The Outdoor Lifestyle Blog

Still not sure what to get your dad for Father’s Day? If he’s the kind of man who loves spending time outside crafting the perfect hamburger or grilling a steak to perfection, consider one of these gift ideas for grillmasters:

Wireless meat thermometer

It seems like everything runs on wireless these days, so why not your kitchen tools, too? A wireless digital thermometer allows you to get precise readings on the temperature of your meat, without having to open the grill and let the heat out. Some versions even send push notifications to your phone when it’s reached the right temperature. 

Taking your dinner prep into the great outdoors and cooking out on the grill is just more fun than being stuck in a summer kitchen indoors all sumer!

Sometimes it’s easy to fall into that same old hamburgers-and-hot-dogs routine. Your grill is capable of far more than that!

Whether you’re gearing up for a special Memorial Day cookout or just want fresh ideas for a weeknight dinner, here are a few ideas for how to shake things up:

There’s something deeply satisfying about cooking over an open flame. It’s one of the most foundational ways humans have prepared food over the years, and mastering this primal technique is highly rewarding (not to mention delicious!).

However, while fire is one of the greatest tools for bringing people together, it’s also one of nature’s most destructive forces. Give fire the healthy respect it deserves with these vital grilling safety tips.

Once you’ve gotten your own backyard barbecue smoker, you’ll want to put it to the best use possible. And when your family and friends get a taste of the fresh and tender ribs, brisket, and pulled pork you can now make at home, your BBQ skills are sure to be in high demand!

You probably already have your favorite barbecue sauce to slather over your finished product. But you can also enhance the flavor with a custom dry rub.

In this post we’ve curated a list of dry rubs to cut your teeth on:

It’s a beautiful day and you decide to make the most of it with an impromptu cookout. You get the grill heated up, make the burger patties, and get the buns and fixings ready to go—but just as you’re ready to get those burgers sizzling, you discover your grill grates are coated in grime from the last cookout!

Want to add a little green to your outdoor kitchen or patio living area, but don’t have room for a big garden? The good news is that many plants don’t need a ton of space to thrive. In fact, many will grow quite happily in a flowerpot, decorative urn or other container.  

Container gardening is a fun hobby that combines artistic vision with a little trial-and-error experimentation. It’s a great way to enhance the look and feel of your outdoor kitchen.

Here are a few ways to incorporate container-grown plants into your outdoor living space:

Is your backyard landscaping currently a little “plain vanilla”? Maybe you’ve got a great lawn but not much else going on to attract the eye. Or maybe you’ve got a few less-than-beautiful features that you’d rather your guests not focus on.

Installing a custom pergola is an effective way to create visual interest in your backyard. Pergolas can create a focal point for the eye, no matter what size your yard is. They can also be used as an anchor to tie in other elements, such as a sitting area or garden.

Here are a few ways you can use a pergola to spice up your landscaping: