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Summer Recipes for Your Outdoor Kitchen

You’re in the thick of summer and while the days are hot, the evenings can be great with the right people, the right space, and the right food! This summer, make sure you make the most of your space and kitchen by cooking the best for your family and guests. Whether your choice for outdoor cuisine is a stovetop or a grill, we can help you find your favorites.

Seasonal Cooking

Something that many chefs through the years have begun doing is shopping and cooking for the season. Not only are the groceries and ingredients cheaper when they are in season, but they are usually fresher, tastier, and more natural. During the summer, you can find many fruits and vegetables in season. Many of the in seasons vegetables and fruits are on sale at farmers markets across the country, fresh-picked, and ready to use in your summer dishes.

The vegetables that are in season this summer is radishes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, corn, garlic, rhubarb, arugula, bell peppers, and zucchini. The fruits that are in season this summer are lemon, passion fruit, peaches, nectarines, cherries, apricots, plums, blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes, melons, and limes.

Recipes to Try

You can utilize some of the best summer ingredients in your outdoor kitchen this summer. This grilled corn fritter recipe can help you work through your corn this summer (because at summer prices, there’s just too much corn!). These corn fritters fry great in a cast iron, or they can bake inside tin foil on the grill. If some of your guests still prefer corn on the cob, wrap them with your favorite herbs, a slice of bacon, or just a pat of butter with pepper and salt, and grill for a few minutes while wrapped tightly in tin foil. If you wrap your corn in bacon, make sure you cook it long enough to thoroughly cook the bacon.

Step outside the box by offering your guests something new and exotic this summer. A great entre that works well with grill strip zucchini is Korean chicken breasts on the grill. For a total prep time of just 1 hour and 20 minutes, you won’t keep your guests waiting. This mouth-watering dish offers a surprising alternative to the usual chicken legs and burgers for outside parties.

Desserts to Try

No meal is quite complete without dessert, and there is no better time to use berries than in the summer! Are you really a “grill master” if you’ve never made a pie on your grill? This grilled berry pie works best with fresh berries and peaches. You can make your own crust or use a store-bought one. With a little magic from your backyard grill, you can offer your guests and family a sweet treat that’s also beautiful when grilled just right!

This summer while you’re enjoying your outdoor space and outdoor kitchen, don’t settle for the same old barbecue menu as everyone else on your block. You can use your gas or charcoal grill, pizza oven, Big Green Egg, or stovetop to work magic this summer. Not sure you have everything you need to make your outdoor space everything it could be? We can help. Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms at 704-960-4530 or contact us online today.

Spring Recipe Ideas for the Grill

A spring barbecue is not only a barbecue but a celebration of warmth after a long winter. Many Americans take to the backyard grill to gather with friends and family to celebrate spring holidays, spring break, and just to enjoy the weather. While you’re celebrating the season, why not do it with great recipes that highlight the season?

Using Seasonal Veggies and Fruits

Fennel and Onions

This recipe from Food and Wine uses fennel in the marinade, in the vinaigrette, and on the side for a boost of vitamin C and A, while also adding a light, spring taste to the dish. Fennel is a lighter flavor, less harsh than an onion, and more subtle. During this time of year, you should be able to find fennel in your local grocery store.

Asparagus

You can find Asparagus throughout the year, but the very best asparagus is what you’ll find in the stores this spring. When you plan your barbecue this spring, pick up some asparagus and mozzarella. Wrap the asparagus in foil with butter, lemon juice, and pepper, and place on the grill. It only takes a few minutes to soften the stalks, then you can carefully grill them to add a smoky taste. Before plating and topping with a slice of mozzarella and a tasty vinaigrette of your choice.

Apricots

Grilled apricots are a tasty treat indeed, and perfect for spring. In this recipe from Delish you can use fresh, seasonal apricots to create a dessert for your guests at your next barbecue. Toss halved and pitted apricots with olive oil, salt, and pepper before grilling on a grilling surface or cast iron pan (cut-side down). After fruit begins to soften (about 1 minute), flip and grill the skin side for another 30 seconds. Remove from grill and serve with 1 cup of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Artichokes

Start by removing the thorny tips to the leaves, then cut an inch from the top of the artichoke and the stem to about an inch. Rub the exposed area with lemon. Peel the skin of the stem with a peeler, and rub with lemon, then rinse the whole thing before cutting in half. Remove the inedible portion (the furry choke) and rinse. Rub the lemon over any exposed area. Using a steaming basket, steam the artichoke halves or quarters until soft, then move to the grill for a smoky flavor. Serve your grilled artichokes with hollandaise sauce for best flavor.

Get Ready For Spring

Your spring barbecue can be the talk of the town. Don’t serve your guests the same old chicken legs and hot dogs. Use fruits and vegetables that are best and in season this spring. Get out and visit local vendors and find the best, freshest ingredients. Need to update your outdoor space to accommodate your spring barbecue? Check out our outdoor products at IBD Outdoor Rooms.

Call and get started today at 704-960-4530.