Things have changed a lot in the recent past, and so have grilling habits. Most people are accustomed to grilling at the backyard, but for people with no backyards or no other ample space for grilling, grilling in the Driveway works for them.
It is possible to grill in the Driveway, and outdoor grills are there to serve this purpose. Driveway grilling is very effective, especially for people who live in places where the climate is preliminary hot and where the sunset in the evening makes it uncomfortable to drill on the backside of the house.
Grilling in the Driveway is considered much safer compared to grilling indoors, especially for people with no backyard as a result of small living space. Using a grill, particularly a small one in your garage or indoors can be very dangerous. Grills are considered fire hazards, and also, they release carbon monoxide gas which can be very deadly.
Outdoor Grilling on the Driveway.
There is something primal, something irresistible about cooking food over a fire, in an open place surrounded by the laughter of your friends and family. This is what makes outdoor grilling very popular today. Grilling is meant to be fun and relaxing, which is why you find people firing up their barbecues and grilling everything from zucchini, shrimp, burgers, steaks, and tofu, among others. Regardless of whether you’re grilling on your Driveway, on balconies and lawns, or the beach, outdoor grilling is the best way to end your day.
Grilling in the Driveway while smiling and waving to passers-by and your neighbors across the street can be fun, especially in the evenings after a long day. The essentiality behind driveway grilling is to get your grill from the backyard to the front yard where you can socialize and grill together with your neighbors.
Preparing your Driveway for Grilling
Barbecuing is a great tradition and a great way for families to bond and spend time together. Grilling on the front yard is even more interesting because it allows you to connect with your neighbors who don’t necessarily come to your backyard.
Outdoor Grills
When preparing your Driveway for grilling, it is important to have the right grill to serve the purpose. Outdoor grills are the most suitable for grilling in your Driveway, and when getting one for yourself, the key things that come into play are charcoal and gas, but there are also electric and wood pellet grills.
When getting an outdoor grill for your Driveway, it is important to consider several factors. These factors are inclusive of, but not limited to; the amount of storage space you have, your preferred flavor, the amount of time and attention you’re likely to need when cooking, among others.
Charcoal Grills
These grills need lump charcoal or briquettes to ignite. If you are a grilling purist who is willing to work for the end product, charcoal barbecues are among the sweetest there are. This is because charcoal often gets hot, and in turn, it imparts a more barbeque-y flavor when compared to gas or any other mode of grilling. Charcoal grills are, however, more hands-on, and they take a lot of time to heat up and cool down.
Gas Grills
These are the most common types of outdoor grilling. Gas grills are popular because, in addition to offering total control over cooking temp, they ignite and cool very quickly and they are also very easy to clean. This grill is perfect for no-fuss grillers who just want to frequently enjoy some good barbeque without putting too much into it. These grills, however, require you to have a propane tank or a natural gas line in your property for its maximum efficiency.
Pellet Grills
These are a fast-growing category of grills that use hardwood pellets that are made from wood scraps for ignition. Pellet grills provide delicious barbecues from the authentic hardwood flavor, but they are hard to come across, and they are also a bit costly.
Electric Grills
These grills are the best when it comes to grill convenience and ease of use. Electric grills are perfect for outdoor use in your Driveway, and they can also be safely used inside the house or at apartments that don’t permit grilling. The disadvantage of using electric grills is in the taste of the barbeque you prepare, electrically grilled barbeque is not as sweet as that from a real BBQ.
Safety when Grilling in your Driveway.
There is nothing more frustrating during a traditional old-fashioned family barbecue like a fire or someone getting hurt. The whole point of grilling in your Driveway is to have fun with your friends and family, not to take care of after burns and other small accidents that could occur. Handling a grill seems obvious, but if not done carefully, a grill in your Driveway could bring more harm than good to you, and it may seem like something you don’t have to put the effort in, but some grill isn’t as obvious.
Do’s when grilling in your Driveway.
Ensure that your grill is at a stable level to prevent it from toppling over when cooking. After cooking, ensure that you clean it up to get rid of the fat build-up that could otherwise build up that could lead to a fire.
If you are using a charcoal grill, keep the lighter fluids capped and away to prevent any accidents from happening. Only charcoal starter fluid and not charcoal fluids or any other flammable fluids can be added to the fire.
If using a gas grill, turn off the propane gas before turning off the grill’s knob after cooking to prevent small—gas accidents from happening. Always ensure you a fire extinguisher on-site, this is to ensure that any accident threats are handled quickly to prevent more damage.
Don’t when grilling in your Driveway.
When using your grill in your Driveway, keep at least a 3-foot safety zone around the grill to keep any children and pets that around safe. It is also not wise to leave your grill unattended while cooking so ensure you keep an eye on it for safety reasons.
When grilling, wear clothes that are loose-fitting and ensure that no strings are hanging over the grill. When cooking, press down your meat with a spatula. This is because, despite the grill sear marks being cool and all, they may cause flare-ups that are not safe in your Driveway.
Grilling too much food at once can be tempting, but don’t try that in Your Driveway! When too much fat from the food drips on the grill flames, a flareup might be caused, which is not safe for your Driveway. The best way to cook your food in the Driveway is in batches to prevent the grill from overloading, especially if you are cooking fatty meats.
You don’t want to have a fire blaze up in your Driveway. So, don’t make the mistake of starting your grill with the lid still closed as it may cause a gas build-up. Keep the lid of the gas grill open during lighting and incase the flame goes out, turn off both the grill and the gas and wait at least five minutes before re-lighting the grill. For charcoal grills, don’t douse lit coals with extra lighter fluids as it may also cause a flareup.
Why Grill in the Driveway?
There are many advantages to grilling in your Driveway as compared to grilling in the backyard of the house. Among some of them are the fact that most pantries are just inside the first door, so you don’t have to negotiate between several rooms such as the kitchen, the breakfast table, and maybe a dog or two. This ease of access makes grilling in your Driveway more preferable to people these days.
If you’re using a pellet grill for cooking in outdoor driveway grilling, you can use your fly rods from the garage to practice your casting on the street for an upcoming fishing trip. This can be done still with your grill in view so you can monitor how your meat cooks, something you couldn’t do when grilling in your backyard.
After you’re done cooking, ensure that all the burners and the fuel supply for gas grills are turned off. If you are using a charcoal grill instead, make sure that the coal cools completely before disposing of it in a metal container. Always have a grease baking soda at hand for grease fires and a fire extinguisher for other small fires.
Ideal Driveway Grill
The idea of grilling in the Driveway is slowly taking root in many neighborhoods. All you need is a BBQ grill, a garage, and a few seats and you will have yourself a superclub in no time! Driveway grilling has contributed to the need for outdoor grills to make your experience as fun and relaxing as it is meant to be. The following are some of the best outdoor grills in the market today;
Cuisinart CGG-7400 Propane, Full Size Four-Burner Gas Grill
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This grill is a quality one for its price and specs. The 4-burner gas grill is made of stainless steel that delivers perfect grill marks, and it is inclusive of a side burner and enough space for 28 burgers. The side burner is designed for heating beans or sauce, and this grill is perfect for use in your Driveway because it does not produce smoke and there are no flareups when cooking.
Char-broil commercial Tru-infrared gas grill
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The Cha-broil grill is perfect for outdoor grilling, and especially driveway grilling as it does not flareup. This grill is easy to ignite and cool, and it also sears chicken and steak without burning them. Barbeque made with this grill is usually very delicious and juicy because the food juices are trapped below the cooking grates using the Char- Broil’s Tru-infrared technology. The juices are then steamed and infused with the food for more flavor upon the juices hitting the plate.
In addition to the cooking performance of this grill, it also has a simple two-knob design that makes it very easy to use and respond to certain adjustments. This grill is also very easy to move around, which is advantageous, especially if you want to use it in your Driveway or to rotate away from the wind.
Traeger Ranger Tabletop Grill
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This grill is known for its vast assortment of large pellet grills. It is designed to smoke a lot of meat and make a delicious barbecue at the same time and very precise temperature. The Traeger grill allows you to barbeque, roast, smoke, or even braise in five-degree increments and still make the wood fire flavor that makes pellet grills popular. Compared to charcoal grills, this grill heats up fast, and its usage is also very easy.
The Traeger grill is perfect for urbanites with ample driveway space and those who don’t intend to make a great investment. Also, this grill has a thermometer probe feature as well as a “keep warm” function that keeps yòu warm as you cook. It also incorporates a griddle to make eggs for breakfast, which makes it just perfect!
Weber Generation II Gas Grill E-310
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This grill has shown exceptional performance among all outdoor grills in the market. It was rated the best outdoor grill overall with a very dependable grilling ability. This grill has some handy extras such as; the stainless steel cooking grates, a greased pan that is easy to empty, lighted control knobs for grilling when the sun has set and a gauge for how much gas is left.
The Weber grill is an upgraded version that comes with a sear station and a 12,000 BTU side burner. The purpose of these is to make pronounced grill marks on the barbeque and also to impart a smoky flavor.
Weber Original kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
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This grill is very iconic in the grilling industry and also quite popular among customers. The Weber kettle is rated the best charcoal grill, given that it is powered by charcoal. The grill features an ashtray below the grill that is easily refilled to ensure smooth and continuous cooking. In addition to being an excellent performer, this grill has a sturdy structure with very solid accessories such as a lid that can be removed during the off-season or rolled around for convenience when cooking.
