Home cooks are hot for outdoor grills, gadgets and pizza ovens | Ap

As a masked spring spanned a socially distant summer and fall, we also returned to our grills.

More than 14 million grills and smokers were sold between April 2020 and February 2021, according to The NPD Group. This was a 39% increase from the same period a year ago and boy, have we paid: we spent almost $ 5 billion on grills, smokers, camping stoves and accessories in 2020 .

Tim Hillebrand, co-owner of Don’s Appliances, is among the Pittsburgh-area retailers that saw an increase in outdoor kitchens last year.

“The barbecue industry in general was crazy,” he said, with many manufacturers struggling to keep up with demand.

Specialty items like smokers and pizza ovens were especially popular, and Hillebrand said his company also sells many outdoor refrigeration units and burners. “People wanted real outdoor kitchens, where in the past they just bought a grill. “

He expects a repeat performance in 2021, and not just in carnivores. Eating Well magazine saw a 51% year-over-year increase in views for grilled veggie articles and recipes.

“Americans are coming home which is a good thing because it allows us to slow down,” said Kimberly Stuteville, national sales manager for grill maker Napoleon, which saw sales increase double digits from last year. ‘last year.

A grill, she added, “brings you to your heart, your center, whether with your neighbors or your nuclear family.”

Grills with infrared cooking technology are really big, she noted, and smoke continues to be trending in all its forms, including pellet grills. Accessories like pancha pans, roasting baskets, and charcoal trays – which allow you to cook with charcoal or wood chips on a gas grill – are also increasingly popular.

Doug Satterfield, owner of Rollier’s Hardware in Mt. Lebanon, Pa., Agreed that 2021 is shaping up to be a hot year for grill sales, particularly through July 4. The most popular price range is $ 500 to $ 800.

“People are still spending money to stay home instead of going on vacation,” he said. “They want to spend more time in their garden. “

So far, Rollier’s has been able to stay one step ahead. “But some companies are running out and inventory is not fast,” he noted. So if you are in the market you might want to buy as early as possible.

Rollier’s has had its best year for pizza ovens and Satterfield believes 2021 will deliver more of the same. “People want something more unique on their back patio. “

New this year is the Burch Barrel, a portable charcoal grill that can also be used as a fire pit or smoker. It sells for around $ 1,000.

Mike Murphy, a former investment banker who owns Carson Street Deli on the South Side, was at the forefront of outdoor pizza. He got his bright yellow Forno Bello pizza oven several years ago and has become an expert in making thin Neapolitan pies on his patio in the Pittsburgh area.

He was originally going to build a pizza oven from scratch, but there were zoning issues and “I was too anxious to wait,” he says. Backyard Brick Oven has come to the rescue with a stainless steel model that can reach 1000 degrees and bake pizza in 60 seconds. It cost about $ 2,600.

“It’s surprisingly well insulated,” says Murphy. “The ark is perfect.”

Still, the name of the game when it comes to pizza, he says, isn’t the oven. It’s the dough. It can take up to four days for some recipes to be created.

“I think it’s fun,” says Murphy, “but I suspect that some people who bought these wonderful ovens didn’t realize there was work to be done.”

It always starts with quality Caputo 00 flour, which is higher in protein than all-purpose flour. This gives the dough stronger gluten strands, which makes it more stretchy and elastic and results in a crispier pizza.

“Do you see the bubbles? It means the yeast is happy, ”he said on a recent weekday, as he demonstrates how to stretch a batch of dough that has fermented for three days.

His bible is “The Elements of Pizza” by Ken Forkish (Ten Speed ​​Press, $ 30). It’s also inspired by the thin, crisp, free-form pies served at Figs by Todd English in Boston.

In addition to the Neapolitan-style Margherita pizzas, Murphy creates what he calls his “Fenway Red Sox” pie. It starts out like all stellar pies with a homemade red sauce made with canned San Marzano tomatoes. Toppings include ground mild Italian sausage, caramelized onions, roasted red pepper, and tangy lemon aioli.

“And I’m a basil follower,” he jokes, referring to the garnish of fresh herbs.

Murphy says he’s always experimenting with different fermentation techniques and learning every day.

“There are a lot of steps, and you have to keep track of your time,” he says. But the rewards are many.

“You can’t make a Costco 800 degree crust, or you’ll end up with a cracker.”