Thought I'd share a quick tip: don't put your grill too far from the prep area. I did that, and now I'm constantly zigzagging around chairs and tables carrying raw meat...not ideal. Anyone else learned layout lessons the hard way?
I totally get your point about keeping the grill close to the prep area—makes sense—but honestly, sometimes a bit of distance isn't the worst thing. Hear me out...
When we moved into our old Victorian place, the backyard was already laid out in this quirky, charming way that we didn't have the heart (or budget!) to tear apart. The grill ended up tucked waaaay back behind this little hedge maze thingy the previous owners put in. At first, I thought it was ridiculous—who wants to carry trays of burgers through a mini labyrinth every weekend?
But after a few cookouts, I noticed something interesting. That awkward layout actually kept guests from crowding around the grill while I cooked. Instead of hovering and offering unsolicited grilling advice (you know who you are, Uncle Dave), everyone stayed comfortably seated near the patio table, chatting away, sipping drinks. It gave me some breathing room and turned grilling into my own little zen moment...just me, the steaks, and the occasional lost squirrel.
Sure, it means a bit more trekking back and forth with plates of raw meat and veggies, but it's not as bad as you'd think once you get used to it. Plus, I've mastered balancing plates on trays like some kind of backyard circus performer. Haven't dropped anything yet—knock on wood.
So maybe your zigzagging isn't all bad? Could be a hidden blessing in disguise...or maybe I'm just rationalizing my own weird setup. Either way, there's more than one way to flip a burger.
"Instead of hovering and offering unsolicited grilling advice (you know who you are, Uncle Dave), everyone stayed comfortably seated near the patio table..."
Haha, this hits home. My grill's right next to our seating area, and I swear everyone suddenly becomes a BBQ expert when they're standing around me. Maybe your maze setup isn't so crazy after all. Curious though—do you find yourself grilling less often because of the extra hassle, or has it stayed about the same?
