What was your idea of “outdoor cooking” growing up? Do you have stories similar to our beer writer, Caroline Hennessy (page 30), involving open fires and half-cooked sausages, or did you grow up in a “disposable barbecue at the park” kind of family?
Like many other cultures, Ireland has a deep history of open-fire cooking, but it’s only in recent years that we have started to take the idea of barbecuing and outdoor cooking seriously. This interest has coincided with the evolution of modern-day consumer appliances – not just gas or charcoal barbecues, but entire outdoor kitchens, bars, ovens and upgraded fire pits. This fits Ireland as a nation, because on those rare days when the weather cooperates, we like to spend as much time outside as possible. This means enjoying time with family and friends with opportunities for al fresco dining.
Outdoor Living
Pat Kelly is the director of Outdoor Living, a family business based in Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow. Outdoor Living specialises in all things related to enjoying the great Irish outdoors; offering everything from backyard saunas to glass houses and everything in between. They also feature a variety of barbecues, smokers and outdoor kitchens.
“We are celebrating 20 years in business this year,” Pat tells Irish Country Living Food. “The business is operated by myself and my son, Damien. We started out in 2006 and moved to our current site in 2011. We have seen non-stop growth since then as Ireland’s enjoyment of the outdoors has steadily increased. We specialise in bespoke outdoor structures and four years ago we expanded on our outdoor cooking section and opened our barbecue centre because we have seen so much growth in this area.”
Pat and Damien work with suppliers based in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe and have the exclusive license for Bushbeck, a brand specializing in “all-in-one” outdoor cooking appliances including pizza ovens, barbecues and outdoor fireplaces. They also work with Charbroil and Enders, both UK-based barbecue companies.
Ireland developed a heightened appreciation for cooking in our gardens during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pat says that ever since, Irish consumers have been looking to increase their abilities, adding new appliances and bringing more opportunity for outdoor enjoyment. During the pandemic, they sold a significant number of Bushbeck Kamado ceramic grills, in particular.
“The Kamados exploded in popularity then and they are back on trend now,” he says. “People have the time to use charcoal and experiment with outdoor cooking. Before, it was all gas. We also have hybrid options now, offering a mix of gas and charcoal. The days of a foil tray at the beach are over. You can still get a portable grill, but the quality has really increased. The likes of Smokin’ Soul in Co Wexford and the annual Big Grill festival in Dublin have really made people think about outdoor cooking in a different way. When you look at the new houses out there, you’re looking at an outside space which has become as important as the house itself. People are looking to extend their lifestyle to the back garden.
“It’s that quality time with family and friends; outdoor cooking is the centrepiece. It’s a social experience and an excuse to invite your friends over.”
outdoorliving.ie
Pat Kelly, with his son, Damien, owns and operates Outdoor Living. Their main location is in Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow.
This Bushbeck Masonry Rondo White patio barbecue with copper inlay comes with wood storage on the bottom and a grill rack for making wood-fired outdoor meals (€899.95, outdoorliving.ie).
The Char-Broil Professional Core 3 Burner gas barbecue features porcelain-coated cast iron grates and a handy side burner for heating up sauces or sauteing vegetables (€859.95, outdoorliving.ie).
The Enders Uniq 4 IK Cruster gas barbecue features a top 'cruster' grill ideal for melting burger toppings and making pizzas (€999.95, outdoorliving.ie).
King Range Bushbeck Outdoor Kitchen with grill, sink, fridge, steak grill and worktop (currently €3,499, outdoorliving.ie).
Pizza ovens
In Thurles, Co Tipperary, Stakelums Home and Hardware have been doing major trade in pizza ovens for the past several years. Jay Connors is their outdoor living specialist, and he agrees that since COVID-19 there is a decided shift in consumer attitudes to outdoor cooking. Stakelums specialise in Weber and Sahara brand barbecues in addition to their pizza oven selection.
“Since COVID, the pizza ovens have become huge,” he says. “We mainly work with Ooni brand pizza ovens; they have really been at the pinnacle of innovation when it comes to these systems. We’ve been one of their top 10 sellers in Ireland for the past three years.”
Ooni pizza ovens are sleek and futuristic-looking, but their design is as functional as it is attractive. You can choose a multi-fuel oven, which provides both gas and the option for wood-fired pizza, or stick with the gas.
“We sell more gas, probably because it’s easier to use – particularly if you’re new to outdoor pizza cooking,” Jay says. “We find that people really into grilling and food, like chefs, prefer the multi-fuel option because it offers the opportunity for that traditional wood-fired taste.”
The key to cooking the perfect pizza in an outdoor pizza oven is getting the internal temperature – and the temperature of the ceramic stone – correct. Some Ooni ovens come with a thermostat while others need to be purchased separately. The stone will reach up to 400°C and this high heat it what makes it non-stick.
“This is high temperature cooking and it’s quick,” Jay explains. “You have a pizza cooked in about one minute, at the right temperature. If you have a big crowd over all you need to do is keep someone at the station, have your dough ready to go and just keep popping them in and out.”
If you prefer cooking campfire-style, American brand Solo Stove offer stoves that can replace traditional bonfires or firepits – more safety and less smoke. They also make gas or dual-fuel pizza ovens.
Jay is quick to add that plenty of modern-day barbecues are also set up to make pizzas on the grill. There is a new Ninja dual (gas and electric) barbecue on the market which uses similar technology to an air fryer and enables you to grill, roast, smoke and make pizzas.
“You pop your griddle and pizza stone on top and select your temperature – the gauge will show you what burner will be on – and you choose the ‘low and slow’ or ‘roast and bake’ option. Then, off you go.”
stakelums.ie
Jay Connors is Stakelums Home and Hardware's outdoor living specialist.
The Ninja Flexflame 5in1 gas and electric barbecue features CyclonicHeat-iQ which ensures fast, even cooking. Its cyclonic fan circulates heat and air uniformly and its features enable grilling, smoking, roasting, baking and griddling (currently on offer for €834.99, stakelums.ie).
The Ooni Koda 2 14" pizza oven is built to make achieving professional-level results accessible to every user, regardless of experience. It uses advanced G2 Gas Technology which features a tapered flame gas burner (currently on offer for €419, stakelums.ie).
Stay food safe
1. Cooked meat: cook all your barbecue meat like sausages, burgers, kebabs, pork, chicken and poultry – to a minimum internal temperature of 75°C.2. Check the temp: always check by taking the meat off the heat and inserting your thermometer into the thickest part.3. Raw meat: steaks can still be served rare because any harmful bacteria is on the outside of the meat. Never use the marinade from raw meat on cooked food or vegetables.5. Defrost: fully defrost all frozen food before cooking. Thaw your frozen meat completely on the bottom shelf of your fridge.6. Keep it cool: keep salads, coleslaw, quiche and other chilled food in your fridge until you are about to eat. For more advice, visit safefood.net
Read more
The food tourism experience – ‘authenticity is the key’
Irish asparagus: springtime superfood spear at its peak
What was your idea of “outdoor cooking” growing up? Do you have stories similar to our beer writer, Caroline Hennessy (page 30), involving open fires and half-cooked sausages, or did you grow up in a “disposable barbecue at the park” kind of family?
Like many other cultures, Ireland has a deep history of open-fire cooking, but it’s only in recent years that we have started to take the idea of barbecuing and outdoor cooking seriously. This interest has coincided with the evolution of modern-day consumer appliances – not just gas or charcoal barbecues, but entire outdoor kitchens, bars, ovens and upgraded fire pits. This fits Ireland as a nation, because on those rare days when the weather cooperates, we like to spend as much time outside as possible. This means enjoying time with family and friends with opportunities for al fresco dining.
Outdoor Living
Pat Kelly is the director of Outdoor Living, a family business based in Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow. Outdoor Living specialises in all things related to enjoying the great Irish outdoors; offering everything from backyard saunas to glass houses and everything in between. They also feature a variety of barbecues, smokers and outdoor kitchens.
“We are celebrating 20 years in business this year,” Pat tells Irish Country Living Food. “The business is operated by myself and my son, Damien. We started out in 2006 and moved to our current site in 2011. We have seen non-stop growth since then as Ireland’s enjoyment of the outdoors has steadily increased. We specialise in bespoke outdoor structures and four years ago we expanded on our outdoor cooking section and opened our barbecue centre because we have seen so much growth in this area.”
Pat and Damien work with suppliers based in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe and have the exclusive license for Bushbeck, a brand specializing in “all-in-one” outdoor cooking appliances including pizza ovens, barbecues and outdoor fireplaces. They also work with Charbroil and Enders, both UK-based barbecue companies.
Ireland developed a heightened appreciation for cooking in our gardens during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pat says that ever since, Irish consumers have been looking to increase their abilities, adding new appliances and bringing more opportunity for outdoor enjoyment. During the pandemic, they sold a significant number of Bushbeck Kamado ceramic grills, in particular.
“The Kamados exploded in popularity then and they are back on trend now,” he says. “People have the time to use charcoal and experiment with outdoor cooking. Before, it was all gas. We also have hybrid options now, offering a mix of gas and charcoal. The days of a foil tray at the beach are over. You can still get a portable grill, but the quality has really increased. The likes of Smokin’ Soul in Co Wexford and the annual Big Grill festival in Dublin have really made people think about outdoor cooking in a different way. When you look at the new houses out there, you’re looking at an outside space which has become as important as the house itself. People are looking to extend their lifestyle to the back garden.
“It’s that quality time with family and friends; outdoor cooking is the centrepiece. It’s a social experience and an excuse to invite your friends over.”
outdoorliving.ie
Pat Kelly, with his son, Damien, owns and operates Outdoor Living. Their main location is in Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow.
This Bushbeck Masonry Rondo White patio barbecue with copper inlay comes with wood storage on the bottom and a grill rack for making wood-fired outdoor meals (€899.95, outdoorliving.ie).
The Char-Broil Professional Core 3 Burner gas barbecue features porcelain-coated cast iron grates and a handy side burner for heating up sauces or sauteing vegetables (€859.95, outdoorliving.ie).
The Enders Uniq 4 IK Cruster gas barbecue features a top 'cruster' grill ideal for melting burger toppings and making pizzas (€999.95, outdoorliving.ie).
King Range Bushbeck Outdoor Kitchen with grill, sink, fridge, steak grill and worktop (currently €3,499, outdoorliving.ie).
Pizza ovens
In Thurles, Co Tipperary, Stakelums Home and Hardware have been doing major trade in pizza ovens for the past several years. Jay Connors is their outdoor living specialist, and he agrees that since COVID-19 there is a decided shift in consumer attitudes to outdoor cooking. Stakelums specialise in Weber and Sahara brand barbecues in addition to their pizza oven selection.
“Since COVID, the pizza ovens have become huge,” he says. “We mainly work with Ooni brand pizza ovens; they have really been at the pinnacle of innovation when it comes to these systems. We’ve been one of their top 10 sellers in Ireland for the past three years.”
Ooni pizza ovens are sleek and futuristic-looking, but their design is as functional as it is attractive. You can choose a multi-fuel oven, which provides both gas and the option for wood-fired pizza, or stick with the gas.
“We sell more gas, probably because it’s easier to use – particularly if you’re new to outdoor pizza cooking,” Jay says. “We find that people really into grilling and food, like chefs, prefer the multi-fuel option because it offers the opportunity for that traditional wood-fired taste.”
The key to cooking the perfect pizza in an outdoor pizza oven is getting the internal temperature – and the temperature of the ceramic stone – correct. Some Ooni ovens come with a thermostat while others need to be purchased separately. The stone will reach up to 400°C and this high heat it what makes it non-stick.
“This is high temperature cooking and it’s quick,” Jay explains. “You have a pizza cooked in about one minute, at the right temperature. If you have a big crowd over all you need to do is keep someone at the station, have your dough ready to go and just keep popping them in and out.”
If you prefer cooking campfire-style, American brand Solo Stove offer stoves that can replace traditional bonfires or firepits – more safety and less smoke. They also make gas or dual-fuel pizza ovens.
Jay is quick to add that plenty of modern-day barbecues are also set up to make pizzas on the grill. There is a new Ninja dual (gas and electric) barbecue on the market which uses similar technology to an air fryer and enables you to grill, roast, smoke and make pizzas.
“You pop your griddle and pizza stone on top and select your temperature – the gauge will show you what burner will be on – and you choose the ‘low and slow’ or ‘roast and bake’ option. Then, off you go.”
stakelums.ie
Jay Connors is Stakelums Home and Hardware's outdoor living specialist.
The Ninja Flexflame 5in1 gas and electric barbecue features CyclonicHeat-iQ which ensures fast, even cooking. Its cyclonic fan circulates heat and air uniformly and its features enable grilling, smoking, roasting, baking and griddling (currently on offer for €834.99, stakelums.ie).
The Ooni Koda 2 14" pizza oven is built to make achieving professional-level results accessible to every user, regardless of experience. It uses advanced G2 Gas Technology which features a tapered flame gas burner (currently on offer for €419, stakelums.ie).
Stay food safe
1. Cooked meat: cook all your barbecue meat like sausages, burgers, kebabs, pork, chicken and poultry – to a minimum internal temperature of 75°C.2. Check the temp: always check by taking the meat off the heat and inserting your thermometer into the thickest part.3. Raw meat: steaks can still be served rare because any harmful bacteria is on the outside of the meat. Never use the marinade from raw meat on cooked food or vegetables.5. Defrost: fully defrost all frozen food before cooking. Thaw your frozen meat completely on the bottom shelf of your fridge.6. Keep it cool: keep salads, coleslaw, quiche and other chilled food in your fridge until you are about to eat. For more advice, visit safefood.net
Read more
The food tourism experience – ‘authenticity is the key’
Irish asparagus: springtime superfood spear at its peak
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