Customer Testimonial - Teri C., Fort Myers, Florida
I have been wanting to send you a personal note for some time. I just want to compliment you on how you handle business. We appreciate you, Ben and our working relationship. I can only hope all businesses operate like you.
The shrimp can be marinated 3 hours before putting it on the grill. This is also a great marinade for chicken. 1 lb. shrimp, peeled 3 tbsp. olive oil 3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 cloves minced garlic 2 tsp. tequila 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp. salt
Stir shrimp, olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, tequila, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate shrimp in marinade for at least 30 minutes. Preheat outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Remove shrimp from bowl and thread onto skewers; discard marinade. Cook on the preheated grill until shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
The Blaze 4.1 Outdoor Compact Refrigerator is the ideal space-saving solution for outdoor kitchens built into your island. Interior design offers plenty of shelf space for all your favorite refreshments and foods.
4 Burner Outdoor Grill
An affordable commercial style grill that was designed with your outdoor BBQ desires in mind. Blaze gas grills feature precision cut, 304 stainless steel components that bring the promise of lasting durability to your outdoor BBQ!
Outdoor Kitchen Island
Enjoying outdoor kitchen grilling and entertaining has never been easier than with the Blaze Island. Featuring lightweight, all-aluminum construction with a welded frame for durability, the Blaze Island is light enough for two people to easily install and set up!
We all know basic hygiene and that includes keeping your hands clean. However, it is worth noting that food sanitation starts with your hands, be certain anyone handling food at any stage of its preparation has clean and sanitary hands. Dirty hands is one of the most common ways that food gets dirtied or contaminated. Washing your hands isn’t just about using the restroom or being visibly dirty. Tasks such as smoking a cigarette, or even just scratching your nose introduces a world of bacteria to your hands. When in doubt, Wash it out!
Wash all outdoor kitchen cooking equipment
Nothing quite beats the awesome feeling of cooking outdoors in your outdoor living space! However, it’s important that we remember to clean all food preparation and cooking surfaces. Just as important is to ensure all cooking equipment, utensils, and dishes are cleaned before use. While on the surface all of this cleaning seems obvious but it’s imperative to follow through with because just about anything can lead to contamination including raw meat, eggs, and poultry. If you wash a dish or surface that contained raw meat, be sure to clean and rinse the sponge you used to clean the item!
Rinse and wash all Fruits and Vegetables
Meat and poultry
aren’t the only contagions we have to worry about. When it comes to
fruits and veggies the big concern is the soil attached to them. The
dirt has the potential to contain bacteria such as e-coli so it best
to wash the produce in a bowl under running water. This is especially
true for loose produce as it more like to have soil attached to it
compared to pre-packaged fruits and vegetables.
Keep all food cool
It’s easy to get caught up in hosting and cooking responsibilities, but its important to keep foods such as cheese, coleslaw, or chicken salad inside your outdoor fridge or cooler until your ready to serve the complete meal. Foods made with mayonnaise should especially be kept cool as the high dairy contents lead to bacteria when left in a warm environment. Keep raw meats and chicken separate from other surfaces and foods, using plastic bags is a great way to keep them from one another.
Invest in a meat thermometer
The amount of time on heat and minimum temperature vary from meat to poultry and from the frying pan to an outdoor grill. Chicken, for example, has a minimum cooking temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which is where your meat thermometer comes in handy. Ground beef is especially sensitive by its very nature, hamburger meat is chopped and reduced which can lead to bacteria being internalized. Best Practice is to cook the hamburger meat until its also brown through the center.
Designing an outdoor living space has
it’s challenges and many things to consider. We all have plans to to
entertain company in our outdoor living space, but there are other
factors to consider including our personal tastes and how everything
will tie together. With that said why not consider a kitchen classic
the L-Shape design. A popular choice for traditional in home kitchen,
its a versatile design that is ideal for entertaining. When applied
to an outdoor living space it offers a considerable amount of counter
and social space. Whether your prepping the meal or serving up a few
cocktails, you can be certain you will appreciate the additional
counter space.
What makes the L-Shape Design Unique?
The L-Shape design isn’t just limited
to entertaining, if your priorities are having a functional outdoor
cooking space, than look no further than this classic design. The
L-Shape is designed with the cook in mind, offering a functional
“work triangle” that includes easy access to cooking, preparation
area, and cleaning. These three elements are a powerful and efficient
trio when combined into a single space. Your outdoor kitchen will
match your every move, ensuring that you and your guests are both
safe and comfortable.
Outdoor entertaining redefined
Entertaining guests in your outdoor
living space is both thrilling and challenging, as you’ll be working
overtime! Cooking is one thing but making sure your guests are
entertained is also your responsibility in your outdoor living space.
The additional counter space provided by L-shape design provides
ample space for guest seating and can act as a bar top!
Advantages provided by the L-Shape Outdoor Kitchen Design
• Perfect solution for a outdoor
corner space
• Adaptable to most outdoor spaces,
including small and medium kitchen areas
• Counter tops and cabinets can be
adjusted to your available space
• Efficient “work triangle”
ensures you have everything you need to make an amazing meal
• Ideal use of space for an open
outdoor living space
You’ve done it! You are now the proud owner of a Custom Outdoor Kitchen, undoubtedly you’ve hosted a few outdoor cookouts and relaxed under the sun with friends and family. It’s easy to enjoy your investment but let’s not forget to keep up with maintaining our wonderful Outdoor Living Space. By its very nature, our outdoor kitchens will attract dirt and, and not to mention wear and tear from the elements. Let’s go over some basic tips and guides for maintaining and cleaning our outdoor kitchens.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances and Surfaces
Our outdoor living spaces were designed to meet the outdoor weather head-on! However, that doesn’t make them invincible against wear and tear. As a general rule of thumb, never cut on a stainless steel surface, instead bring out or store a cutting board in your outdoor living space. With that said stainless is really easy to clean! Typically you’ll only need soapy water a microfiber towel and good helping of elbow grease. Be sure to clean these surfaces regularly by including in your weekly cleaning schedule.
How to make it Shine!
We’ve all been there, after a few months or a year of heavy use, oil and finger smudges accumulate into a fine but noticeable haze that covers the surface or certain spots of your shiny stainless steel appliances and surfaces. Never fear! Stainless Steel Polish is here! Apply a penny-sized drop of polish to a microfiber towel and rub the polish into the stainless steel in a single direction, working it in circular motions can lead to “swirling” which will only complicate resurfacing it next year. After applying the polish be sure to rinse it off completely using a CLEAN microfiber towel and soapy water. Once down rinsing dry the stainless steel with another microfiber towel as the chloride found in most tap water will stain your shiny new surface.
Protect that new shine
For this step, you may want to consult a professional but it is a task that most outdoor fanatics can tackle. To protect your stainless steel appliances and surfaces from corrosion and rust you can add a few coats of powder or clear coat. Clearcoat with brings out another level shine that polish alone cannot produce, while powder coating surfaces can add a layer of color and texture. Think of this step as you would a leather jacket, it will keep you both safe from the weather and most minor abrasions.
Spending time outside enjoying the lovely Florida sun with friends and family is arguably the sweetest fruit of our labor. The size of the outdoor space hardly matters you make it your unique outdoor paradise. Planning your outdoor kitchen correctly and safely will maximize the usable outdoor kitchen living space available to you.
Outdoor Fung Shui
The right tile and outdoor material will bring out the desired color of your outdoor kitchen living space. Outdoor tiles and materials are the foundation that brings the entire outdoor experience together. Whether you go with a neutral finish such as stone or opt for warmer materials such as brick molded concrete, the outdoor floor defines the mood of the space
A touch of Green Thumb
Having plants
in your outdoor living space helps elevate the mood and makes the
whole experience more organic. Plan the color of your fixtures around
the color of the types of plants you’d like to have to create an
additional layer of aesthetic. Plants introduce a number of benefits
that include lowering the carbon dioxide levels, and keeping the
temperature a little lower!
A Splash of Water Features
Whether it’s a bubbling hot tub or a pouring fountain, there is nothing more relaxing than the sound of moving water. Introducing this pleasant babbling feature no matter the size will help stress relief for both you and your loved ones.
At Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we more than understand how big of a project it can be planning your very own outdoor kitchen space. Although, we’re here to tell you how fun it actually is, and steps you can take to make this an easier process to get started. Having an outdoor kitchen takes your living space into a whole new direction as it is practically an extension of it. You want to ensure you’re planning for this extension to be full of shade, warmth, and shelter no matter what season you may be using it in. The first step is always getting a clear idea of how you’re going to use this space. Do you like to cook outside often, or plan to? Will you be having a lot of events in this space where you want to focus on entertaining as well? Try to write down some thoughts about what you expect this to be for you, and that will help you have a great outline on how you can get started.
The second step to consider is your surroundings. Now that you have some ideas for your outdoor kitchen; it’s also important advising to the space you have in order to get the most out of what you want to see. Not only do you want to get out your measuring tape to make sure it fits, but you also want the aesthetics to be fitting regarding your home’s exterior. Don’t worry, remember this is supposed to be fun! You’re going to be excited about choosing the colors, style, and textures that complement each other once you get going. Please also note, your surrounding landscape is also pretty important. For example, in a tropical location, you might want to consider materials that are bold and stand out to compliment the lush it will contrast.
The next thing you would want to focus on is planning your layout. Just as you planned your living room for each family member to feel comfortable in no matter what occasion, you want to ensure you’re doing the same for your extension of it outdoors. This also makes it incredibly easier to know where and what to place once you get appliances for it. Something to keep in mind is your indoor living space utilizes the assistance of walls, windows, and doors whereas your outdoor space uses the space of its own. Please know to also plan accordingly to your hot and cold zones. You want to refrain putting your grill next to your refrigerator unit since your fridge is working pretty hard in the summer to keep things cold for you and your friends. This is just one of many thoughts to plan out so you can be prepared accordingly for your outdoor kitchens use.
Another step to get very excited about is choosing your appliances. Here at Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we have a vast selection of appliances to help get you started. You can check out our page to see what options are available to you. We want to ensure you get the best when it comes to your grills/smokers since the focal point is this in your outdoor kitchen space. Once you have your appliances selected, you want to start choosing your materials especially in preparation for heavy rain, extreme heat, high winds, and even the possibility of snowstorms. It’s important to keep durability in mind, and toughness for these weather changes. Stainless steel is a very popular choice as it compliments those scenarios, and it’s also to easy to clean while looking sleek.
Finally, all you have left is your lighting and style by adding any fixtures you want to consider for it. It’ll make your outdoor kitchen come to life, and set an ambiance for the party you’re now ready to plan. Here at Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we want you to know we have your best interest in getting exactly what you planned and need for this new venture you’re about to take on. Please don’t hesitate to contact (239) 229-9033 to get started on this journey!