to increase your home’s overall value. With outdoor living spaces in high demand and great patio weather year-round, adding a kitchen can help your home drive a higher price in the future.

Great for Convenience and Entertaining

Nothing brings people together like good food. Having an outdoor kitchen gives you the perfect destination for parties and get-togethers, especially if you have your grill of choice by your side to feed everyone. A new favorite grill for many has been the flat-top, providing great options for large gatherings with their easy-to-clean surface.

If you’re already spending time on the patio, an outdoor kitchen can also help you save the time you’d spend going in and out of the house. Instead of going back inside to grab a drink, a backyard refrigerator lets you keep the essentials at arms reach. Not to mention, no more lugging pots and pans around because everything you need is already outside. Having an outdoor kitchen can also help keep your houses stay cool in the summer because you won’t heat up your indoor kitchen with the oven on.

Open Space

In situations where you’re cooking for a large number of people, a cramped indoor kitchen can make things even more difficult. With an open backyard, everyone has space to mingle while you have space to cook. Added appliances like an outdoor dishwasher can also reduce the clutter that would normally fill your indoor kitchen, and icemakers help cut down on time spent going to a store for ice to fill your outdoor cooler.

Healthy Options

Not only are you getting the mental and physical health benefits of being in the great outdoors, but grilling outside can also help your waistline. Fat dripping off meats allows for leaner, healthier meals with fresh ingredients and even lower calorie options than something you’d find at an outdoor restaurant.

If you’re looking for a new way to upgrade your outdoor living space, a kitchen is a perfect addition. Of the hundreds of outdoor kitchens TCP has installed, we’ve yet to hear anyone regret it, and we don’t think you will either.

Recipe of the Month: Something For Everyone

February 26, 2019 Outdoor Cooking, Uncategorized

Sometimes you want to be healthy, and sometimes you just want to have a burger sandwiched between donuts, right?  We won’t tell!  Below are some delicious recipes no matter your mood!  Try them and let us know which tickled your tastebuds the most!

 

The Ultimate Breakfast Burger

Cowboy Nachos 

The Donut Burger 

Grilled Farmers’ Winter Salad 

Crispy Artichokes and Roasted Garlic Aioli 

Grilled Asian Salad

BBQ Bloomin’ Onion 

Sausage and Pepperoni Pot Pies

Fire Roasted Apples

BBQed Cookies and Cream Cake (no, this is not a mistake… just go with us!)

Peanut Butter M&M Cheesecake with Brownie Crust 

Easy French Macarons 

 

 

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Tea Caramelized Onions

July 30, 2018 Outdoor Cooking

 

This will be something that will really go the distance… Sweet Tea Caramelized Onions! Enjoy them on top of a steak with blue cheese, on chicken, on salmon, burgers, use inside a toasted sandwich or quesadilla. Simply use them when you just want to make something better!

Sweet Tea Caramelized Onions Serves 1 cup

Cook Time: 35 ­-55 minutes

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions

3/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. oil of choice

1⅔ cup sweet tea of choice

⅛ cup granulated sugar

 

Directions

Cut each onion into 1∕8 inch strips (follow the natural lines of the onion.) In a large bowl, add the cut onions, salt, pepper, and oil. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.

Heat grill to medium. Lightly coat the cooktop with an oiled paper towel.  Take the bowl of cut onions and empty it onto the grill. Spread the onions evenly on the grill and do not touch them for about 5 minutes.  This will allow the natural sugars from the onion to start to caramelize. Stir the onions around a little to now caramelize the other side of the onions. Let them cook without touching for another 5 minutes. Once the batch of onions has evenly caramelized turn the outer burner off and adjust the inner burner to medium­/low.

In a medium sauté pan add the cooked onions, cup of sweet tea, and granulated sugar. Allow this to cook on the grill for about 25 min. Stir occasionally to assure no sticking. The liquid should be close to gone at this point. The onions are done, however now is the chance to really make those onions pop with flavor; if time permits, add the remaining 2∕3 cup sweet tea and allow that to cook for another 20 min. Place finished onions in a bowl and allow to cool.

Use hot or refrigerate for later use.

 

Recipe of the Month: On the Grill

May 29, 2018 Outdoor Cooking

May is National BBQ Month, but really all summer long we should be firing up our grill and sizzlin’ up something delicious!  We thought we would do a mixture of savory and sweet, so that there’s something for everyone!

 

 

Charred Citrus Margaritas

Grilled Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad

Grilled Chicken Quesadilla Sandwich 

Raspberry Chipotle Pork Kabobs

Grilled Peach and Raspberry Parfait 

Smoky Chocolate Chips Cookies on the Grill 

Recipe of the Month: Grilled Mahi-Mahi Tacos with Mandarin Habanero Salsa

May 25, 2017 Outdoor Cooking

Now that’s a mouthful … but a delicious mouthful.  For this month’s recipe star we got a taste of inspiration from Hearth & Home.  The great thing about this recipe is if you’re fishy about fish, you can substitute the protein for grilled chicken or even steak.

Ingredients

Mahi­-Mahi Tacos 4 (5­6 oz.) Mahi­Mahi fillets

2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp.

Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero spice

2 cups shredded red cabbage

1 cup sour cream

12 small corn tortillas

Mandarin Habanero Mango Salsa

2 mangos, peeled and diced

1/3 cup red onion, diced

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero seasoning

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

 

Directions

Rinse the Mahi­-Mahi fillets under cold water and blot dry with paper towel. Rub fillets with olive oil, then sprinkle Pit Boss Mandarin Habanero seasoning over both sides of the fillets, rubbing the seasoning in. Set aside.

Prepare the Mandarin Habanero Mango Salsa by combining all ingredients in a medium­-sized bowl, tossing lightly to mix. Set aside.

Light the ceramic charcoal barbecue to 400°F. Place Mahi­-Mahi fillets directly on the grill and cook 5–7 minutes on each side. Remove the Mahi­Mahi from grill and let rest 5 minutes before pulling apart into small pieces. Carefully remove cooking grate from barbecue using oven mitts or grill grippers. Replace grill grate with heat deflector and place tortillas on heat deflector, heating for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until warm, but not hot.

Stack the tortillas in twos. Distribute the fish evenly between each set of tortillas.

Top with red cabbage, sour cream, and mango salsa. Serve immediately!

Sit back and listen to the “mmmms!”

 

 

Recipe of the Month: Grilled Pretzel Roll Ham Sliders

February 27, 2017 Outdoor Cooking

 

Who doesn’t love a good slider?  Our highlighted recipe for this month is versatile, feel free to change it up to your liking, but we have a hunch you may keep it just the way it is!  Meet this month’s mouth-watering, gotta-have grilling grub …

So what’s our secret?  See below …

Recipe of the Month

 

Ingredients

1 red onion

Extra virgin olive oil

Butter (salted) (secret #1)

Fine sea salt

4 pretzel rolls, about 3­in. in diameter (secret #2)

1 pound thick-cut ham

4 oz. Brie cheese, Cut into chunks

4 cocktail skewers

 

Directions

Prepare the grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat, about 500°F grill grate temperature. Slice the red onion into 3/4­in. thick slices. Oil both sides and season liberally with salt.

Grill the onion slices until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill, brake the slices down into rings and set to the side.

Slice the pretzel rolls. Spread salted butter on each side (don’t be conservative, didn’t you hear? Butter is good for you now, so go ahead and take advantage before they change their mind on us again)!   Grilling the buns (especially these buns) will make all of the difference, trust us!

Brush each slice of ham on both sides with olive oil and season with salt. The olive oil will help form a crust on the outside of the meat. Grill ham, turning once, 1 to 2 minutes per side. After flipping the meat, add a large ring of onion to the top of each slice, so it sits neatly in a circle.

Add the cheese on top of the onion. The cheese will melt, almost into a creamy sauce, and the onions will help hold the cheese on top of the ham. While the cheese is melting, lightly grill the rolls.

Gently remove the meat when the cheese has melted and transfer directly onto the pretzel rolls.  Skewer each slider to hold it together.

Open wide and enjoy!

Project of the Month: July 2015

August 7, 2015 Project of the Month

Click on the image to discover the details of this traditional project.

 

 

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