Summer is here and that means outdoor grilling and gathering of friends.This year there are more and more “toys” available for planning and enjoying your outdoor kitchen than ever. Outdoor grilling involves way more than just the grill these days. Today, outdoor entertaining includes tools and appliances for the whole meal and the whole dining experience rather than just a stand alone grill. Rather than sending the master griller outdoors to cook the food alone, outdoor kitchens are being planned so that everyone can enjoy the whole experience and spend more time outdoors together.

Some of the latest offerings are:

• Beer taps that dispense two different beers at the same time
• Outdoor pizza ovens
• Outdoor wine coolers
• New styles of refrigeration
• Electric grills with larger burner surfaces (up to 900 degrees)
• Hybrid grills that cook with the ease of gas and the flavor of charcoal and wood
• Better lit grills with easy to operate lids
• Upgraded grill grates coated with porcelain
• Stainless steel islands that can be freestanding or attached

If you are thinking about planning an outdoor kitchen, be sure to learn about all of the latest product offerings for outdoor kitchens. You may be surprised at all there is to include in these outdoor areas. You may find yourself falling so in love with your outdoor kitchen that you give up cooking and eating indoors during these beautiful summer months! For a great source to get started, check out Barbeques Galore.

Need some inspriration? Here’s a grilling recipe from Williams Sonoma for Deviled Pork Loin with Grilled  Potatoes and Onions:

Ingredients:

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and the 1 cup olive oil. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade to use as a finishing sauce. Whisk the 3 Tbs. salt into the remaining marinade. Place the pork and marinade in an electric vacuum marinator and marinate for 1 hour according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, place the pork in a large nonreactive bowl and add the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. Halfway through the marinating time, turn the roast over.

If using a gas grill, preheat the 2 outside burners to medium-high heat for 15 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire in one half of the grill, leaving the other half empty.

In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, onions, the 3 Tbs. olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a mesh roasting pan.

Place the pork and the pan with the vegetables on the hot side of the grill. Sear the pork, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, and cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes total. Place the pork, bone side down, on top of the vegetables in the pan. Move the pan to the center of a gas grill, or to the side without coals for a charcoal grill. Cover the grill. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone, registers 145° to 150°F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Halfway through roasting, stir the vegetables and turn the pork over, bone side up.

Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining sauce in a small serving bowl. Carve the pork and pass the vegetables and sauce alongside. Serves 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.