Memorial Day is widely regarded as the unofficial kickoff to backyard grilling season, yet surprisingly, Mother’s Day is the fifth most popular outdoor cooking day of the year.

But the calendar is becoming increasingly irrelevant as America’s love of all things grilled and smoked is more of a year round phenomenon than ever before, and even in the long lasting wintry weather, many lit a smoker for the first slow cooked outdoor ribs of the season as soon as the snow was clear.

Here are some interesting factoids about the current state of barbecuing from  a recent poll:

• 75% of U.S. adults own a grill or smoker.
• The majority of grill owners (63%) use their grill or smoker year-round and 43% cook at least once a month through winter.
• Nearly a third of current owners plan to grill with greater frequency this year.
• Barbecuing isn’t just an evening activity: 11% of grill owners prepared breakfast in the past year.
• The five most popular days to barbecue, in order are: July Fourth; Labor Day & Memorial Day (tied); Father’s Day; Mother’s Day.
• The top three reasons for cooking outdoors, in order are: to improve flavor; for personal enjoyment; for entertaining family and friends.

Now for the really interesting stuff:

Gas grills are easily the most popular style, the choice of 62% of households that own a grill. The convenience factor is extremely high, and the purported flavor disadvantage of gas versus charcoal is not nearly as great as many pundits make it out to be. That being said, if you could have just one grill to do it all, there is little doubt that the best all-around choice is a pellet grill, closely followed by a kamado (ceramic egg) style grills. Yet the pellet grill remains one of the least well-known backyard cooking devices.

With both pellet and kamado you can truly do it all, including very high quality slow smoked Texas or Southern style barbecue, as well as grilling, roasting and all other forms of live fire cooking, with much better smoking results than you can improvise on a gas grill. Yet only two percent of barbecue households own a pellet grill. However, with growing recognition of the advantages and recent improvements in quality this is changing fast – an impressive 8% of those surveyed are considering buying a pellet grill this year.

One big advantage of charcoal/wood grills is that they are cheap, making it easy to have more than one fuel option, and this is often the case, as nearly two thirds of barbecue owning households have gas and more than half (53%) have charcoal, with many overlapping.

The grilling accessories scene is also changing fast, and the most popular new items owners plan to buy this year include pizza stones, broiling baskets and cooking planks.

Here’s the really important news – drumroll please – nearly half (45%) of U.S. adults surveyed plan to purchase a new grill or smoker in 2016. The timing could not be better, because the new selection of grills is better than ever.

If you are looking for a new grill, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

Forbes

Now that it is grill season again, you have the choice of either gas or charcoal. You may be using a gas grill, but you may be considering a charcoal grill to use on the weekends. It is easy to turn on the gas valve, hit the ignite button and instantaneously have a fire.

But maybe you think something is missing! Maybe it’s getting your hands dirty arranging the charcoal, the time standing around watching the coals get hot or even the smell of the charcoal burning. Whatever it is, there is something nostalgic about grilling with charcoal.

Yeah sure there is more clean up, you have to get rid of the used up coals. And then there is always the possibility that the coals will burn out in the middle of cooking. That wouldn’t happen with a gas grill unless you let the gas tank run out.

But there are also a lot of benefits to grilling with charcoal, which leads us to this article. Let’s look at the pros and cons of grilling and charcoal and figure out how they affect the style of cooking.

We put the question of gas vs. charcoal to a couple of professional chef friends who had opposite positions. Although their preferences were different, they both came up with great reasons why they choose their style.

One chef listened and then said, “Yes, charcoal grills are more work and what type of grill you use will depend on your lifestyle and the amount of time you have available, but in the end you can’t compare gas grilling to charcoal grilling. Forget about it, charcoal wins hands down.”

When we asked why he was so enthusiast toward charcoal he said, “Because with charcoal, you add more flavor and you can make a hotter fire and heat is your friend.”

The other chef we spoke with favored a gas grill for the convenience and felt you could achieve the same great tasting food by various cooking methods, food prep, and the use of woods for a smoky flavor.

Who’s right? There is no right answer and it really just depends on personal preferences. It really depends on your life style and how often you plan to use the grill. Look at the list of benefits for both gas and charcoal to see which fits best into your lifestyle.

Benefits of Gas and Charcoal Grills

Gas

• Push Button Convenience
• No messy charcoal to deal with
• Easy to start
• Control temperature with a dial
• Control temperatures for longer periods of time
• Can still use wood for smoky flavor
• Wind is not a factor

Charcoal

• More heat
• Hotter grill
• Flavor from charcoal
• More intense smells
• More hands on experience

For more information on both new charcoal grills and new gas grills and the various grill specials we are offering, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

reluctantgourmet.com

Yesterday’s patio has become today’s outdoor kitchen or conversation nook.

All of the home design trend-watchers are saying that outdoor living has gotten bigger and better over the past few years.

Traditional portable grills are being traded in for pizza ovens, built in island gas grills and outdoor kitchen appliances. Tiki lamps are being replaced by sconces and lanterns. And there are outdoor mini-fridges that reduce those trips back into the house.

The notion of spending more time living and relaxing outside has become practical due to advances in fabric and furniture design.

More people are thinking about using more of their property as living space. Furniture is getting bigger and more decorative — options for the outdoors used to be limited because you would think first about how long everything would last. Now you have real sofas where there used to be all of that metal.

Just as the comfort foods of an earlier era have made a big comeback, homeowners have begun to savor those long spring and summer evenings outdoors that some of us associate with growing up in the 1950s and 1960s.

Being outdoors can bring back a sense of community. That’s how people meet each other. You don’t do it sitting behind a locked door and waiting for someone to knock.

Outdoor living gives people a chance to experiment with design ideas they might be afraid to try indoors.

It’s a good place to take a risk and have some fun. You can be bohemian, eclectic. I think most people are more willing to try bold patterns outside.

Inside you can get a little bored because it’s such an investment — outside you have more license to play.

Putting a living space together outdoors can be freeing. You can create something that is a lot of fun.

Spending more time living outdoors with outdoor kitchens can give homeowners a new perspective on their interior spaces when they head back inside in the fall.

For more information on creating an outdoor living space, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

CT Post

Outdoor cooking remains more popular and easier than ever. In fact, the majority of Americans claim that some elements  of cooking outdoors are even easier than cooking indoors and that they prefer cooking out over eating out, according to HPBA National Barbecue Month (NBM) Poll results.

Outdoor grilling is a very popular pastime that unites friends and family with great tasting food that’s easy and affordable. Sixty-four percent of adults agree, reporting that a barbecue is a better way to spend quality-time with their friends or relatives. And more than a third of adults associate barbecues with family tradition.

That’s why May is National Barbecue Month - there’s no better way to celebrate than taking it outdoors for a cookout with friends or family!

According to poll results,  Americans see grilling and outdoor cooking as the ticket to an easy, delicious meal and a healthier lifestyle:

• Easy Does it. 81% of Americans report that at least one aspect of grilling outside is easier than cooking indoors. The most convenient parts are cited as cleanup followed by the cooking process itself
• Cooking Out Trumps Eating Out. The majority of adults agree that cooking out is more fun and relaxing than dining out and beneficial for avoiding travel, dress codes and crowds.
• Healthier Choice. Seventy percent of Americans say cooking out gets them in a healthier routine, specifically by encouraging time spent outdoors instead of cooped up in the house. Outdoor cooking also encourages adults to make smarter food choices such as eating fresh rather than frozen foods and cooking healthier food on the grill overall .
• Got-to-have Gadgets. Accessories make already-convenient outdoor cooking even easier. When it comes to the go-to tools, Americans report top usage of:

• tongs (77%),
• spatula or brush (65%),
• rubs and marinades (62%),
• skewers (37%), and
• baskets (20%).

Need a new outdoor grill for National BBQ month? Contact West Sport in Sudbury for everything you need to know about outdoor gas grills, charcoal grills, keg style grills, pellet grill and smokers and outdoor kitchens and all the grilling accessories you need!

hpba.org

If you could have just one outdoor cooking appliance, what would it be?

Backyard grilling has always been a big American pastime, but in recent years this has been joined by an explosion of interest in slow smoked barbecue, the traditional Southern or Texan style of cooking meats slowly at low temperatures with indirect heat and plenty of smoky flavor. This has led to a boom in smoker sales, but for most people that means a second unit, and usually a big one, since many backyard smokers are of the offset variety and require a lot of space.

Most of us use our smokers for a limited number of specific slow cooked BBQ specialties such as ribs, brisket and pork shoulder, but grills do everything from a single steak to hamburgers for a crowd, hot dogs, chicken, pork chops, vegetables, seafood and more. Some smokers, especially vertical ones, can double as wood or charcoal burning kettle-style grills, but this is not typically a solution for the frequent griller, and in summer in the Boston area lots of people cook out several nights each week.

Because grills typically get used more often than smokers, convenience becomes a big factor: while it is well worth lighting a hardwood charcoal fire to cook ribs for six hours, few people want to bother with this to make a couple of hot dogs, or burgers for two. This typically reduces grill selection to a choice between more convenient propane or more flavorful wood fired cooking, two very different types of grills, and some people want both – along with a smoker.

Many Americans live in an urban or suburban world of limited outdoor space, a single patio or even balcony, and if you have to choose just one grill that truly can do it all, the choice is simple: it is almost impossible to argue against a pellet grill. These can slow smoke or grill, do both very well, and easily, with real wood and real fire but without hassle or time constraints, lighting quickly with no mess or chimney starters, and then cooking accurately with minimal supervision.

Pellet grills burn small hardwood pellets about twice the size of a pencil eraser, which you buy in bags. Like wood chunks, they come in different “flavors” like hickory, oak and mesquite. They are not brand specific and are readily available in stores or by mail order. Different brand grills work differently, but at the higher end, better pellet grills generally have a storage hopper for the pellets and an electronic auger which feeds them into a firebox. This typically has an electronic igniter, an element that heats up when you start the grill, and when pellets are dropped onto it, they catch fire. Once it gets going, new pellets are ignited by the old. The whole thing is computer controlled, and you set the temperature with a digital thermostat, just alike a wall oven, then the computer and auger feed pellets as needed to precisely maintain the temperature. That’s pretty much it – whether you are slow smoking at 215° for 12 hours or searing steaks at 500° for two minutes per side, you turn it on, set the temperature, and wait for it to heat up, which is slightly slower than propane and much faster than a wood fired smoker or grill.

PROS:

• Convenience
• Efficiency
• Accuracy
• Versatility

For more information on Pellet Grills, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

Forbes

Make no mistake about it: Outdoor living is trending and bigger than ever.

Outdoor living is huge. It’s like bringing the inside outside. It really seems like everybody wants to live outside now. Instead of taking a vacation, they want to go outside and have a staycation.

From functional outdoor kitchens to elaborate backyard living areas and everything in between, West Sport in Sudbury has the best ideas for your outdoor living space. Outdoor kitchens remain a popular feature.

We’re seeing a lot more outdoor kitchens with built-in gas grills, refrigerators, and bars. Outdoor kitchens can be as simple or as elaborate as the customer’s budget will allow.

You can have the basics — a refrigerator and grill. Or some people go all out, even installing lobster steamers.

Another idea is to buy a shed, deck it out inside, open up the doors, put a patio on the front of it and now you’ve got an outdoor entertainment area. Fire pits are another way to make the outdoors more cozy and appealing.

People are taking advantage of fire features. Now that everyone is migrating outside fire pits extend the season — you can be outside in the spring and the fall.

Whether outdoor living spaces include elegant or rustic elements, one feature home owners insist upon is low maintenance.

Everybody’s working so hard these days, you want to come home, have dinner, and not worry about messing up anything. You’ve got to clean the house and take care of the inside, so the outside should take care of itself.

For more information on outdoor kitchens and outdoor kitchen design elements, contact West Sport in Sudbury. Send in your contractor and get 25% off your entire project!

heraldbulletin.com

Over the years, outdoor landscaping has evolved from a plain concrete pad to more elaborate, multi-functional, multi-dimensional designs like outdoor kitchens and living rooms. These outdoor living spaces are accessible to people with a variety of budgets, and aren’t just limited to high-end homes.

People are increasingly considering the outdoor area to be an extension of their home, using it as an outdoor kitchen as well as an outdoor living area.

What is your priority: do you want to cook, or do you want to entertain? How do you want to use the space?

While things like a built-in gas grills or a smoker used to be reserved for luxury homes, those features are now readily available at different price points.

It used to be only the elite could have these outdoor kitchens, and now they’re accessible for everybody, and people really want to incorporate them into their design. People want to build outdoor spaces they can really use and savor during the months they can be outside.

Homeowners also want to incorporate items like outdoor TVs, seating spaces and a cast iron fire drum to host gatherings for friends.

Outdoor living spaces now have more of a flow, using different materials and creating distinct areas.

You might have an outdoor kitchen, an entertaining level, and then a separate area with a pergola and a swing. You can build in some functional furniture that doubles as benches and storage.

Even lighting for the outdoors has become more high-tech, as LED technology has introduced smaller lighting fixtures in a wide range of styles.

People are asking for maintenance-free lighting systems they can install and then forget about.

People are also making conscious choices about what plants they are incorporating into their landscaping. They are mixing herbs and vegetables into their overall plan and not having a designated vegetable garden. They are also choosing to incorporate plants that are friendly to butterflies and other wildlife.

There are really so many exciting things on the market now, and things that will be coming onto the market in the near future.

Homeowners also might create a large-scale plan for their outdoor space and then create it in phases. The key is for the designer and the homeowner to work on the project today.

If you build a house, you’re involved with the home builder from the very first step. It should be the same when you create your outdoor space. You should be involved and empowered to make a space look beautiful, but it has to be functional for you and your family and how you want to use it.

For more information on designing outdoor kitchens, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

nwitimes.com

The addition of outdoor living spaces and outdoor kitchens is a growing trend. Homeowners are increasingly moving their living areas beyond the four walls of the house and extending them to the outdoors.

People want to spend time at home now. Instead of traveling, they want to come home and relax.

As spring approaches, now is a good time to consider outdoor living projects which can include building an outdoor kitchen to add value to a home and increase your family’s enjoyment.

Professionally designed outdoor living spaces are growing in popularity, even though yards are shrinking in many neighborhoods. That may sound like a contradiction, but it isn’t. A well-designed outdoor space can help preserve privacy for you and your neighbors.

Some homeowners have larges spaces to work in, but others have big ideas to dress up a yard but have a smaller space to work in.

Included in new homes

Many homeowners add outdoor kitches after purchasing their homes, but many new homes come complete with areas for outdoor living.

It’s a second living area, but outside the home. Many are built to feature a deck, and many buyers add covered patios, built-in gas grills, and fire pits.

They weren’t popular in days gone by, but it is now. People are more outdoors oriented, more health conscious, more active.

One homeowner said, “I think of the value it brings my family, having that area for everyone to gather. It makes the backyard a focal point. It’s the kind of backyard people migrate to. It’s not unusual for us to light a fire and 10 people show up.”

For more information on planning and creating an outdoor kitchen, contact West Sport in Sudbury where we’ll give you 25% off your ENTIRE project.

The Tennessean

An outdoor kitchen and outdoor living space adds extra functionality, comfort, and versatility to your home, and you can create one at a much more affordable price than an indoor home improvement or addition.

For smaller houses, outdoor space is an essential extension of your home — but regardless of house size, you should make the most of it.

It takes planning to create an outdoor kitchen that’s both beautiful and affordable. Here are some of his tips to get your project started:

Create a budget

Before you can start making real plans, you need to know how much you can afford to spend. Set a budget, and work off of that.

Focus on function

An outdoor space can do a lot compared to an indoor space. Is it a patio or lawn? Will it be used for entertaining, cooking? You can have a built-in gas grill or a full outdoor kitchen, a roof to keep out of the weather, a fireplace. The possibilities are almost endless.

Set your priorities

When you’re working with a budget, it’s necessary to prioritize. There are things that you want and things that you need. You may not be able to afford everything you want, but you want to have your needs covered.

Pick an aesthetic

Aesthetic is an important part of creating any living space, including one that’s outdoors. Be sure to create a style that is a reflection of you and your family. It gives your home that personal touch, like a fingerprint.

Choose your materials

Natural stone is a lot more expensive than synthetic. The good news, if you’re on a budget, is that they both are durable and look good. Today, the engineered product is as good as natural. You won’t even be able to tell the difference.

Design

The design pulls all of these choices together. Your design will help you visualize the finished space and understand what may or may not be feasible with the size you’re working with.

There are lots of options, from small backyard patios to larger rural spaces.

To learn more about designing your perfect, affordable outdoor living space, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

theintell.com

The Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert made by HearthStone is certified by the EPA for emissions, making this fireplace insert beautiful as well as very clean and efficient. The Clydesdale combines high-end eye appeal and design made from cast iron, with s beautiful large glass door so you can enjoy the fire as it burns.

This wood burning fireplace insert is one of the most attractive inserts on the market, and can fit in with most styles of home décor. Lots of people like their open wood burning fireplaces, but the Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert will change your ideas about that. This wood insert was designed for beauty and performance. It is made to be eye appealing, and with the large glass window, you will enjoy your evening by the fire. But it is made to be efficient and used as a heat source as well. When you get home and you want to get warm and relax, the Clydesdale is beautiful to look at, inside and out.

This wood burning fireplace insert is also efficient. It can heat up to 2000 sq ft and it can burn for up to 10 hours.  It’s EPA Rating is 3.2 grams of particulate emissions per hour  with an efficiency rating of 79%. That makes this fireplace insert very efficient.

If you are looking for different, better and more beautiful way to heat your home that also adds value and is consistent, reliable and affordable, look at the Clydesdale fireplace insert from Hearthstone. At West Sport save $300 off any Hearthstone product. Contact us for more details.