Argentinian Style BBQ (Asado)

Argentinian BBQs or Asados have some unique and delicious dishes. A “traditional” Asado is a specific way of grilling meat. It involves using coals and firewood and tending to the meat to make sure that it's grilled to perfection. Here are some dishes to inspire your Argentinian style BBQ!

Chorizo

Chorizo can be eaten sliced, grilled, baked or fried. A tender and flavourful sausage made from finely chopped pork filled with garlic, chilli and smoked paprika. In Argentina a chorizo served in a bread roll is called a choripán.

Provoleta

Provoleta is trademark dish. It's essentially a disc of cheese, 2cm thick topped with chilli and oregano placed on an aluminium foil tin and grilled above the fire. Although probably not the most healthiest of dishes, provoleta is definitely one of the most delicious!

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is a garlicky, fresh herb sauce that goes well with just about anything. Here's an easy recipe to make the sauce yourself:

• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, packed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Puree all ingredients in a processor. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Malbec Wine

Today, Argentina leads with over 75% of all the acres of Malbec in the world (WineFolly.com) This smooth red wine is a must at an Argentinian style BBQ.

Feeling inspired? Like our post and leave a comment with the dish you're going to try at your next BBQ!

Outdoor Heaters For This Winter

With winter just around the corner you might want to think about what outdoor heating solutions you have set to see you through the season. There are loads of options when it comes to outdoor/patio heating. Here's a quick list of outdoor heaters you might want to consider for winter...

Fire Pits

Fire pits as outdoor heaters are definitely the most rustic option of the lot. If you're looking for an intimate setting for your outdoor area fire pits are a great way to achieve this! They come in a wide variety of styles from galvanized steel to earthy concrete and limestone. They also come in different shapes and sizes. If you don't have much space you can always get a smaller fire pit in. The major benefit of fire pits is that it can double up as a BBQ. You can easily cook kebabs or marshmallows if the occasion calls for it! The most desirable benefit of fire pits is that they provide great ambiance when entertaining guests.

Gas Heaters

Gas heaters are versatile, easy to install and generally warm up quite quickly. The great thing about gas heaters is that you get the natural heat of fire minus the time it takes to get a fire going and keeping it lit. A  lot of gas heaters come with remote controls which makes it even easier to control. They are also far more cost effective than electric heaters. As much as we love fire pits, gas heaters do require less maintenance in terms of cleaning which can be a major plus depending on your personal preference.

Hanging Heaters

These are great if you don't want to clutter your outdoor floor space. Hanging heaters can be gas fired or electric. Some are even solar powered! Hanging heater designs range from a simple strip heater to a more elaborate hanging fire place.

Low or No Light Heaters

I'm sure we have all experienced being in the bright light of an outdoor heater before! Zero light heaters are perfect if you want to keep your outdoor area dim and intimate or lit up by candles or soft and natural lighting.

Did you find this post helpful? Share it with your friends or comment with what outdoor heater you'd prefer for your outdoor area!

Low Maintenance Plants for Your Outdoor Area

No outdoor area should be without a garden but giving plants the care they need takes a lot of time and effort. If your outdoor area needs foliage then read on – this is our top five list of low maintenance plants for your outdoor area...

1. Lavender

Lavender comes from a Mediterranean background so grows well in dry, sunny and rocky habitats. Adelaide's dry weather favours the conditions the plant thrives in. Lavender is extremely drought resistant, but during the planting phase requires moist soil or compost. Dampness and humidity are common causes for killing lavender. After flowering you should cut back about two thirds of the flower leaving only a small amount of foliage.  Bear in mind that there are different types of lavender. You’ll need to choose the best option for your soil type.

2. Golden Barrel Cactus

These plants require almost no care at all. They originate from Central Mexico so are used to dry and hot conditions. If your balcony doesn’t receive much natural light this plant is perfect for you. The cactus can survive for up to six months with no water or care during the growing phase. It’s best to plant these in pots rather than the ground. Cacti aren’t for everyone though, so if you’re looking for a prettier option the Christmas Cactus is also an easy plant to grow and look after.

3. Santa Barbara Daisy

This delicate plant comes in white, pink and lavender and also survives well in hot and dry weather. They bloom frequently and seed themselves. The only downside to the daisy is that it can spread quickly. Depending on where you plant it that may not be a bad thing. The Santa Barbara Daisy grows well alongside a deck or paved path.

 4. Berkeley Sedge

This adaptable grass can grow in sun or shade and looks great lined along paths, flowerbeds or decks. It has a lush foliage effect and can withstand a lot of foot traffic and mowing.

5. Herbs

Every garden should have one of these! Growing your own herbs is easy, cost effective and let's face it - very impressive! We've chosen Basil as our herb of choice for this post. It grows best in moist soil. If you live in a dry area try using mulch to keep the soil moist. Cut off any flowers that you see on the plant. You might want to move your basil indoors over Winter as it doesn't grow well in cold weather. For more information on growing Basil you can check out this article.

Do you know of any low maintenance plants? Leave a comment with your own tips or suggestions!

Teppanyaki Cooking

We’re always looking for new ways to make our kitchens unique and stylish and we found the perfect way to showcase this through our Teppanyaki grill installations. Teppanyaki grills are not only great for cooking steak but are a brilliant centrepiece  for entertaining guests!

What is Teppanyaki?

Teppanyaki (said teppan-yaki) is a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food. In Japan, Teppanyaki grills are commonly used to cook steaks, shrimp okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake), yakisoba (fried noodles) and monjayaki (rice cakes).

Teppanyaki grills are ideal for dinner parties and offer versatility as you can throw just about anything on there. They are flat surfaced and usually gas heated. The large flat surfaced grill is perfect for collective cooking.

What can I cook on it?

Ingredients for more Western style Teppanyaki cooking include steak, lobster, chicken, shrimp, scallops and vegetables. Here's a quick and easy recipe for some Teppanyaki cooking inspiration!

Benefits of Teppanyaki grills

• Grill warms up quickly (usually around two to three minutes for a medium heat)
• Cooks multiple ingredients at a time
• Keeps food that is cooked warm when placed on the edges of the grill
• Easy to clean (the flat surface means it is easy to wipe up any residue. Check out our post on BBQ cleaners for tips on cleaning your Teppanyaki grill)

Recommended utensils and accessories

• It's best to use 'non scratch' utensils like wooden spoons and plastic or silicon coated spatulas and grill scrapers, however it's not uncommon to use stainless steel utensils
• Copper cap to keep cooked food protected and moist
• Bamboo skewers
• Squeeze bottles for oil and sauces

To find our more about our Teppanyaki grills contact us here. Or to view more of our projects visit our Houzz page.

Beer Tap Systems - How Do They Work?

If there’s one piece of equipment you need in your kitchen to impress your guests it’s a beer tap!

We offer beer tap and keg system installations so you can enjoy a freshly poured pint in the comfort of your own home. There's a large selection of draft beer dispensing systems on offer and this week’s post looks at how these beer tap systems work...

How draft beer tap systems work

The first piece of equipment needed for your outdoor beer system is a CO2 tank. These tanks come in different sizes depending on how much beer you want to dispense and also vary depending on what kind of beer you want to dispense. Guinness beer for example requires a hydrogen tank as opposed to a CO2 tank.

The second piece of the equipment needed is a regulator. This is used to regulate the pressure of your tank. The third piece is an air line – a PVC  tube that connects the regulator to the keg coupler.

The keg coupler takes in the CO2 to push air through the keg and beer through the beer line. MFAB and D Type couplers are the most popular in Australia. Here's a handy list of beers and their respective recommended couplers.

The beer line is the next piece of equipment needed for your system. Like the air line, the beer line is made from food and beverage approved PVC and usually runs about 152 centimeters but varies depending on the situation. It screws onto the top of the coupler and is then attached to the beer tower (the beer tower is what you’ll see on the surface of your bar or kitchen) Check out this article on how to clean your beer line, which should be done on a weekly basis.

A beer shank is a metal tube that runs either through your fridge or beer tower and is essential for attaching the beer line to the system. A straight beer shank is the most commonly used for fridge conversions. Nipple beer shanks are used for kegerators and can either be permanently attached or changeable.   The beer shank is also attached to the beer tap.

The final pieces of equipment are the beer font (also known as a tower) and tap (also known as a faucet). Beer towers come in different shapes, sizes, styles and colours and are screwed onto your worktop or bar. They are kept insulated to keep the beer line cool. The tap is where the beer comes from. It usually has a lever or handle that is pulled to release the beer. They come in different grades depending on the quality of the tap. We work with Andale Beer Dispensing Equipment who provide a wide range of services and beer dispensing equipment. Here are some of their fonts and taps. Andale also offers washout equipment for your system which is very important as taps should be cleaned regularly!

We hope you found this post useful (even if only to impress your mates the next time you have a pint at the pub!) Want to find out more about our outdoor kitchen beer taps? Contact us here or view more of our projects on Houzz.

BBQ Cleaners You Didn’t Know About

BBQ cleaners can be expensive and a lot of them are harmful for the environment so we're sharing our top five favourite BBQ cleaners that are cheap and eco friendly! Be sure to read point four if you have a stainless steel BBQ or grill...

1. Vinegar

The best BBQ cleaner around! Vinegar contains 5% acetic acid which kills bacteria and viruses, in other words, gets rid of grime on our barbie. Mix two cups of vinegar with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake it up and spray it onto your BBQ. Let it settle then use tin foil to wipe it down.

2. Baking soda

Baking soda is the miracle cleaner that every household should have! Mix a guesstimate amount of baking soda with some water to make a paste. Smear it onto your grill or BBQ and leave it for a couple hours. Wipe it down with a cloth or newspaper and you're left with a BBQ as good as new! Check out this article to find out more about why baking soda is the best cleaner you can have in your kitchen.

3. Lemon and salt

Not only for tequila! Lemon and salt is a great BBQ cleaner. Cut the lemon in half, rub it in some coarse salt and then rub it on your BBQ to scrub the grill.

4. Cleaning your stainless steel grill

Avoid using any brushes or materials that will scratch your BBQ (like steel wool or metal brushes) Clean your BBQ with warm water and soap (see soap recipe below). Use a soft cloth instead. Also remember to keep your BBQ covered! Exposure to moisture is not good for stainless steel.

5. Castile soap

Olive oil is another great BBQ cleaner and this recipe combines olive oil, lye and water to make an eco friendly soap to scrub down your BBQ.

Do you have any BBQ cleaning tips? Share our post or comment below with your ideas and spread the word on these cheap and eco friendly alternatives to clean your BBQ.

Kitchen Building Materials

Kitchen building materials aren’t just important for the look of your outdoor kitchen but for the longevity and durability as well.  Adelaide Outdoor Kitchens carefully selects high quality materials that have been tried and tested to handle all weather and heat conditions. We ensure a fine balance between beauty and strength. Here are some of the building materials we use for our kitchens.

Polished Concrete

We’ve built loads of kitchens using this material and consider the use of polished concrete our speciality.

• Cost effective
• Highly durable and requires low maintenance
• Solid and comes in a variety of textures, colours and shapes
• Suited to many kitchen styles from contemporary to modern and industrial
• Unique

Reclaimed Timber

We take great pride in the our use of salvaged timber as one of our building materials . This beautiful material has given our kitchens a distinctive and homey  feel .

• Eco friendly
• Recycled timber is more stable than old timber. New timber goes through a drying process to remove moisture, whereas recycled timber has just about 0% moisture
• The source of the timber makes it unique and makes for a great topic of conversation
• Gives your kitchen character

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is not only aesthetically appealing but is a strong and durable material.

• Durable and corrosion resistant
• Sleek look suitable for industrial and modern styles
• Highly heat resistant
• Hygienic due to its cleanability
• Cost effective due to its thickness and weight

 

 Check out our Houzz page to see more of our work or contact us here if you have any questions!

Outdoor Kitchen Design | Factors to consider

We specialise in outdoor kitchen design and construction and will get the most out of your outdoor area, but understanding what you want out of your kitchen is an important part of the process. Here are some things to think about to help you to decide how to design your kitchen...

How many people will you cater for?

When it comes to outdoor kitchen design it’s best to start with the number of people in your family and then add on extended family and friends to get a rough idea of how many people you'll have over for a BBQ or special occasion. There’s no point in getting a huge BBQ if you’ll only be cooking for four or five people.  We can fit BBQs of all shapes and sizes.

If you've got the space and plan on catering for lots of people we can build a kitchen with a bit more workspace, a bigger BBQ, a rangehood and maybe a beer tap or two.

What will you be cooking?

It’s always a good idea to think about what you’ll cook in your kitchen. Grilled pizzas have become rather popular so you might want to consider getting a BBQ that has a grill if you’re keen on cooking pizzas. Alternatively, there’s not much point in getting a pizza extension or grill if you prefer takeaway pizza.  We install charcoal, gas and electric cookers/BBQs. The only thing to consider when deciding which BBQ is best for you is convenience. There's not a huge difference in the taste of the food you're cooking, except for a slight smokey flavour you may get from a charcoal BBQ and of course gas is much quicker to start up!

Will you use a side burner?

Side burners are also becoming a popular extension to BBQs, but not everyone is sure of its benefits. Also known as a ‘wok burner’ this feature can be very useful if you want to avoid moving in and out of the house during your BBQ. You can boil potatoes, prepare a sauce or fry up some vegetables to compliment your BBQ’d meat using a side burner. It’s handy and doesn’t take up much space.

Do you drink beer?

It may seem like a silly question but if your friends and family aren’t big beer drinkers you can rule out a beer tap system in your kitchen and perhaps just go for a standard bar fridge for wines and cold drinks. Of course if you are beer drinkers we can fit a beer tap/keg system in your kitchen turning your outdoor area into the perfect entertainment area.

What will you store outside?

This all comes down to personal preference. If you like to use fine china when guests come over, storing it outside may not be the best idea. Ask yourself what you need to store in your kitchen. Think – BBQ and surface cleaner, dishwashing liquid, paper plates, pots and pans, cutlery etc. This will help you decide if and how many drawers and cabinets you’ll need.

What space do you have?

We’ll help you get the most out of your space. All you need to do is decide where you want it and we’ll help you build a kitchen that not only looks good but is functional and suits your needs.

Another thing to think about is what style or materials you would want in your kitchen. Visit our blog next week to read our post on the materials we use in our kitchens.

Check out our Houzz page for more outdoor kitchen design ideas or contact us here