Building an outdoor kitchen is one of the best ways to encourage the whole family to get outside and appreciate the great outdoors, and this home improvement project also comes with the benefit of creating an excellent space for throwing barbecues and parties. Most homeowners work with designers to figure out the layout and hire contractors for things like adding lighting and plumbing in sinks, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t play an active role in making important design decisions.
While it’s obvious that every outdoor kitchen needs a standard grill, choosing the rest of the fixtures and features can be more of a challenge. This article will focus on just one important element: flat-top grills. Read on to learn about eight of the many benefits of adding one to an outdoor kitchen design.
Table of Contents
1. Increased Versatility
Anyone interested in a flat top grill should start by noting their increased versatility. With the right accessories, this type of appliance is capable of facilitating just about any cooking style, which sets it apart from traditional backyard grills.
2. Even Heat
Gas griddles provide a much more even heat than traditional grills. They are also designed to accommodate foods that must be cooked using very high temperatures. For serious outdoor cooks, a gas flat top grill will make it possible to get every dish just right.
3. Less Smoke
Ordinary grills allow grease to drip onto their coals or burners, which can create smoky flare-ups. Flat top grills, on the other hand, are designed to channel the drippings from meat and other greasy foods into built-in pans to reduce smokiness.
4. Cook Multiple Dishes at Once
Flat top grills make it much easier to cook multiple foods at the same time. Choosing a large gas griddle capable of accommodating plenty of different items is a great way to make sure that all the different parts of a meal come together at the right time.
5. Healthier Grilling
It takes very little oil to cook on a griddle. As a result, the natural fats from food can render and run off into the appliance’s grease traps, making for healthier meals.
6. Create a Social Experience
Want to create a truly social outdoor event? Gathering guests around a well-placed flat top grill for a teppanyaki-style cooking experience is a fantastic way to get everyone involved.
7. No Lost Food
It’s not uncommon for food cooked on a standard grill to fall through the slats and into the coals or flames. As a result. outdoor chefs need to limit themselves to large, inflexible foods. With a gas griddle, people can cook everything from traditional barbecue fare to things like pancakes and eggs without worrying about losing food.
8. Easy Cleaning
Gas flat-top grills are remarkably easy to clean, which is good news for party hosts. No one wants to add extra work to party clean-up, and with a griddle, there’s no need to dispose of coals or scrape the grease off of every surface.
Talk to a Designer
Ready to start designing the ultimate outdoor kitchen, complete with a flat top grill? It’s time to start reaching out to dedicated designers and outdoor kitchen installers for help. Write down some ideas, consider layouts, and make some calls to find a local professional well in advance so that the entire outdoor kitchen installation process goes smoothly.
