Just as the kitchen has always been the heart of the home, the outdoor kitchen is quickly becoming the heart of the backyard outdoor living space. More and more homeowners are converting patio grilling areas into fully functioning kitchens that become the central gathering place for family and guests. Check out some of the latest trends and recipes that are sure to be a hit!
BAR-STYLE SEATING
Bar-style seating has become very popular in outdoor kitchen design for the same reason it’s popular in indoor kitchen design…it creates a communal atmosphere where family members and guests can all interact during the prep and cooking process. It also provides additional dining space, and with the addition of a television, becomes the perfect spot for outdoor tailgating where you can serve some delicious Hawaiin Huli Huli Grilled chicken wings or any of your favorite tailgating food!
Bar-style seating has become very popular in outdoor kitchen design for the same reason it’s popular in indoor kitchen design…it creates a communal atmosphere where family members and guests can all interact during the prep and cooking process. It also provides additional dining space, and with the addition of a television, becomes the perfect spot for outdoor tailgating where you can serve some delicious Hawaiin Huli Huli Grilled chicken wings or any of your favorite tailgating food!

Hawaiian Huli Huli Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
1.Place chicken wings in a large zipper-lock freezer bag. Set aside.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, light brown sugar, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, and sriracha. Pour half of sauce into bag of chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat. Cover remaining sauce in bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Place bag of chicken in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
3.Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate
4.Remove wings from marinade, allowing excess to drip off; discard marinade. Place wings on cooler side of grill, cover with vents partially open, and cook, occasionally brushing with reserved sauce and turning wings, until wings are well browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Move wings to hot side of grill and cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes per side, brushing often with sauce to build up a nice glaze.
5.Serve chicken wings with thinly sliced scallions and grilled pineapple, if desired.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.4kg) chicken wings
- 1 cup (240ml) unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) homemade chicken stock or low-sodium store-bought broth
- 1-inch piece ginger root (1/4 ounce; 7g), peeled and finely grated
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) sriracha chili sauce
- Thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only), for garnish
- Grilled pineapple wedges, for serving (optional)
1.Place chicken wings in a large zipper-lock freezer bag. Set aside.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, light brown sugar, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, and sriracha. Pour half of sauce into bag of chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat. Cover remaining sauce in bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Place bag of chicken in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
3.Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate
4.Remove wings from marinade, allowing excess to drip off; discard marinade. Place wings on cooler side of grill, cover with vents partially open, and cook, occasionally brushing with reserved sauce and turning wings, until wings are well browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Move wings to hot side of grill and cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes per side, brushing often with sauce to build up a nice glaze.
5.Serve chicken wings with thinly sliced scallions and grilled pineapple, if desired.
MULTIPLE COOKING SURFACES
Today’s outdoor chef isn’t happy with just a standard grill. Modern outdoor kitchen design quite often includes multiple cooking surfaces — including gas burners, gas or charcoal grills, ceramic smokers, and wood-burning or gas ovens.
Today’s outdoor chef isn’t happy with just a standard grill. Modern outdoor kitchen design quite often includes multiple cooking surfaces — including gas burners, gas or charcoal grills, ceramic smokers, and wood-burning or gas ovens.
EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE KITCHEN SINK
A growing trend in outdoor kitchen design is to include all the “creature comforts” of an indoor kitchen. Nearly every indoor kitchen appliance now has an outdoor-rated version — including ice makers, refrigerators, dishwashers, keg coolers and more. With a fully-functioning outdoor kitchen, there’s no need to constantly run indoors for supplies…everything you need is at your fingertips. Add a stereo system, wi-fi access and a TV, and you can truly live in your outdoor living space. Entertain the masses and wow them with a refreshing Grilled Pineapple Mai Tai on a warm spring night!
A growing trend in outdoor kitchen design is to include all the “creature comforts” of an indoor kitchen. Nearly every indoor kitchen appliance now has an outdoor-rated version — including ice makers, refrigerators, dishwashers, keg coolers and more. With a fully-functioning outdoor kitchen, there’s no need to constantly run indoors for supplies…everything you need is at your fingertips. Add a stereo system, wi-fi access and a TV, and you can truly live in your outdoor living space. Entertain the masses and wow them with a refreshing Grilled Pineapple Mai Tai on a warm spring night!

Grilled Pineapple Mai Tai
Recipe By:Matt Wencl
"Grilling the citrus for this mai tai brings the natural flavors to the front, making this one cocktail that goes down deliciously easy. Grill up an entire pineapple and a few more limes to make easy beach cocktails for a crowd. Garnish with grilled orange wheels and Bing cherries."Ingredients
Recipe By:Matt Wencl
"Grilling the citrus for this mai tai brings the natural flavors to the front, making this one cocktail that goes down deliciously easy. Grill up an entire pineapple and a few more limes to make easy beach cocktails for a crowd. Garnish with grilled orange wheels and Bing cherries."Ingredients
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 lime, halved, or more to taste
- 1/4 pineapple, cut into wedges
- ice
- 1 fluid ounce gold rum
- 1/2 fluid ounce silver rum
- 1/2 fluid ounce triple sec
- 1/2 fluid ounce orgeat almond syrup
- Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Place sugar in a shallow bowl. Dip lime halves in sugar to coat.
- Grill lime and pineapple wedges, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and let cool.
- Fill a cocktail shaker and Old Fashioned glass with ice.
- Squeeze 1/2 fluid ounce lime juice and 1 fluid ounce pineapple juice into the shaker. Add gold rum, silver rum, triple sec, and orgeat syrup. Cover and shake until the outside of shaker has frosted. Strain into the glass and garnish with a grilled pineapple wedge.