It’s not summertime until you’ve had your first outdoor barbecue. When it’s hot out, slaving over a hot stove indoors feels like a chore, and it raises the temperature in your house. But cooking outside is a treat. Add some cool drinks and sides to your hot-off-the-grill selections, and you have a great casual dinner or even an outdoor party. Take a look at some of the ways that your garage can contribute to a great grilling experience.
Grilling Tool Storage
You definitely don’t want to store your grill outside. Not only could it get stolen, it could also get damaged on days when it’s windy or rainy. However, you probably don’t want your grill put away in storage during the summer when you’ll be using it on a regular basis.
Your garage is the best place to store your grill when you’re not using it but want to have it readily available. If your garage is organized and optimized for maximum space, you’ll have plenty of room to stash your grill, and you can even use the space to store your grilling tools as well. Your favorite spatulas, meat forks, and brushes for cleaning your grill can hang neatly on a pegboard on the garage wall for easy access.
Food Prep Area and Buffet
With a few adjustments, your garage can be a perfect spot for food prep. Cover the surfaces of your work tables and other surfaces with a clean cloth or plastic sheet – inexpensive disposable plastic or paper tablecloths can work nicely for this purpose. Add some cutting boards, plates, and bowls, and you have the perfect place to chop vegetables and prepare and marinate meat before transferring the food directly to the grill.
The same surfaces can make a great buffet area so that your family or guests can serve themselves once you have the food ready. If you prepped the food in the garage, make sure to clean the table coverings or put down new ones before setting them up for food service. You don’t want any remnants of raw meat to come into contact with your cooked food.
Rain Shelter
Your garage can also come in handy if a sudden rainstorm threatens to derail your barbecue plans. It’s vital to remember that you should never cook in your garage with the garage door closed because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You can grill under the shelter of the garage roof if you leave the garage door open, but if the storm is so strong that you must close the garage door, you’ll also have to put out the fire on the grill.
If you’re done grilling when the rain starts or when the wind kicks up, you can set up card tables and chairs that will let you eat in the garage. That way, you don’t have to take the party indoors – if the storm is short-lived, you can move right back outside when it’s over.
Using the garage to improve your outdoor barbecues only works if you have an organized garage and plenty of space to work with. If your garage is too cluttered, a garage makeover can help. To find out how you can improve your garage space before summer barbecue season ends, schedule your free design consultation.
