
May is National Barbecue Month—the perfect time to gather some friends and some franks and celebrate the beginning of summer. Our REALTORS® can help you find a home with a big backyard, perfect for barbecue parties. The grill itself, though, is up to you. What kind do you need? Here are a few of your options and what they have to offer.
- Charcoal
Great for things like ribs and steaks, the smoke from a charcoal grill permeates the meat over time, giving it that signature barbecue flavor. It can be a lot of work, though. It takes time to get the grill hot enough to cook on, and maintaining the temperature as your meat cooks requires continual attention. Plus, cleaning up the ash when you're done is a hassle. However, nothing beats a charcoal grill if you're serious about barbecue.
- Gas
Gas grills are more expensive than charcoal grills, but they make the whole barbecue process easier and cheaper. They're ready to use immediately and can be controlled more precisely. They're great for burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and other things that cook quickly. They don't produce much smoke, though, so for slower-cooked meats, they simply don't give you the signature barbecue taste that charcoal does.
- Electric
The most common type of electric grill is the George Foreman grill. Small-sized ones are great for sandwiches and quesadillas, but they make larger ones for the full barbecue experience. They don't get as hot as charcoal or gas grills, though, and they don't have the smokey barbecue flavor. They're generally used in small spaces like apartments, where you grill on the balcony. If you're looking at Ashland homes for sale, you'd be better off finding a place with a backyard that can handle a real grill rather than bothering with electric.
- Smoker
A smoker offers the best of all worlds for the true barbecue enthusiast. It gives meat a delicious, smokey flavor and offers more precise temperature control than a standard charcoal grill. Smokers are for people for whom grilling is an all-day affair. A brisket can take 10 hours or more, but the results can't be beaten when it's done. Not all smokers come with grills, so be sure to get one that does. With a bit of ingenuity, you can convert your charcoal or gas grill into a makeshift smoker. But if smoking meat is something you plan on doing regularly, you'd be better off investing in the real thing.
- Kettle Grill
The shape of your grill is almost as important a factor as the type of heat it provides. The spherical kettle shape is likely what you picture when you think of the classic backyard charcoal barbecue. You can build a deeper charcoal bed that stays hotter longer, but their smaller size means they'll hold less food, making them better for small, family cookouts than large backyard barbecue parties.
- Barrel Grill
This is the shape typically associated with gas grills, but you can get a charcoal barrel grill too. They have more room for food and are easier to clean than kettle grills. The drawback is a shallower bed for charcoal. This means the heat will dissipate faster unless you continually add more briquettes. It works great for quicker-cooking foods, but if you want to grill something longer, you'll need to give it much more attention.
If you want a home perfect for hosting backyard barbecue parties, contact us. We'll help you find the perfect home for your needs in a neighborhood that's right for you.