Direct vs. Indirect Grilling

The weather is cooperating, the grill is clean, the food is prepped and you’re ready to get your grill on! Before you throw a “shrimp on the barbie”you might want to ask yourself if you are grilling your food properly. Not all foods are best grilled the same way; you’ve got direct and indirect grilling.

When you grill with direct heat you place the food directly over the heat source. In order to achieve even heat distribution, you should turn the food halfway through the grilling time. You want to keep the lid of your grill down during cook time only lifting to turn food or to check the doneness and prevent overcooking. Direct heat grilling is ideal when cooking food like: hot dogs, steaks, chicken breasts, vegetables, fish and pork chops.

As the name suggests, indirect heat is when food is grilled with the heat source not directly from underneath the food. Heat is able to circulate within the grill once the lid is closed, almost like a convection oven, allowing you to slow cook and roast your food. Foods such as beef roasts, ribs, whole chickens and turkeys are great choices for grilling with indirect heat.

Visit our Inspiration Galleries to get some ideas on how you can dream up your outdoor living space. Pair a hot new gas grill with a cool beverage center from BrandSource to create the perfect centerpiece for outdoor gatherings. Let the experts at your local BrandSource store assist you with personalized service and professional customer care.

Back to Top

Five Hot Buying Tips For Outdoor Patio Heaters

You love your outdoor kitchen so much that you want to spend more time outside but the night’s are getting a bit chilly and you don’t want to eat dinner wearing your parka. Solution – pick up an outdoor patio heater or two! Here are a few things to consider when shopping for an outdoor patio heater:

1. What type of outdoor heating do you need? You can choose from free-standing or built-in.
2. Where would you like the heater to be located? Consider the conditions of your environment. For example, wind is not ideal for a free-standing heater – a small breeze can greatly reduce efficiency of the heater making it work up to two times as hard.
3. How much heat will you need? Heat outputs can range from ten to twenty feet in diameter.
4. Does it go with the “look”of your outdoor kitchen? Most outdoor heaters are stainless steel or metal finished. Try to find a heater that blends in with your kitchen and its surroundings.
5. Find a heater that fits your budget.

Shop the Outdoor Extras section when you click on the Appliances tab to see what’s hot in patio heaters.

Back to Top

Grill Accessories to Heat up Your Outdoor Kitchen

Using your outdoor grill is a fresh alternative to cooking in your kitchen. There are many accessories on the market to make your grilling experience enjoyable and your food delicious!

Cook more efficiently with the ability to grill different items at the same time with an rotisserie kit. And, the rotisserie kit provides excellent slow cooking capabilities with meats coming out juicier and self-basted. Have the best of both worlds with the convenience of gas but the added flavor of a charcoal or a wood-burning grill with a smoker box accessory. Place the smoker box anywhere on the grill allowing the aromatic wood chips to achieve maximum results.

For additional space in your outdoor kitchen consider grill carts and access drawers. From side burners to prep space and storage to utility sinks accessories complete your outdoor kitchen. Keep grilled foods warm until dinner is ready with an outdoor warming drawer. These units are available for built-in grills or on cart applications as an “add on”attachment to a free-standing grill.

To protect and care for your grill year round, a grill cover is a must! Grill covers are made from durable vinyl materials for protection from the elements Covers come in all sizes and can accommodate built-in and freestanding grills.

Put the finishing touches on your outdoor kitchen with a few grill accessories. BrandSource.com is your for appliances, electronics and the home. Visit your local BrandSource store to learn more and to receive personalized service and expert advice.

Back to Top

Keeping your Grill Happy.

Happy Grill. Happy Chef. Delicious Food. Grill maintenance is vital for a happy chef and delicious food. With summer over you might barbeque a bit less in the winter months, so now’s an excellent time to give your grill the once over. Some things to keep in mind for your grill:

• Frequently check the flame holes in your grill. Make sure they’re not clogged.
• If you see rust on your grill racks, replace them. Cleaning alone will not do it.
• Inspect your gas tank often: look for dents, rust and general wear. If you find anything, have the tank inspected before use.
• Check the hoses that connect the tank to the grill.

With proper care, your grill can provide gourmet meals all year. A little grill love now goes a long way later. After browsing through our online selection for outdoor appliances and outdoor kitchen designs, call or visit your local BrandSource store for more details on delivery, installation, financing and extended warranty coverage.

Back to Top

Outdoor Grilling Tips

Cooking meals in your outdoor kitchen space is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends. Just because you consider yourself well-versed in all things grilling doesn’t mean that you couldn’t use a little “refresher”on the basics, right? Don’t worry, we won’t tell…

1. A grill should always be pre-heated a minimum of 10-15 minutes before food is placed on it. Follow the recommendations for preheating provided in the grill’s owner’s manual.
2. Rub the grilling surface with vegetable/canola oil or spray with non stick cooking spray before grilling to prevent food from sticking.
3. Use a thermometer to determine if food is properly cooked and/or if it is about to be overdone.
4. Use proper utensils like forks to lift fully cooked foods from the grill and tongs or turners to turn them (forks can puncture the food allowing juices to escape).
5. Keep the lid closed with the exception of turning the food and checking the cooking status. Each time you lift the lid you lose heat and add minutes to cooking time.
6. After grilling large cuts of meat, cover with foil and allow to “rest”for approximately 10 minutes before cutting.

Design your outdoor kitchen with grilling essentials and refrigeration products from BrandSource that will have you going from simply summertime barbecues to grilling year round. BrandSource stores offer all the major brands and we’re your source for low prices, large selection and personalized service.

Back to Top

Outdoor Ice Makers Are Cool

You’ve got your new grill and the outdoor refrigerator is stocked, what else do you need? It’s a summertime must, especially if you entertain. I’m talking about an outdoor ice maker. No more running down to the corner store buying heavy bags of ice and then schlepping them home!

Outdoor ice makers are convenient for large gatherings when you’re serving up some beverages – on the rocks or blended – or if you need to keep food cold or kept on ice. With a built-in drain pump and the ability to produce up to 50 pounds of ice in a 24-hour period, these icemakers ensure that you have a steady ice supply when entertaining your friends and family. And, most have weather-resistant stainless steel exteriors with a corrosion-resistant interior making it a cool and practical addition to your outdoor kitchen.

Browse through our selection of outdoor ice makers or visit your local BrandSource store for more details on delivery.

Back to Top

Top 5 Grilling Safety Tips

Using your outdoor grill can be a fun, simple, healthy alternative to cooking in your kitchen. According to the Propane Education & Research Council, four out of five U.S. families now own a grill, and most people barbecue at least once a week during the summer – that doesn’t take into account those of us who grill year round.

Although using an outdoor grill is not complicated, proper operation of the unit including preparation, should not be taken lightly. Safety First! Here are the Top 5 safety tips to consider the next time you grill:

• Location, location, location – position your grill at least 10 feet away from the house, walls of buildings or any branches or shrubbery.
• It’s never o.k. to bring a grill indoors – not even into a garage or large tent. This poses a fire hazard as well as carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Keep kids and pets away from grilling area until grill has completely cooled.
• Check gas connection between propane tank and fuel line to make sure there are no leaks (grill instruction manual should tell you how to check).

Visit our Inspiration Gallery for a peek inside some innovative outdoor living designs. Make your outdoor kitchen from BrandSource a combination of form and function – get the perfect centerpiece for backyard gatherings and summer barbecues and grill foods that make a statement. The experts at BrandSource can answer all your questions and deliver personalized service.

Back to Top