Grilling - Grilling in Small Spaces

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Want to grill but not sure you have the space? Follow these simple tips from grilling expert Elizabeth Karmel and fire up your grill.

By Jennifer Lawinski

You don't need a big backyard to reap the rewards of grilling. Even apartment-dwellers, provided they have a little outdoor space, can grill and barbecue.

Grilling expert Elizabeth Karmel, author of "Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned: A Complete Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill" and the creator of Grill Friends kitchen and grilling tools, has two big stainless-steel super grills on the 6-foot-by-10-foot balcony of her Chicago apartment -- one at each end.

"Really you don't need as much room as you think you do to have a grill. You need room enough for the grill so that it's not right up next to your house or your apartment or anything combustible," she said. "I grew up in a big space, but I happen to love little spaces. I don't really think that you need any more space than you absolutely need."

The story continues after the gallery.

Grilling in Small Spaces

Know how much space you have so that you don't buy a grill that won't fit.

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Buy the largest grill you can fit in your space. You'll use it.

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Consider whether a gas, charcoal or electric grill is best for your space. Some buildings don't allow open flame.

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If you choose an electric grill, make sure you'll have access to an outlet where you plan on using it.

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If you've got a small grill, make sure you buy meat that will fit.

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As with large grills, fire safety basics still apply. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

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Even if space is tight, make sure the grill is not pushed up against your home.

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Keep everything you're going to need organized near the grill before you start cooking.

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Even though space may be tight, use different tongs for raw and cooked meats, and don't return cooked meat to the same plate that held raw meat.

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Keep pets and small children away from any grill, large or small.

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And how much space is that?

All you need is a few square feet and some common sense, and you can to turn any small space into a griller's paradise.

"The truth of the matter is, you only need a small area because even if you have an acre of a backyard, you're only going to use the space that your grill sits in and probably 6-feet square around that," she said.

The proof is in the brisket. Karmel is able to turn her small balcony into her everyday cooking laboratory, in spite of its size.

The first thing you need to do is choose a grill that fits your space. Smaller grills can be found anywhere large grills are sold. Go grill shopping prepared, and know how much space you actually have.

And even if you're shopping for a small grill, Karmel recommends buying the biggest grill your space can accommodate.

"Even if you only have a small place, buy the biggest grill that you can possibly fit in that small place because you'll use it more," Karmel said. And with more successful turns at the grill, you'll find yourself using it more often. "Both of my grills are 6-feet long, so they fit like bookends on either side of the balcony. They're perfect. ... It fits just right in there, really nice and tight. ... I wouldn't be happy if I had gotten a smaller grill."

Another consideration to keep in mind is whether to go with a gas, charcoal or electric grill when choosing one for a small space. While she prefers gas or charcoal over the electric grill, sometimes, in some spaces, they may be a better fit.

The electric grill, she said, is very popular because of its small size, but one thing would-be users may not think about before they take the plunge is whether their space has access to electricity.

"You have to have an ability to plug it in. Usually outside of a house that's not an issue, but sometimes on a balcony or in the smaller backyard of an older apartment building, it can be an issue," Karmel said.

Small-grill masters should also think about their space when choosing what to cook -- small grills mean smaller meats. While they may be perfect for smaller steaks, burgers, hot dogs or kebabs, be smart about choosing larger cuts of meat when shopping.

"If you have a small Smokey Joe 18-inch-in-diameter grill, you're not going to be able to cook a whole, un-cut brisket if it's 24-inches long," Karmel said. "If you do own a small grill, you buy your meat accordingly. Your meat has to fit."

In small spaces, fire and food safety rules still apply, and it's smart to have a fire extinguisher handy and to keep everything you're going to need organized on a small table near the grill before you start cooking to minimize the risk of accident or accidental food contamination. Use different tongs for raw and cooked meat, and be sure to keep pets and small children away from the heat.

"You definitely need to be careful whether you're in a small space or a big space," Karmel says. "Almost everything that applies to just grilling in general is going to apply to the small spaces."

16 Tips for the Perfect Burger

Don't Push Down on the Meat
Consider this the cardinal rule of cooking burgers. "It squeezes out the juices, and the juices are the flavor," says Jeff Weinstein, founder and owner of the Counter burger restaurants. "Would you rather have a juicy product that took an extra minute or a non-juicy product that came a little faster?"

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Buy Good Meat
Weinstein likes to have his butcher custom grind his meat -- he asks for a sirloin steak or rib-eye with a meat-to-fat ratio between 75-25 and 80-20. Even if you just go to your supermarket's meat section, don't fall for the trap so many people do, assuming the leanest meat is the best. "It'll be cardboard by the time you're done."

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Chill the Meat First
Before you even form the patties, put the meat in the fridge for a half hour or so. You don't want your body heat to melt away the fat as you shape it; getting it colder helps it withstand the treatment. Weinstein even washes his hands in cold water before working with it to reduce their temperature.

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Use a Scale
Unless you want people griping about unequal treatment, or you have a practiced eye for meat, use a scale to balance even amounts in each burger. Even Weinstein does.

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Don't Overwork the Meat
People tend to ball up the meat as they form their patties. Don't do that; less handling is better. The more you push down and compress, the tougher the meat will be.

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Use Both Hands to Form the Perfect Patty
Pull the meat apart into equal pieces, then pat down into a patty on a hard surface with one hand while forming the rough edge with the other. Resist the urge to slam down! Some people use the caps of big mayonnaise jars instead, which is fine. Weinstein prefers a thickness of 3/4 of an inch to an inch.

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Dimple the Patty
When beef patties cook, they contract, and can leave you with a rounded, uneven burger. Push a little well into the center of the meat, about an inch or two around and a quarter-inch deep. The burger will be perfectly flat when they're finished cooking.

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Back in the Fridge
After you've formed your patties, put them back in the fridge to cool down again for 30 to 45 minutes.

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Use the Right Buns
Too many people put all their efforts into the meat without remembering that the bun forms more than half the burger. Try for a meat-to-bun ratio of 1:1. Buns about 4 inches to 4-1/2 inches round are generally good. You don't want a super-thick burger overhanging the buns -- but rather to get a taste of every element -- meat, bun, toppings -- in every bite.

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Get the Grill Really Hot
"The hotter the better," Weinstein says. "You're trying to sear or char the meat really quickly so you have nice color on the outside and flavor from the barbecue on it." Weinstein likes to put wood chips in his grill for added smoke flavor.

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