Outdoor Kitchen Design

[sarredon]

Hello everyone,

It’s been awhile since I’ve last posted, but I’ve got a situation I could use the BBQ experts opinions on.

We just moved and our kitchen is a bit smaller than the last one. Now this means my wife is completely on board for an outdoor kitchen. Woohoo!! Happy dance!! Now this fun part is deciding what to buy for the grills and appliances. The budget is healthy but not unlimited.

I already own and love my LSG 20x42 offset, so that will be included in the design. I would like to have a gas grill as well. We have pretty busy schedules and young kids. So the this works well for us when time is tight and we want a quick burger, hot dog, or kabob. I was considering a flat op but honestly the upkeep on the metal plate worries me.

The final piece of the puzzle is deciding between a a kamado type grill (Weber summit kamado or kamado joe for example) or a pizza oven. We make a lot of pizza at home and so this would get pretty regular use. The Gozney dome seems like a really cool piece of equipment and quite versatile. However, I have an old Weber kettle that I’ve loved. So nostalgia keeps me wondering if the Weber kamado might be a better option. Especially given how versatile they are.

At the moment I am leaning towards the pizza oven. As it does both wood and gas fuel. My wife doesn’t like charcoal grilling as much as I do. And she would prefer gas fired pizza. But I could potentially still use wood.

I have also noticed that some hybrid gas/charcoal grills exist. Or perhaps I could get the charcoal insert for my LSG offset and that could scratch my charcoal itch.

We plan on adding a sink, some wood storage, and a refrigerator to round things out.

So to summarize, any gas or gas/charcoal hybrid grill recommendations? And pizza oven vs kamado? Anything else we absolutely should/shouldn’t do?

If you’ve made it this far thanks for reading. And thanks for any comments suggestions you may have!

I’ll be sure to update the progress of things once the outdoor construction actually begins! (Probably later this winter due to supply issues I’m told).

[Jfrosty27]

Oh boy. Have you opened the door! Fasten your seatbelt for the flood of recommendation to follow. Good luck and keep us posted on the details.

[Allon]

I don't have enough knowledge to comment. But, I thought I would in case I ever need help with an outdoor kitchen.

And of course to provide some encouragement.

[Jfrosty27]

Oh and for a flattop griddle, consider the Pit Boss Ultimate series. It has a ceramic non stick cook top. No seasoning required, no maintenance. And the unit can be separated from the cart for built in applications.

[Jfrosty27]

sarredon No it doesn't replace a gas grill. I have both and use both weekly. I love the griddle. It can do so many things.

[Panhead John]

sarredon The Pit Boss Ultimate Griddle is fantastic! I just got one also and love it. They make a 2 thru 5 burner model and all but the 5 burner models can be removed from the cart for mobility. There’s a few more of us in The Pit who also recently got one. The ceramic cooktop model just came out not too long ago.

[Panhead John]

https://pitboss-grills.com/grills/griddles?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=griddles&gclid=CjwKCAjw6fyXBhBgEiwAhhiZssl0n0dq34HKd90Rqn5Gl3-pMRq9efrSbOfBlB95rWpSupzS1QJO-hoCprIQAvD_BwE

[Old Glory]

I'd get the Kamado over a pizza oven much more versatile and they make great pizza.

Alfresco gas grills have a charcoal insert.

I just completed an outdoor kitchen. Went with Alfresco Power Burner (65,000 BTU burner); Alfresco 36 Gasser; Alfresco Sear Station; XL BGE; a sink; and an Asado Grill.

Give yourself plenty of workspace between appliances.

Here is the link to my kitchen thread: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...utdoor-kitchen

[Attjack]

You should post pics of your amazing kitchen.

[sarredon]

That is an amazing kitchen! I love the layout. I am having so much trouble deciding what to include. We don’t have as much space for the kitchen as you so probably can’t have as many fun toys.

[DaveD]

No advice to offer, just encouragement! Have fun and good luck.

[sarredon]

Thanks!

[RiverJeff]

What Old Glory said!
Be sure to check his pics you will be Amazed!

[jfmorris]

I've got 5 outdoor cookers - offset, gas grill, Weber kettle (Performer), SNS Deluxe Kamado and a Camp Chef FTG900 flat top. My two most used cookers over the past 2 years have been the flat top and the kamado, by far. I have plans to extend some concrete in my outdoor entertaining area (pavilion) and eventually do an L shaped outdoor kitchen myself, and build in the kamado and the Camp Chef flat top. I am not getting rid of the other 3 cookers, but they already live in a different part of the yard, where I have some concrete at the end of the house, out of sight from the pool area.

I would love a pizza oven too, but think if you get one of those, get one of the Ooni's that can be stored easily when not in use, and not a big built in thing. You can make EXCELLENT pizza on a kamado, if you are patient and able to wait about 45 minutes for it to reach 700F. Or plop a gas powered Ooni down on the countertop in your outdoor kitchen, and store it underneath when not in use.

Nothing wrong with the Weber Summit, and it has a lot going for it, but if you want to build it in, it is less than ideal. By design, most ceramic kamados can be set into a recess in your counter top as they have flat bottoms.

As far as flat tops living outdoors - you can buy stainless flat tops from places like BBQguys.com that are designed to be built in, and then you don't have to worry about maintaining the seasoning on a cold rolled steel top so much. That Pit Boss ceramic coated griddle also doesn't need seasoning, so rust would not be a concern, but I am not sure it can be built in. My Camp Chef basically I plan to take the cart legs off, remove the side tables, and put it into a lowered area with the counter running around that area just below the top. And I will buy a stainless steel hard top to cover it when not in use. In all cases, you need to use heat proof materials for surround and countertop - I plan to just do ceramic tile and concrete backer board underneath for the top of the outdoor kitchen counters.

On your question of a griddle replacing a gas grill... my answer is that it in fact can and does for 90% of your cooking. About the only thing I would not try to cook on a griddle would be bone in chicken, a turkey, i.e. stuff that is not flat and conducive to cooking on a flat heat-conductive griddle surface. The griddle is great for burgers, steak, chops, boneless chicken, tacos, stir fries, veggies, breakfast food, and so much more. About the only time I fire up my kamado, regular gas grill, kettle or offset is if I want to smoke something low and slow, do pizza, or cook bone-in chicken.

Of all my cookers, the one I feel my wife or daughters would be most likely to use, it would be the gas powered flat top griddle. In fact, my son in law recently got a small Cuisinart round griddle, and my daughter commented that this was the first outdoor cooker she felt she could comfortably use. My wife has never touched one of my gas grills in 32 years of marriage, but she has in fact cooked on the flat top a couple of times.

[rlozinak]

Good luck with your build!

[Attjack]

I'm happy with my setup which includes a Primo XL kamado, a 4-burner Blaze gas grill, and an EVO flat top. I'm still tweaking things but I think the cookers are exactly what I want. I also have a pizza oven but not in the outdoor kitchen because it's just not used as much as the other grills so I don't want it taking space under the roof. I think a gas-fired pizza oven is the best choice because there's no difference in flavor since pizza cooks so fast there's no time for wood smoke flavor to be imparted to the pizza and it is far more convenient.

















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[Old Glory]

So that's where the magic happens. Looks great!

[Alan Brice]

Man! Nice build, cannot wait to put together an out door setup! Pro gonna be cpl years.

[Attjack]

Alan Brice Thanks, it's definitely been a DIY slow build that has allowed me to figure out what I really want and I'm still not done yet but I'm close!

[Attjack]

We installed a drywell for the sink this year.