Kevin Teborek does it on his balcony. Lizzie Abbas does it on her back deck. Matt Taplinger even does it in zero-degree weather.
When it comes to grilling, there’s little that stands between these Chicagoans and their charred meat. Not the tight city living, not the lack of yard space and, sometimes, not even below-freezing temperatures.
They’re not alone.
Although Memorial Day kicks off the official start of grilling season, fewer people are needing an excuse to break out their barbecue. An estimated 81 percent of U.S. households own a grill, according to the Hearth Patio & Barbecue Association, and nearly half of those grill owners use their grills at least twice a week during the peak season.
For city dwellers like Teborek, Abbas and Taplinger, grilling goes beyond being a great cooking alternative. For those with tiny apartments and kitchens, it offers many a way to extend their living space and opens up the possibility of entertaining (and feeding) large groups.
“I can throw 10 brats or burgers on at a time,” said Taplinger, 30, a freelance photographer who lives in the East Village and frequently grills on his back porch. “I couldn’t do that in my kitchen.”
“An outdoor space was one of the requirements when I was looking for condos,” said Abbas, 29, a teacher who lives in Rogers Park. “I needed a place that I could grill.”
Abbas said she grills at least three times a week.
For other urbanites, grilling is a great social outlet. “Everybody comes out at the same time, and is out on their balcony doing the same thing,” said Torrence Winfrey, 30, who lives in Washington Park.
Teborek, 29, a self-professed grill fanatic who lives in an 11th-floor condo in Lakeview, says he has frequent “grill offs” with his next door neighbor. “It’s not really a competition, but we’re both always out there doing something,” he said. “We haze each other and have friendly banter back and forth across the balcony.”
If that’s not enough, grilling enthusiasts contend the food tastes better and the cleanup is a cinch. Another plus: On hot days in apartments without air conditioning, the cooking heat stays outdoors.
As for the time-honored question of gas or charcoal, some apartment-dwellers have that decision made for them based on condo and rental rules. If they had their druthers, though, most of those who spoke to RedEye chose charcoal for the taste, with a few opting for the convenience of gas.
Everyone agrees that there’s something about Chicago’s tempestuous weather that makes them savor opportunities to grill.
“As soon as it gets warm, we’re out there,” Teborek said. “I think we have more appreciation for it because it’s definitely seasonal.”
“It’s a fun way to cook and enjoy the weather simultaneously,” Taplinger said. “There’s something about the whole process: starting a fire, drinking a beer. It’s relaxing.”
And although he’s done his share of “extreme grilling,” most recently braving zero-degree temperatures during the Super Bowl, Taplinger admits it’s definitely a better experience when the weather is nice: “I was willing to stand out there when it was zero degrees, but the whole experience is obviously better and more enjoyable in the summer.”
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PROS OF COOKING WITH CHARCOAL
– Charcoal grills cook hotter.
– You can burn wood in a charcoal grill, which gives you more flavor.
– Charcoal gives you the primal thrill of lighting and playing with fire.
PROS OF COOKING WITH GAS, PROPANE
– Push-button lighting
– Constant and consistent heat with the twist of a knob.
– Longer grill timesS
OURCE: BARBECUEBIBLE.COM
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See RedEye’s Top 5 list of portable grills, each under $40. PAGE 19
