7 Outdoor Cooking Trends That Will Be Everywhere This Year, According to Industry Experts

The sizzle of vegetables and fish hitting the grill, fireflies twinkling in the distance, fingers gooey with the aftermath of s’mores. The backyard barbecue is a staple of the summer, but outdoor cooking is evolving beyond simple grilling over charcoal or gas. Maybe you’re curious about flattop grills or wondering if a pizza oven is the best addition to your backyard? How will the tools and flavors we use in outdoor cooking evolve this year? We spoke to experts to find out what they are excited about. From diverse flavors to wood-fired wonders, here are seven trends to watch for this year.

Global Flavors Take Hold

American barbecue is a much loved classic, and for good reason but there is plenty of room for experimentation. Our experts say we'll be seeing new methods, ingredients, and techniques to take hold and evolve what’s cooking outdoors.

“The first ribs I ever fell in love with were in a hoisin sauce from a Chinese restaurant,” says Meathead Goldwyn, founder of AmazingRibs.com and author of new book, The Meathead Method: A BBQ Hall of Famer's Secrets and Science on BBQ, Grilling and Outdoor Cooking. "When you combine American barbecue technique which makes really tender juicy ribs with Asian flavors, you get something special." And, he's not just excited about Asian cuisines and their impact on outdoor cooking. He says home cooks are using much more diverse flavors in what they cook outdoors with Spanish, Italian, and Mexican flavors making their way into barbecue.

Pizza Night Grows

If you didn't invest in an outdoor pizza oven yet, know that the trend is not over and this year is a good time to get in on it as the ovens now offer more possibilities. "Pizza oven companies are starting to offer larger ovens with smart tech so you can cook more than just pizzas in your oven," says Wes Wright of CookOut News, the largest trade publication in the outdoor cooking industry. These now more versatile appliances can sear steak or salmon, turn out crispy potato wedges and even be used for baking cookies for dessert at your cookout.

Induction Goes Outdoors

Induction cooktops have become popular indoors, and Goldwyn believes that trend will extend outside. He said to look for new grills that include induction burners on the side, making it easier to create sauces while you are grilling.  

Pellet Grills Evolve

Pellet grills have been around for decades and continue to be popular for their ease of use and all the ways you can cook with them—bake, roast, and smoke—but they’re not without their shortcomings. A pellet grill is not a good way to sear a steak and get that good dark crust full of flavor you need conduction or infrared heat, says Goldwyn. “People are getting wise to the fact that they’re called pellet grills, but they’re not good at grilling.”

That's where the new generation of pellet grills, like the Weber Searwood comes in, Meathead believes we will see grill makers attempt to make pellet grills even more versatile. 

Smart Tech Dials Up The Temperature

We already use our phones to control the music and lights, so why not use this tech for outdoor cooking? "Smart tech is being used to make grilling easier for everyone, and more approachable for novices, says Wright. The main way it is used, he explains, is via apps on your phone app to connect to a grill so you can read or control its temperature.

New grills have digitized controls with thermostats that can be set to a specific temperature and adjusted with a tap on the phone. Look for similar controls on thermometers. Goldwyn likes the instant-read probe thermometers, "The new ones are wireless, where you stick a probe into pulled pork or leg of lamb or steak, and you can read the temperature on your smartphone," he says.

Flat Tops Get a Makeover

Griddle flat tops aren't new, but they are ever more popular. They’re inexpensive and let you whip up great pancakes for the whole family on a Sunday, smash burgers, or even fried rice for a crowd.

Chef Dustin Green, who is the director of the Grill Academy at Weber, says, "I think this style of cooking has grown in popularity for a few reasons. The first is it is fast. You can cook a delicious meal for one person or eight quickly. Another is that a flat top or griddle is perfect for cooking leftovers. Lastly, these products make it so easy to cook all three meals of the day outside.”

One of the challenges with flat tops is that the cleanup is a pain. Fail to scrape and clean them properly, and they can rust. Thankfully, a few companies are experimenting with new materials, including ceramic. Goldwyn is a fan of ceramic griddles, which he says are easier to clean and won't rust. He's also enthused about a brand new SLATE griddle from Weber, which the company uses a proprietary advanced steel for and says it won’t scratch, rust, or stick.

Smoking Goes Mainstream

Smoking food used to be niche but not any more. Green says smoking is much better known today thanks to digital content, streaming shows, and podcasts that spotlight the craft. Also, chefs who incorporate smoke into their cooking are being honored by prestigious institutions like Michelin and the James Beard Foundation. As a result, we see smoking quickly becoming more mainstream. And luckily for any home cook who wants to try smoking, backyard smokers are easier to use and more flexible than ever—often incorporating smart tech to make them simple for beginners.