A great many of us live in mild climates that are great for outdoor grilling year round, and some of us contend with things like freezing rain and snow. The question is, should the weather stop us from cooking outside? In case you are not sure where I’m headed with this, the answer is a big no.
Before I touch on how to go about preparing for winter grilling, let’s identify a few select reasons why you should be cooking outside in the first place.
- Cooking outdoors makes for less cleanup and general kitchen disarray in the first place.
- Whether you use, wood, charcoal or gas, grilled food just tastes better.
- Fresh air is good for you, and you should get as much as you can.
With these points in mind, here are some tips that will make your winter grilling both easier and more successful regardless of where you are.
- Be prepared, after heavy summer use, your grill probably needs a good scrubbing. Give it bit of a clean and be sure to empty the grease trap.
- Make sure you have fuel back ups, a stack of wood, a few bags of charcoal or a spare propane tank. I speak from experience when I say the gas station clerks hate filling up those tanks when it’s cold outside.
- Keep your grill out of the elements. The easiest way to do this is by using a grill cover, they are readily available and will add years of life to your equipment.
- The colder it is out, the longer it takes the grill to preheat. Also, don’t open the lid too often, this will only slow down the cooking process.
- Keep the grill close to the house (but not dangerously close) to save you travel time back and forth.
- Keep a flashlight handy, headlamps work the best if you prefer to cook with both hands.
- After removing your food from the grill, place it on warm plates so it doesn’t get cold when you head back inside.
So, there you have it, there is no reason to stash the grill for the winter months and with a little preparation, you can be set for success.
Happy, chilly grilling!