The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Cooking Equipment

Outdoor cooking is a great way to expand your menu and deliver tasty and unique offerings to your customers. Regardless of whether you're looking for your first grill or you're trying to up your restaurant’s grilling game, it’s important to select the best BBQ tools to get the job done. This outdoor grilling guide reviews what types of grills and accessories you can choose from for your commercial kitchen and how to keep your equipment in top shape so that nothing stands in the way of creating a tasty outdoor grilling menu.

Types of Outdoor Grills

There's a huge debate over which types of outdoor grills produce the tastiest food, but the truth is that it all comes down to preference at the end of the day. When considering which grill is right for your establishment, it helps to consider the two most common types: 

Charcoal

Charcoal is the traditional grilling choice for those who love smoky and mesquite flavours imparted into meat and vegetables. There are several popular methods for cooking with charcoal BBQs, which include searing, cooking on indirect heat and adding wood chips to smoke your food. If your chef team enjoys heating at high temperatures, charcoal grilling is also an ideal choice.

For culinary artists who revel in the art of high-temperature cooking, charcoal grilling stands tall as the prime option, enabling them to reach the pinnacle of culinary excellence. The intense heat produced by charcoal embers creates the perfect environment for achieving the coveted sear, imparting a beautiful char and enhancing the flavours of the ingredients. The versatility of charcoal grills allows for precise control over the cooking process, giving chefs the freedom to explore a multitude of techniques and create culinary masterpieces.

Gas

Gas grills are the ideal choice if your culinary team prefers to follow precise cooking directions because they can set the temperature and know that the food is being prepared on an evenly heated surface. Gas grills have fewer hot spots that will overcook or char your food, and they're easier to clean after you're done. Some gas grills even allow you to create variable temperature zones for cooking different types of food at once, so everything's done at the same time.

The allure of gas grills lies in their ability to streamline the cooking process, freeing up valuable time to prepare other culinary delights. These grills boast a range of innovative features, enabling you to simultaneously cook different types of food with precision and finesse. From succulent steaks to tender vegetables, every ingredient can be expertly cooked to its ideal doneness, ensuring a harmonious symphony of flavours on the plate.

Essential BBQ Tools

While there are plenty of devices and gadgets available to make outdoor grilling more convenient, there are some tools that are must-haves. Essential BBQ tools you should pick up include:

• Grilling tongs: These sturdy and versatile utensils allow you to effortlessly flip, turn, and move your food on the grill with precision and control, ensuring even cooking and minimizing the risk of any mishaps.
• Grill brushes: Designed with tough bristles, grill brushes are essential for maintaining a clean cooking surface. They effectively remove charred residue and food particles, ensuring a well-maintained grill for your next grilling dish.
• Grilling spatulas: With their wide, flat surface, grilling spatulas make flipping delicate and larger food items a breeze. Whether it's flipping juicy burgers or delicately handling delicate fish fillets, these spatulas provide the perfect balance of flexibility and sturdiness.
• A meat thermometer: A crucial tool for achieving precise and safe cooking, a meat thermometer ensures that your grilled meats reach their desired internal temperature, guaranteeing both optimal flavour and food safety for your customers.
• Meat skewers: Ideal for creating flavourful kebabs and skewered delights, meat skewers allow you to thread marinated pieces of meat, vegetables, and even fruits, imparting an irresistible smoky flavour and achieving perfect, evenly cooked skewers.
• A grill cover: Serving as a protective shield for your grill, a grill cover safeguards it against harsh weather conditions, dust, and debris, extending its lifespan and ensuring it remains in top-notch condition for its next grilling session.
• Basting brushes: Basting brushes play a crucial role in adding layers of flavour and moisture to your menu’s grilled masterpieces. Whether applying marinades, sauces, or melted butter, these brushes ensure an even distribution, resulting in succulent and mouthwatering dishes.

These utensils make it easier to add flavour to your food while it's cooking and protect it from foodborne illnesses. For example, your commercial kitchen should ensure it follows food safety tips when cooking on a grill, such as storing meat properly, bringing it up to the ideal temperature before serving and storing leftovers safely.

One of the best ways to keep meat tender without undercooking it is to rotate it and flip it on the grill regularly so that it cooks evenly on both sides. A digital meat thermometer ensures you don't need to guess whether your meat is done and know exactly when to take it off the grill.

Advanced Outdoor Cooking Equipment

Sometimes a standard grill isn't enough to produce the quality you're looking for for your commercial kitchen. Advanced outdoor kitchen appliances allow your culinary team to be more creative when cooking outside and amaze your customers with the food you're able to make.

Here are just a few pieces of equipment to consider.

Smokers

This type of grill is the best choice for slow-cooked and smoky barbecued meat. Smokers offer better temperature control than traditional charcoal grills while still allowing you to enjoy the smoked flavour you wouldn't get from a gas setup. Most food cooked on a smoker needs to be cooked low and slow, however, so smoker grills are only ideal for outdoor cooks who have a lot of patience.

Rotisseries

Rotisseries are great for making sure food is cooked evenly and take less effort and cooking knowledge compared to other cooking methods. You can get a rotisserie kit for a charcoal or gas grill or select a grill specifically designed for rotisserie cooking. This method of cooking is best for large roasts, whole chickens or grilled turkeys.

Another benefit to rotisseries is that they allow fat to drip from the meat slowly during cooking. The end result is food that's both tasty and healthy.

Pizza Ovens

Once your customers have had pizza from a wood-burning oven, it's difficult to accept any other standard. The good news is that you can choose from various wood-burning ovens to suit your restaurant’s needs. Not only do pizza ovens allow you to cook pizza and other recipes, but they also add a lot of curb appeal to your business.

Deep Friers

An outdoor frier is great for producing tasty chicken or fried turkey outside. When you're shopping for a frier, you should consider how many customers your restaurant sees and the size of the chickens or turkeys you plan to cook with it. Most restaurant owners are satisfied with a single-tank fryer, but you should get a larger one if you're planning on serving larger groups of people.

Outdoor Griddles

An outdoor griddle provides a flat heating surface, which is ideal for some side dishes or to finish and plate other items you're cooking on the grill. When you're using an outdoor griddle, safety comes first, which is why getting a wind guard and dome cover are essential.

Outdoor Kitchen Components

If you're truly passionate about the art of grilling and adding certain items to your menu, you have the opportunity to transform your outdoor space into a haven dedicated to cooking. When envisioning your restaurant’s ultimate grilling space, consider incorporating various outdoor kitchen components that will elevate your culinary experience:

• An outdoor-rated refrigerator: This essential addition allows you to keep your ingredients fresh and chilled, ensuring that you have everything you need at your fingertips. Store marinated meats and fresh produce with ease, and keep them at the right temperature until they are needed.
• An outdoor sink: Say goodbye to the hassle of running back and forth between your indoor kitchen and grilling area for cleanup. Installing an outdoor sink provides you with a dedicated space for washing utensils, rinsing off fresh produce, and keeping your hands clean during food preparation. This convenient addition saves time and effort, allowing you to focus on what matters most – creating delicious meals.

With these well-thought-out outdoor kitchen components, you can curate a space that seamlessly blends functionality and culinary finesse. Immerse your staff in the joys of grilling, embracing the creativity that comes with having a dedicated outdoor space where you can entertain customers, creating mouthwatering dishes, and forging lasting memories for your guests.

Maintaining Your Equipment

If you take care of your grilling equipment, it will continue to take care of you for many years. The ideal maintenance routine includes cleaning your equipment after each use and then at the beginning and end of the grilling season. For instance, you should scrape your grilling grate with a wire brush before each use and remember to empty your ashes if you're using a grill which produces them.

With a gas or electric grill, it’s best to follow the recommended maintenance guidelines to ensure that all the internal components last and are safe to use. Ensure to clean the grates and empty the grease pan each time you use the grill.

Whenever you notice your grill has become too dirty, you should perform a deeper cleaning. The best materials to use include dish soap, a degreaser and a scouring sponge. Expect to spend about half an hour on a thorough deep cleaning and do this as needed throughout the grilling season. Deep cleaning is the best way to begin the season, too, because you can clean anything that has contaminated the grill's cooking surfaces during the winter.

Get the Right Grilling Gear from Zanduco

Whether you're planning your summer menu or are known to be a seasoned grilling restaurant, Zanduco has everything you need to grill the right way. Shop for your perfect grill here, or browse our range of outdoor cooking accessories. You can also take advantage of our free shipping on select items and orders. Start shopping for the best BBQ tools today! Have questions regarding our products or need advice on how to properly outfit your outdoor grilling area? Contact us.