Barbecuing is typically associated with warm summer months, but many consumers are grilling during the chilly winter season as well. A 12/31/12 article from the Wall Street Journal, “The Life of the Winter Party: Your Grill,” by Annie Marie Chaker, describes how recent grill technology combined with the new interest in indoor-outdoor home design has led to an increase in outdoor winter grilling.

In the article, Chaker profiles grillers from cold spots such as Fargo, North Dakota to show how they make the most of outdoor grilling and entertaining during the bitter cold weather. Some outdoor chefs in cold climates even admit that there is something nice about standing next to a warm grill as they prepare tasty juicy steaks. They also don’t have to worry about needing coolers to keep the beer cold—the snow gets the job done.

Retailers are starting to capitalize on this recent surge of winter barbecuing activity. Gas and electric grills are particularly popular among winter grillmasters, so it makes sense to promote these products during what used to be considered the off-season. One example of a grill that’s suitable any time of the year is the Hybrid Fire grill from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. It’s the only line of barbecues that cook with three different fuels at once: wood, charcoal, and gas. These unique grills provide the widest cooking versatility on the market, giving their owners the freedom to pursue any outdoor cooking technique – using the fuel of their choice.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet