While you saw the full reveal of the kitchen this Monday, today I want to walk you through the Coyote appliances which help me make my corn on the cob, house all my salad mixings, and of course, help Brian Henderson make his epic smash burgers (and steaks and chickens and rotisserie and kebabs – all the things). I partnered with RTA on this kitchen (a fantastic, long-lasting, and high-quality “ready to assemble” outdoor kitchen design company), and they partner with Coyote appliances, which have a very good, longstanding reputation for high-quality outdoor appliances. We honestly couldn’t love them all more – everything looks so good, is so easy to use, and we can make almost any meal out here that we can inside. It’s nothing short of awesome, and many friends and family have already enjoyed this corner of our yard.
There she is for full context – in between the house and the sports court, the tree and the well house. We gave RTA our wish list of what we wanted out of a kitchen, and it was long. We thought long and hard about what we would really use (not just fun luxury good-to-haves). We nixed the pizza oven (I’ll eat a burger over pizza any day) or any fancier smokers, etc. So everything selected was for frequent function and convenience, not the once-a-year occasion.
The Coyote Look
Everything is stainless steel and so pretty, with a lot of brass details inside. I’ve promised myself that this is the time I’m going to keep my stainless appliances looking pristine (and even ordered big island covers that RTA customizes for your kitchen, should you want it). Coyote has a ton of appliances to choose from (different sizes and functions), and we love what we have.
The Fridge
Ceramic Fruit Holder | Plastic Bins (similar) | Silicon Food Containers (similar)
Listen, I know you know what a fridge can do, but you have no idea how exciting this one is for me. For most people, this might be for drinks (but we have a keg and a cooler for that, see below), so for me this fridge represents ease and convenience, and less me running in and out when we are hosting a million people. It means that I can go to the store, buy the guac, potato salad, all the salad fixings, and transport it directly out into this fridge for the BBQ later, skipping the indoor fridge altogether!! It also means that all condiments and marinades won’t need to be chased after from inside – they live out here! I stocked it with all our favorite things already, and you should see the pride on my face when someone asks for bread and butter pickles only to have me appear them immediately. MAGIC. But also on the technical side – it gets nice and cold and has adjustable shelves – FTW!
Dry Pantry
Wooden Bowls (similar) | Wooden Caddy (similar)
Sounds boring, but this dry pantry contains all our rubs, oils, and spices that Brian typically BBQs with. The drawers are awesome (and I even lined them like a grownup). On the right, I have my flatware carrier with outdoor dedicated flatware (super affordable) and napkins. I’m truly giddy over the amount of storage out here.
Storage Drawers
Plates | Bowls | Glasses | Plaid Napkins | Serving Plates
These drawers are strong and beloved. Previously (when we just had a floating BBQ for parties), I would avoid doing dishes inside (not wanting to leave the party), which meant I would wake up to a baked-on mess. Now that we have everything out here, in these drawers, I can hang out with my friends while cleaning, and obviously they pitch in a ton.
Knife Block | Knife Set | Tea Towel | Black Cutting Board | Plates | Bowls | Glasses | Plaid Napkins | Serving Plates
I stocked it with the basics that we would use – a few knives, prep boards, melamine servingware, dinnerware, and plastic drinkware. I’m not joking around anymore – you need anything and I got you.
On Counter Drink Cooler
This was something that I was hesitant about, unsure if I wanted to break up the pretty stone. But then I knew that I would have to bring out a cooler for wine every party, and that would really ruin my aesthetic. This isn’t refrigerated, but it does keep it cool. You can either keep it plugged in (so the ice melts slower) or unplug it and have it drain into your ground slowly.
We turned it this direction so that you could access it from the pickleball court or while sitting at the bar. The ice stayed for a few days, which was great 🙂
The Sink
This was an almost fight between Brian and I. He wanted a sink, sure, but wasn’t convinced it would be worth the added expense of plumbing it. I hemmed and hawed about it as I saw the budget rise and rise and didn’t want to be wasteful, but I became more adamant by the day. I wanted to be able to do dishes out here, AND for the kids to get their own water without tracking dirt inside. I pictured all the nights that we’d just pile the dishes inside after a party, when I knew that I could be doing them all while hanging with friends. I WAS RIGHT. He has told me I was right many times. That’s all say I love this sink (I also use it to fill up my pitchers to water the plants). It comes with a cover to protect it and only allows for cold water, FYI, which was fine with us.
It also means I don’t need to go to the hose to fill up my pot for my corn on the cobb as seen above (I know you can grill corn, but Brian often has so much meat on the grill that there is no room for my precious cob so I tend to boil it inside – NOT ANYMORE!!).
The 36″ Grill – So Much Meat In Our Future, Y’all
Listen, I don’t nerd out about grills, but my brother and Brian sure did. This one has two grilling areas, a searing section, a warming area (on top), and an optional rotisserie turner. My bro’s favorite surprise element is that there’s a light that turns on (no more using a headlight at night!). It’s gorgeous and very easy to use.
Here’s a closer look…
…and even closer 🙂
But that’s the shot – I hope you like protein! While Brian forgot to get my veggie kabobs, I threw some asparagus on the grill pan along with his flank steak, sausages, and chicken kebabs. This was the first time we used it, and we loved it.
The Griddle – Smashburgers FTW
This griddle is going to get so much more usage than I originally predicted – we can even fry eggs out on it. Brian is in his Smashburger era (I prefer a juicy boy-scout style burger myself), and this griddle is making it so easy.
We were nervous about cleaning it (fearful that we got too lean of meat), but it cleaned up like it was brand new. We’ve been making smash burgers inside, but we have to do them one at a time on a skillet. Out here, we can easily do 6-8 at the same time.
The Burners – Never Cooking Inside Again
A burner was high on my wishlist, and I absolutely love it. I even made eggs out here over the weekend just to be outside. It’s so lovely. We thought about the larger burner for bigger pots (think lobster boils), but as you’ve clearly read at this point, I wanted two normal-sized burners for my precious side dishes. I own all the sides, and they are basic and boring, but I do not want to be trapped inside while Brian is out here grilling. I’m one of the crew now!
RTA also managed to leave a lot of counter prep space – a ton of function, but also easy to make salads and have people help.
I’m so excited to caramelize onions, even sauté vegetables – and you KNOW I’ll make some fall soups out here for my team during the day. It’s truly thrilling how functional and beautiful this kitchen is – I love it so much.
It’s only just begun, and I’m sure this is not the last you are going to hear of this kitchen or my corn on the cob.
Brian and I want to give a big old thanks to RTA (who designed and manufactured the kitchen), Coyote (for all the appliances and storage drawers, and cabinets), and my brother’s company (Afore Construction) for leading the construction of the deck, gazebo, and assembly of the kitchen. Shooting all the videos, taking all the photos has been so much fun, and seeing it in action with so many people here makes me so happy. I’m incredibly grateful. If you missed how it’s assembled, head here, for the full reveal of the kitchen and gazebo, head here, and for the fun YouTube video, head here! Thank you, readers, for all your support. Forever 🙂
And don’t forget that if you are ready and wanting to get a custom outdoor kitchen, RTA is offering 10% off! I hope it’s clear we HIGHLY recommend.
*Photos by Kaitlin Green
