With deck season, so too comes the advent of BBQ season. From steaks to vegetables, everything tastes better off a grill. Today, the options available to hit those internal temperatures are seemingly endless. And when your outdoor environment calls for entertaining discerning appetites, a single propane grill just doesn’t cut it anymore. So with the 4th of July just around the corner, it’s time to level up your grill game with these popular BBQ upgrades.

Traeger (Various Models)

The Pied Piper of wood pellet grill technologies, Traeger has been making grill for 30 years. Wood pellet-fired grills don’t seem cutting edge until you read the features on some of the Traeger grills. Traeger grills use proprietary wood pellets that they say creates the best smoke, and thus, the best tasting meats. But that’s not the only technology the Traeger grill promotes; an app can control the grill from your phone.

We’re huge fans of Traeger’sTraeger’s dedication to all-natural hardwoods. Still, they need to plug in a grill–not to mention the price tags–have us choking on our exquisitely flavorful pork chop. Still, for those serious about BBQ control, it would be hard not to want to give a Traeger a try.

Traeger Recipes

Green Egg

We’ve been seeing the Big Green Egg on our clients’ decks for years now. We know our clients are sharp, so we had to find out what makes this oblong apparatus so popular. The Big Green Egg offers a range of temperatures by simply controlling this kamado-style grill vents – no app or outlet necessary. In addition, the Big Green eggs tout its versatility, all-natural charcoal, and lifetime warranty. So we can see why the big green egg has been a fixture on DeckTec decks for decades.

Big Green Egg Recipes

Oomi Pizza Oven

Don’t get us wrong. We love a streak off the grill or slow-smoked brisket, but an outdoor pizza oven is a game-changer. We know that the secret to fantastic pizza is the dough and your ability to cook it quickly. So while we can’t share our secret pizza dough recipe, we can tell you that the prevalence of portable pizza ovens – in addition to professional-grade built-ins – are your tickets to the best deck-top pizza.

The Oomi Koda is a gas-powered pizza oven capable of cooking a 13-inch pizza in 60 seconds. The design and pizza stone create restaurant quality pizza that can’t be replicated with conventional household ovens. In addition to pizzas, the Oomi can handle steaks and seafood too.

Oomi Pizza Oven Recipes

Anova

And now for something entirely different! While all of these cooking devices rely on fire, the technique of sous vide uses the constant heat of circulated water to cook all types of foods, not just meats, to perfection.

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to an exact temperature in a water bath. This technique produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method. Sous vide seems odd until you try it. Our favorite meats to cook in sous vide are pork tenderloin, pulled pork, and frenched rack of lamb. Seriously, you’ll never cook lamb any other way, again.

In addition to meat, sous vide allows you to make a variety of dishes and beverages. As a result, our sous vide is an essential tool in our kitchen and has made deck-living that much better!

Wonder if it will sous vide? Consult the Life Hacker Blog, “Will it Sous Vide?” (Spoiler alert: it probably will)

Gone are the days of a charcoal grill being the only game in town. Even propane grills have their limitations for those weekend BBQ pitmasters intent on slow smoking the perfect piece of meat. So maybe give these a try, and if you have a favorite already, be sure to let us know!