5 Things to Keep You Grilling After Labor Day

I keep getting emails and comments talking about how grilling season is coming to a close. It is disheartening to hear attitudes like this because I think that grilling and barbeque are two activities that can and should be done all year long. We all know and love the food that grilling creates, so why limit ourselves to just a couple of months in the spring and summer. With the right equipment, a little perserverance, and a lot of love, grilling can be enjoyed in even the coldest months.

5. Clothing. Yes, if you wear the right outfit, you don't have to worry about the elements when you go out to the grill to flip those steaks. Personally, I will suit up to the nines if it cold outside or strip down to my skivvies if it's hot. It doesn't matter to me what time of the year it is, I will always find a way to grill. If you're insistent like me, just bundle up.

4. Cover. If you live in particularly rainy or snowy areas, just park your grill just inside the threshold of your garage. Heck, if its the elements that are detering you from grilling, all you need is cover. I've gone so far to erect a tarp over my grill when its rainy.

3. Indoor grills. I'm not the biggest proponent of the George Foreman Grills, mainly because I think they're really limited in scope, and most of them only have one temperature setting: on. However, you can sometimes use the George to get some nice grill marks on some meat, or you can used it to sear some steaks before you finish them off in the oven. Other possibilities include those cool stovetop grills that you can use to "faux grill" your meats or vegetables. Here's a cool one from Lodge that does griddling or grilling, depending on the side you use.

2. Camping. Sometimes the best grilling happens out in the woods where no one is around. After you've been hiking all day, nothing tastes better than grilled food over a campfire. Many campground even come with built-in upright grills. Just plan on bringing some charcoal to the campsite and boom ... you've got grill.

1. Tailgating. The ultimate excuse for grilling all year long. Surely there's a game being played somewhere in the country. Here in my city, there are not major league teams of any kind, but we do have minor league football, baseball, and basketball. Then there's the ultimate tailgating of Texas Longhorn football. Get yourself a small portable grill and cook up some dogs or burgers before the game.