As an urban dweller, I must confess that grilling season leaves me frustrated. I love grilled food, everything from veg to haloumi cheese to meat and even fruit. A touch of char and smoke is all it takes for me to start salivating. In my current situation, however, I have no backyard, porch, balcony, rooftop or fire escape in which to perch even the smallest of grills. It got me to thinking about how others approach their summer grilling plans. A nice suburban yard offers numerous possibilities, but what about apartment building dwellers?
Most city folk I know either take to a grill-friendly park or, if possible, their rooftops. I've even participated in a grilling party that took place in an alley. The problem with this is that it in the case of the park, you pretty much have to host a picnic. Not that a picnic is bad, but it's a specific kind of dining experience. Climbing up to your rooftop or setting up shop in the alley basically exiles whomever is tending the grill, unless you move the entire party to that location. Either way, depending on how tall your building and what floor you live on, this can create all sorts of logistical difficulties.
What are your grilling challenges and how have you overcome them? I have a fair number of friends who have much more space to grill in than I do, so I never pass on an opportunity to show up with a sack of brats in one hand and a bag of charcoal in the other. Luckily, this usually helps to take care of my summer grilled food cravings and will tide me over until I can one day possess a back yard or balcony of my own.
Related: Summer in the City: Indoor Grilling Tips and Techniques
(Image: Flickr member Unlisted Sightings licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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living in a san francisco victorian, we have no outdoor space (to call our own). we are across the street from the golden gate park, but that seems like too much work to lug everything over there, so we just sit on our front stoop and bbq on the sidewalk. and make all of the passerby-ers super jealous of all the delicious smells we emit onto the street. it's a great way to meet all the neighbors and have cocktails with some of the best people watching!
Speaking of this, I'd love to see a grilling week post about how to use public grills. I sort of want to try, but (a) I know nothing about grilling, as I obviously don't own a grill and (b) I'm not sure of how much you have to clean a public grill in order to be comfortable using it.
A lot of parks in my city and the surrounding area have grills in them for the public to use. They're not perfect - some lean, sometimes you need to give them a good brushing, but they're an awesome amenity.
I live on an acre in Colorado. I made sure I have a place to grill. I have a weber, and a barrel smoker for pulled pork :) And yes, I do live in the city.
Ditto on the public grill use question. There are grills between the projects and the East River Esplanade. I am unclear not only on the hygiene but the etiquette. People use those grills, clearly. Is there a generally accepted time limit or is it strictly law of the jungle?
Please don't grill on a rooftop! A friend's apartment complex caught fire a few years ago because people were grilling on the roof. One resident's apartment was completely destroyed. Its a huge fire risk and in many area, illegal.
Hey.. that picture is of my roof! The building I live in is a pretty good community of folks and we respect the common space. Also, there are rules and guidelines posted on the roof. Most follow, if not all, and we keep it clean up there- common courtesy.
Is that roof in NYC? Unfortunately, my coop got told by our insurance company that it is unquestionably illegal for any grilling to happen on a typical "tar beach" type rooftop, and that the FDNY goes nuts over this. But damn, that looks pleasant.
GAH!! Balcony/fire escape grilling is not only illegal, but it's incredibly dangerous.