To expand the audience for your barbecuing skills consider cooking out at a park on those durable park charcoal grills

Get the most out of the outdoors by prepping your meals on the park charcoal grills that are provided on location for your use and enjoyment.

You know what we're talking about, right? Those sturdy, steel, all-purpose permanent grills that you see installed in campgrounds and your city, state and national parks, provided for your outdoor cooking use.

They have the ability to turn any outing into a memorable event with their built-in convenience and capabilities. You can easily cook the day's meals on site, extending the amount of outside time you can enjoy at your local park or campground.

Cooking on park charcoal grills has benefits

There are many advantages to using the installed park charcoal grills while at a park or campground.

• Perhaps the biggest feature of using these charcoal grills is their convenience. They are already there, installed in a safe place for your use. You won't have the worry and mess of loading and transporting your own grill. And that's assuming you have the means to haul one around in the first place. Additionally, you won't have to wait for the grill to cool down so you can load it back up, along with the additional mess, and head back home, only to have to unload it once again. That can be a pain, especially after a long day outdoors. Using the park charcoal grills that are already supplied for you just seems like common sense.
• Park charcoal grills are simple, versatile, easy to use, adjustable, and customized for whatever it is you want to prepare. With adjustable rack heights and rotational capabilities to either use or deter any windy or breezy conditions that may be around, the park charcoal grills don't need much in the way of extras brought along to maximize your outdoor meals. Whether you need the searing capabilities of a roaring hot fire or the low and slow qualities for a longer, Dutch Oven prepared meal, the quality made grills at the park or campground are up to the task with adjustable height grill grates and air control capabilities.
• Using the outdoor permanent grills at parks and campgrounds can enhance your day in the outdoors with a live fire ambiance and mouthwatering aromas. While in the open air accompanied by native surroundings and natural beauty, the addition of cooking over a live fire will complete your al fresco outdoor experience, and help make memories that include having a grilled snack or meal. Sure beats dining on protein bars.
• Using the park charcoal grills allows you to pack lighter, allowing you to have a less stressful experience and just enjoy your outing. By planning to use a park charcoal grill, you can prep the food in advance, and have it ready when you need it. Items like preformed burgers, hot dogs, kebabs, prepped foil packs, and even fruit to grill for dessert can keep it simple and easy. Using disposable plates, utensils, and wooden skewers even make cleanup easier. Dutch ovens can provide convenient, one-pot meals and desserts. All you need is your charcoal, fire starter, and a cleaning tool such as a scraper or wadded up foil to clean the grill grates. If you don't want to cook directly on the grates, a sheet of aluminum foil can make a fine topper for the grill. Keeping it simple means using what is already provided for you.

Park managers play a role in increasing use of park charcoal grills

Extra large park grills, such as this triple outdoor grill., are great for big family outings or events

Visitors to your parks and campgrounds are much more inclined to use the provided park charcoal grills when they can trust that the grills are being properly maintained and that there will be park grills available when they need them.

The worst thing that can happen is that a group or family plans a great outing, including grilling on a provided park charcoal grill, only to get to the location and not have a working grill available.

Or they might come upon a grill that is so filthy, rusted, or broken that it's useless. Other complaints about park grills include an obvious lack of maintenance, cleanliness, and non-working, missing, or broken parts. Sometimes people have used the grills for ashtrays or small bonfire receptacles.

Park and campground managers have a responsibility to regularly check and maintain their park charcoal grills. It will not only lead to more public use, but will also make maintenance easier in the long run. The grills are installed for the public to use, so it's up to the managers to make it as easy and convenient as possible.

And it's in the best interest of camp and park managers to do so, if for no other reason than to keep the public fires in the specific, safe location where you want them to be - in the park charcoal grills.

Discouraging the use of personal grills, which can be a fire hazard and against codes in your area when used too close to structures like picnic tables, gazebos, or pavilions is a big reason for maintaining the park charcoal grills. Visitors, whether they know it or not, are adhering to the proper spacing requirements for live fires.

What else can you do to ensure regular use of your park charcoal grills?

• First and foremost, make sure your park or campground has an adequate number of park charcoal grills available at the shelters, gazebos, and picnic areas so that those that want to take advantage of the installed grills can do so. Interest in barbecuing in America is at an all-time high. Don't leave local families disappointed when they visit your facility.
• Provide receptacles for hot coals along with the normal trash cans. Hot coal receptacles give users a place to safely dispose of any hot coals that are left at the end of their stay, a much better option than leaving them in the bottom of the open park grill.
• Stay up on grilling trends, especially live-fire cooking, and make sure that there are adequate number and sizes of charcoal grills for those trends. You can then determine if you need additional grills, or perhaps larger grills to adequately accommodate larger family functions or more extensive grilled meals that demand more cooking area.
• Perhaps make a dedicated grilling area, with more than one available grill to accommodate visitors and their families and friends. Larger, premium grills with more cooking space and rotational capabilities are another good option.

It's better for everyone to use permanent grills at facilities

Permanent grills placed in the areas that visitors congregate will be used regularly if they are well maintained, clean, and in good working order.  By keeping them in ready-to-use condition, park and campground visitors will recognize the commitment to them, the park, their neighborhood, and community.

By making it easier for them to enjoy their outing, including grilling on the park charcoal grills, you are simultaneously making it safer, more convenient, and family-friendly.

Written By Gerald Dlubala