Dining outdoors: Party time means good food, great seating

An integral part of any party, anywhere in the world, is the food that is served.

So the items you need to cook and serve food to your guests and for them to enjoy it are indispensable to the experience of entertaining in your yard. Whether you are having an intimate barbecue for family or a larger party for friends, if you plan to cook the food yourself and don't wish to heat up your kitchen, there are many outdoor cooking, refrigerating and serving options today.

Charcoal grills have been around for decades, followed by those powered by propane or natural gas. And more recently, infrared, quick-searing grills, like those made by Solaire, have become popular for cooking steaks, in particular.

“Any gas grill will get to 600 degrees and cook a steak, but the infrared can do it in three to five minutes and it will sear in the juices better than a charcoal or standard gas grill,” stated Daniel Mayer, owner of Northwest Metalcraft in Arlington Heights.

But now pellet smokers that use real wood pellets (oak, mesquite, apple, hickory, cherry and others) have become wildly popular for barbecuing beef brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs, whole chickens and other roasts that taste best when slow cooked. They are not, however, made for baking pizzas.

“The difference between grilling and barbecue is that ‘grilling' cooks the meat fast at a high heat and ‘barbecuing' cooks the meat very slowly at a low heat,” explained Mayer.

“The food that comes out of these smokers is unbelievable,” he continued. “I recently cooked a 15-pound beef brisket in one for 14 hours and it had a great flavor. Even if you are not a smoked meat aficionado, you will love how food cooked in these new smokers tastes.”

Mayer said using a smoker is like putting meat in an oven. You just put the meat in, turn it on and set the timer and when the time is up, you have meat that has been smoked to perfection.

“You can also change the flavor, depending on the wood you use. I like to mix applewood and hickory when I am cooking pork, for instance. Using any kind of fruit wood tends to sweeten the flavor of the meat,” Mayer said.

Most smokers, like the Memphis Grill and Smokin' Brothers smokers that Northwest Metalcraft sells, run off electricity and are fueled by the wood pellets. So there is no propane tank to refill, he added.

“If you want to, you can also grill on these smokers,” Mayer said.

Another option is the Kamado Joe smoker which runs off lump charcoal, providing a taste that some people prefer.

“If you have a really large group of people, you probably want to have multiple options when it comes to meat,” he stated. “One of those 15-pound briskets will feed eight to 10 people with leftovers. Then you can cook lots of burgers, steaks, brats or sausages on a 54-inch Solaire infrared grill, for instance. So I would recommend a variety of foods so that you can use all of your tools and provide food for a large group. We even sell ‘manclaws' that let you shred the pulled pork quicker. It is a great tool.”

Outdoor kitchens that tie together grills, smokers, bars and even outdoor refrigerators make entertaining outdoors even easier.

“We can construct made-to-order kitchens made of brick and block, which are becoming increasingly popular, as well as a newer aluminum cabinet kitchen by Gallinger,” he continued. “Those cost between $10,000 and $15,000, depending on what you want included. They can come with refrigerators, drawers, grills, smokers and even warming drawers. The really nice thing about the aluminum kitchens is that you can take them with you if you move. All outdoor kitchens, both aluminum and brick and block, need access to both gas and electric.”

Moving beyond the food preparation area of your outdoor entertaining space, you have to provide your guests with some place to sit and enjoy that delicious fare.

Outdoor furniture today comes in two basic classifications — dining furniture and deep-seating lounging furniture.

Dining-height tables are still popular, but so are bar-height table-and-chair sets and the even newer “balcony-height” sets which are higher than a standard dining table but not as high as a bar set. Their advantage is that they allow diners to see over railings and enjoy the view without climbing into a bar chair, according to Steve Olson, manager of Viking Ski and Patio in Barrington.

Enviro-wood, a recycled plastic material, is often used to make these sets because it is environmentally friendly, does not rot or rust, and needs little maintenance. The traditional Adirondack chairs, which are very popular in a plethora of colors, are also often made from this carefree material which can be left outside year-round, Olson said. It does, however, fare better if a dark color is chosen, he admitted.

When it comes to wood tables, most manufacturers offer teak or ipe options, many of which can be expanded using table leaves similar to those offered for indoor tables. Gloster sells teak dining tables that extend using “self-storing elevator extension leaves” that move up from a hidden storage area beneath the table's surface. Jensen, on the other hand, sells ipe tables that have removable leaves that you store elsewhere, similar to indoor dining tables. Ipe is a dark red South American wood that is very strong and insect-resistant.

Some metal table manufacturers like Meridian are also experimenting with expandable tables, Olson said, but none of the plastic manufacturers are opting to add leaves because the recycled plastic is generally not strong enough to be extended too far without a center support, he explained.

Lodestone tables are also coming in better, richer-looking designs, but they, by their nature, cannot be extended.

Many customers are also opting for fire pit tables which can burn charcoal or propane using glass beads to disperse the flames. Generally made at somewhere between a coffee-table and dining-table height, these structures serve double duty. The fire pit portion in the middle can be almost invisible while you are eating (hidden by a Lazy Susan or a flat cover) and afterward, the cover can be removed and it becomes a tabletop fire pit for warmth, atmosphere and even marshmallow toasting. These tables now come in many different colors, styles, materials and sizes.

Dining chairs have also evolved. Chair cushions have almost become a thing of the past due to the comfort and ease of cleaning the woven vinyl sling chairs, according to Olson.

“Most people prefer to buy the metal or plastic swivel rockers if they can afford them because people like to have movement in a chair. If they can't afford all swivel rockers, they will at least put them at either end of the table,” he said.

Deep-seating chairs, couches and love seats are also popular with people who want to relax outdoors around the fire pit or just with a cocktail or book.

“People are sitting outside and relaxing at home more, so they are opting for these extremely comfortable, casual sets,” Olson said.

“The frames of these pieces are made of aluminum, wicker-covered aluminum or recycled plastic and the luxurious cushions are covered with two layers of Sunbrella fabric which dries very quickly so they can be left outside virtually all the time. The two layers of fabric serve to keep the water away from the interior foam,” he explained.

“If you are having a party — large or small — having people sitting around in deep-seating furniture, eating in their laps or on a low cocktail table, is also an option,” Olson added.

Northwest Metalcraft is located at 413 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. For more information, call (847) 253-1905 or log on to www.nwmetalcraft.com.

Viking is located at 131 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington. Call (847) 381-1188 or visit www.chicagopatiofurniturestore.com for information.