Consumers Focus on the Fundamentals of Cooking Outside this National Barbecue Month

ARLINGTON, Va., May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today kicks-off National Barbecue Month, the lead-in to the peak outdoor cooking season, and consumers are preparing by revisiting the grilling essentials and remembering why they love to cook outside. In fact, consumers reveal in a new poll conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) that they are most likely to purchase a grill for the fun of cooking outdoors (41%) and because of the preferred taste of a meal cooked outside (30%).

"With the weather warming, consumers are reminded of why cooking outdoors is the highlight of spring and summer activities," said HPBA Director of Communications, Leslie Wheeler. "Though year-round grilling continues to increase, during the peak outdoor cooking season, consumers revisit what they value most; the simplicity and relaxation grilling provides, and enjoying good times with family and friends over a deliciously cooked meal."

How Consumers Like to Cook Outdoors:

Keep Things Simple and Easy. When looking to buy a grill, or referring to one already owned, consumers prefer their grills to be easy to clean (63%) and simple to use (47%). All-encompassing or multifunctioning grills are also important to the consumer (37%) followed by the grill's portability (25%) and add-on possibilities (18%).

Always Keep Learning. Whether a novice cook or expert chef, there is always something new to learn when it comes to cooking outside. Consumers reveal that their top grilling techniques they would love to learn from a pro would be:

• How to tell when the food is grilled to perfection (37%).
• Best marinades for each type of meat (26%)
• How to cook something outside the box (15%)
• How pros make it look so easy (7%)
• What are the best grilling tools to use (6%)

Be Yourself. Thirty-five percent of consumers identified themselves as a traditionalist griller, someone who enjoys the tried-and-true classics. Sixteen percent viewed themselves as a confident griller, skilled and in control, followed by a bold griller who takes risks and tries new things on the grill (12%) and a time saving griller who can whip up a delicious meal with time to spare (5%).

Find the right recipe. With such a wide variety of ways to find information these days, consumers have many options when it comes to identifying the perfect recipe for their next meal cooked outdoors. With the ease and convenience of finding a recipe on their own time, consumers reveal the internet is their first choice (55%). With the click of a button, they can have all the images and reviews they need to ensure their next meal is nothing less than grilled perfection. Consumers still value getting their recipes from family members (44%) and friends (34%) for what to cook outside, but if those options still haven't aided the consumer in identifying the perfect recipe, they also turn to cookbooks (34%), TV (23%) and neighbors (15%).

2013 Barbecue Industry Trends:

This peak outdoor cooking season consumers can expect to see grills, smokers and outdoor living products in high demand. Trends that will drive sales during 2013 and beyond include:

Restaurant Quality at Home:  From making a gourmet meal to an easy pizza, consumers can get restaurant quality food right outside their back door. Grills and smokers boast traditional, simplistic appearances with modern touches and finishes that have the latest technologies from easy ignition systems to even heating distribution; anything and everything you could want for your grill system.

Grill-fully Clean: Starting the meal knowing it will end with minimal clean up makes the experience that much more enjoyable. From cooking sheets that keep the grill marks intact and the grill clean, new products are designed with easy clean-up in mind.

Outdoor Entertaining Made Easy: Today's outdoor cooking and living products and accessories make outdoor entertaining stress-free so that the host will always be at ease.  Add-ons are perfect from small backyard barbecues to large birthday gatherings.

For more great grilling tips, resources and recipes, please visit www.hpba.org

Join the conversation at "HPBA Barbecue" HPBA's official Facebook and Twitter communities: facebook.com/HPBABarbecue and twitter.com/HPBA_Barbecue

About Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), based in Arlington, Va., is the North American industry association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, representatives, service firms and allied associates for all types of hearth, barbecue and patio appliances, fuels and accessories. The association provides professional member services and industry support in education, statistics, government relations, marketing, advertising and consumer education. There are more than 2,600 members in the HPBA.

About the National Barbecue Month Consumer Poll

Survey findings are taken from a survey of 1,000+ people, conducted by the polling company™, inc., from March 11-13, 2013. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

SOURCE Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)