Cooking outdoors – the outdoor kitchen makes it possible – garlic prawns

In our latitudes, summer is eagerly awaited every year, and as soon as the first warm days arrive, everyone flocks outdoors. But for perfect summer bliss, besides swimming pool fun, picnics, and bike rides, one thing is essential: sitting in the garden with family or friends, enjoying delicious food together, and chatting late into the balmy night – that's the epitome of summer.

The advantages of an outdoor kitchen

The tradition in more southerly climes shows that an outdoor kitchen invites you to enjoy life outdoors and savor summer to the fullest. It's especially delightful to prepare Mediterranean herbs or vegetables from your own garden with warm sunshine on your skin. Even when guests are invited for a barbecue, an outdoor kitchen helps make the evening even more enjoyable. Because when you cook in the garden, you avoid the tiresome back and forth between the kitchen and the patio. Instead, you're right in the heart of the action, can dedicate your time to your family or guests, and won't miss a thing.

But an outdoor kitchen isn't just a plus on weekends or when you have guests. If it's well-equipped, you can even move your everyday cooking outdoors. Preparing dinner together with your partner or kids in the garden, for example, brings a touch of vacation feeling to even the most ordinary days.

The gas grill serves as the central cooking area in the outdoor kitchen. This is complemented by a sink, a special outdoor refrigerator, a small work surface for food preparation, and, of course, the appropriate cookware. For those who particularly enjoy cooking outdoors, installing a separate cooking area with an induction hob is also worthwhile.

The right cookware for outdoor cooking

Using a grill pan or stainless steel wok on a gas grill allows you to conjure up delicious dishes that often don't turn out perfectly when cooked directly on the grill. Scampi are a good example, as they typically slip through the grill grate, or pickled items whose marinade drips into the grill. Pans with removable handles are best. Otherwise, you should ensure the handle is positioned so it doesn't get hot.

Even fresh sauces become child's play with an outdoor kitchen. They simmer alongside fish or meat on the cooktop and can be served warm – all you need is a saucepan. For cooking delicious pasta dishes that evoke Mediterranean associations when eaten al fresco, a saucepan that also works well on a gas grill is ideal. A dessert cooked in a crêpe pan perfectly rounds off the culinary summer.

To inspire you with the possibilities an outdoor kitchen offers, we have put together a menu that will let you taste summer.