Bored of your barbecue? Different ways to cook alfresco

Cooking in the garden has never been more fun! From the latest multi-tasking kitchen hubs and hot grills to state-of-the-art teppanyaki

cooking outdoor ideas

by Jill Morgan |
Updated on

Cooking in the garden has never been more fun! From the latest multi-tasking kitchen hubs and hot grills to state-of-the-art teppanyaki and ovens, there’s tempting new kitchen kit whatever the size of your plot or budget.

A far cry from the usual barbecue suspects, these delectable options enable you to cook outside in a whole new way. You could get creative home-smoking ingredients while searing fresh veg or warming a dipping sauce, or how about cooking delicious nibbles on a tabletop grill or succulent skewers in a tandoor oven? Whether you’re cooking for two or a garden-full of friends, it’s time to switch up your suppers.

Alfresco cooking ideas

Stunning tabletop grill

This contemporary mini grill is perfect for intimate suppers and grilling snacks and starters. The ideal centrepiece to gather round, everyone can cook their own food to perfection. Formed from black coated steel and sat on a heat-resistant base board, it’s fuelled with sustainable coconut briquettes, and air vents control the burn. Dia46.5cm x 12cm

2.

Complete Outdoor Kitchen

Cooking with wood
Complete Outdoor Kitchen
Price: £1,434

A wow-inducing garden centrepiece, this complete outdoor kitchen is a chef’s delight and includes a roomy fire bowl, handy warming and pizza oven, prep surface and log store, all formed from tough 3mm steel. The hanging cooking bowl is ideal for warming hearty stews, broths and even mulling wine. Add on the removable swing-arm barbecue rack and you will soon be roasting and grilling too. The steel’s black industrial finish will weather and develop an attractive rusted look over time, but this will not affect performance or the product’s lifespan.

Tandoor nights

If you love authentic Indian and Asian food then take a look at this shapely clay tandoor oven. With a neat notched lid to hold skewers, this centuries-old design produces flavoursome food with a distinct smoky taste. Made with chamotte clay – a finely milled material with superior heat retention – it’s quick to heat up and remains at a steady temperature for hours, using minimal charcoal. It’s speedy too: most foods are cooked on skewers hanging in the oven centre where temperatures can reach 400°C. Flat breads can also be baked in an instant by directly pressing them onto the inside of the oven.

Swish outdoor oven

This upright all-in-one combines a charcoal barbecue, pizza oven and hot/cold smoker. Controlled by adjustable air vents and using 45% less fuel than an open grill, it takes 15-20 mins to reach temperatures of 200°C – ideal for most dishes – and 30 mins to be pizza-ready at 350-400°C. Thanks to the ceramic wool insulation, it holds those temperatures for an impressive 4-6 hours. The weatherproof powder-coated mild steel exterior comes in a dazzling range of 11 swoonworthy colours.

App-controlled grilling

Control your cooking from anywhere, and monitor wood pellet levels, using an app on your phone with this clever beast. A built-in meat probe provides additional peace of mind, and there are 1,600 recipes to help you get perfect results and a Super Smoke Mode to max out the flavour. Mounted on chunky wheels, you can move it and store it easily, which is handy as it has to be plugged into mains power. Large enough to grill nine chickens at once, it’s the stress-free way to feed a crowd.

Next-gen slow cooker

A new addition, this charcoal grill combines all the cooking sophistication of a kamado with the convenience of a kettle-style grill. With a hinged lid and two handy side shelves, the internal chamber is shaped to encourage smoke and heat to repeatedly roll over the food, cooking evenly and imparting a delicious smoky flavour. Ideal for slow-cooking meat and veggies, the fully-sealed grill burns fuel super efficiently.

Near-instant cooking

Thanks to the electric Fast Flame Ignition System, this chic charcoal grill takes just 10 minutes to heat up. Simply plug in, load with coals, press the button and you’re ready to barbie! The porcelain enamel firebox is easily accessed by lifting the hinged chrome grill so it can be wiped clean when empty. Another game-changing feature is the motorised and retractable rotisserie. With adjustable heights and a 15kg capacity, it comes with two Cliplock Forks for succulent joints and set-and-forget electronic controls for stress-free grilling. You can use it on a tabletop or with an optional pedestal.

21st century pizza

Sleek, compact and a true joy to use, this pizza oven uses dual fuels for the best of both worlds. Use the gas burner to quickly hit a high temperature or use the wood burner for a smoky wood-fired taste. Other handy details include a built-in underfloor thermometer and a safe-touch silicone outer skin. Roccbox, dual fuel

High-level grill

Standing at over 1m high on sleek oak legs, this multi-functional grill loves being centre stage. Made from smooth senotherm-painted cast-iron, you can use it as a grill or pizza oven and – with accessories – a smoking chamber, plus with its wide opening it’s the perfect cosy firepit to gather round as night as temperatures fall. Fuelled by charcoal or wood, this latest design has improved air flow for a more efficient burn.

Standout teppanyaki

With a 10mm thick tempered steel hot plate, this square firepit is an impressive patio centrepiece for any sociable chef. The inner bowl is made from stainless steel and is removable for cleaning, while a separate outer bowl acts as a protective heat barrier. The air flow can be easily adjusted to control the intensity of the flames, and the entire island unit is set on sturdy wheels.

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The best Weber BBQ for your grilling needs

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