May Barbecue National Barbecue Month—It’s One of Twelve (NAPSA)—Mayisofficially National Barbecue Month. Don’t tell anyone, but nearly 60 percent of all grill owners now cook outdoors year-round and you are probably among them. And you know why: it’s fun, it’s safe, it’s right in your own backyard and,best of all, the food tastes great! Seven out of 10 U.S. households have a grill (the average home has more thanone), and with the increasing use of outdoor hearth appliances— chimineas, portable firepits and patio heaters—the 12-month “season” is more a reality than an emptyclaim. Any Way You Wantto Cook... Although the ease, convenience and cleanliness of cooking on gas grills has made them the two-to-one choice of American barbecuers, charcoal is making a strong resurgence. The primary reason so many homes have two or moregrills is the growing popularity of portables, smokers and turkey fryers/seafood cookers. Wood chips and chunks have enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years, and premiumgrills, in addition to a wide range of features, now even offer higher temperatures, infrared searing stations or cooking systems. Regardless of the type of grill you prefer, it all comes down to the terrific taste of food cooked outdoors. Multiburner gasgrills with side burners enable you to cook an entire meal. Ceramic kamado cookers bake like a champ, in addition to providing the flexibility to perfectly prepare anything from a roast to a pizza to fallin’-off-theboneribs. ...And Nearly Any Place Although the vast majority of barbecuing is done right in the 5 = ‘iin backyard, more and more people now take a portable grill with them to a campground, a beach, or a tailgating event such as a game, auto race or concert. New Stuff The barbecue industry has rolled out a lot of neat new things for May: more high-end portables, higher-performanceelectric grills, high-end gas grills with infrared searing stations and a world of accessories, including flavored wood planks, digital meat thermometers, lights built into grill lids, many neat cleaning tools and more. Enjoy! Barbecue Time Is Anytime There’s a great grill to fit any budget. Eighty percent of new grills sell for less than $300, but the sky is virtually the limit, with $5,000 to $10,000 grills for those who want a virtual outdoor kitchen. You demandhigh quality, high performance, reliability and durability, and smart grill manufacturers are meeting these needs. As a result of improved design and advanced technology, grills even last longer—the averagegrill in use today is over four years old. So fire it up—during National Barbecue Monthandall year long. Barbecueis truly what’s known as America’s best loved cuisine!
