making a simple outdoor kitchen

so my backyard has a covered patio, and I plan to make a very simple kitchen. When I say, simple, I mean very simple. I plan to make a 'shelving' area to hold ingriedients, and this shelving area can also be my table to place my a portable cooktop. The question is this: Is it better to get a gas/propane portable cooktop, or is it better to buy a BBQ grill with a sideburner? Buying a grill w/ a sideburner will be so much easier as it can double up as a outdoor grill also.

This outdoor grill will be our primary kitchen as we do a lot of cooking that involves frying and lots of smoke. Can a sideburner achieve this type of heat and cooking? Is it cost effective compared to the indoor electric range? we have a gas fixture outside, so I figure we would just use that. Or is buying a propane tank better?

also, wth all the smoke going up to the 'ceiling,' does it damage the house eventually?

Hello Semidevil:
I would use the gas line that is there (it sounds like it may be natural gas). Outdoor cooking is a little less efficient because the heat keeps blowing away. You can overcome that with some wind deflectors.
I haven't seen a house damaged with the constant smoke, except when it catches on fire. I agree it does make a mess of the paint though.
Glenn

Using a fryer in an enclosed space is dangerous. Cooking oil burns like gasoline when it's heated. Keep a good fire extinguisher handy, a water hose can actually aggravate the situation. I would consider a range hood over the fryer to try to minimize the grease all over the place. I have seen decks ruined from using a fryer on them, the burns, the grease..

When it comes to selecting a barbeque grill, it is important to learn about the different types of grills available today. Each type of BBQ grill has its own pros and cons and, therefore, care must be taken to select the one that best suits your style of cooking and desired outcome.

When shopping for a barbeque grill, you will find that there are actually six types to choose from:

Offset smokers
Kettle grills
Vertical smokers
Insulated and ceramic smokers
Propane grills
Barbeque pits

Offset smokers are easily the most popular type of BBQ grill in competitions today, but this doesn’t necessarily make them the right choice for you. While an offset smoker can be a very good barbeque grill in regard to heat distribution, the smaller and less expensive models can be difficult to use.

Kettle grills are the type of BBQ grill that require the use of charcoal. You will need a few tricks to make this type of grill cook like an offset smoker, but it is possible.

Vertical smokers, on the other hand, can be fueled by charcoal, propane, or even electricity --- and are fairly easy to use.

The insulated and ceramic smoker is a type of barbeque grill that is quite similar to the vertical smoker. The walls, however, are well insulated. As a result, this type of BBQ grill can stay heated with just one bag of charcoal for up to sixteen hours.

The propane barbeque grill wasn’t really meant for slow cooking, but it can be done by offsetting the meat and cooking at a low temperature. Even a pit made with fire bricks can make an excellent BBQ grill for slow cooking. It may not be the prettiest barbeque grill out there, but when you throw some barbeque brisket or other cuts on this type of grill, you can enjoy a tasty meal indeed!

Thanks for posting, ayeshaa. These are some great tips...just in time for summer here in NY!!