By Clyde Noel

Town Crier Correspondent

Remember when you fired up the charcoal, had a couple of drinks and told a few tall tales until the coals were just right? Then you threw on some steaks and hot dogs for the kids. That was before barbecue gas grills.

Backyard chefs aren’t happy with a hamburger on a bun anymore. They want an outdoor cooking center in the backyard. A new home improvement center includes dry smokers, water smokers, side burners, warmer shelves, rib racks and rotisseries.

Lalla Carsten, owner of Greggs’ Bouchers’ Appliance, said backyard chefs today spend thousands of dollars on multipurpose grills that can cook steaks for two or a smoked turkey for 22.

According to the Barbecue Industry Association, in 1987 there were 1.4 billion barbecues in the United States, and at last tally (in 1999) there were more than 3 billion and 77 percent of U.S. families owned some kind of grill.

“More people want to barbecue,” Carsten said. “As they learn, they want to do more things and there are so many options that can come with a grill. Today, backyard chefs want cooking grids, swing-up tables and warming ovens. They want an outdoor kitchen where they can prepare an elaborate meal in the great outdoors from hors d’oeuvres to desserts - and in designer colors.”

Here are some of the hottest trends:

Stainless steel: Almost every manufacturer has a stainless steel grill this year. They are handsome, tough and convenient to clean.

Side burners: Usually built into side tables, these burners can be used to warm a pot of beans, simmer a sauce or heat water for corn on the cob.

Delicate-food grids: Either an accessory or a built in, delicate-food grids are flat porcelain trays with small holes in them. They are used to cook delicate foods, such as shrimp, scallops, mushrooms and chopped onions.

Water smokers and dry smokers: Both allow smoke or other flavors to penetrate deep into meats and tenderize prime cuts.

Greggs’ Bouchers’ Appliance carries two national brands, Viking and Thermador. The grills come in different sizes - a 30″ grill with two burners and a 36″ grill with three burners and a smoker. A wok can be put on as a side burner.

According to Carsten, Thermador has the best grill because it leaves the best sear mark, but they are both fabulous to cook on.

“I have a grill at home and I cook on it five times a week,” Carsten said. “As a working person with little time to waste, I barbecue through rain, sleet or snow. There is no clean-up because there are no oils or grease. You push the button and it’s on.”

The price of an outdoor cooking center ultimately depends on the type and number of accessories you add. Prices range from $500 for a simple grill unit to over $30,000 for a complete gourmet outdoor kitchen. Floor models in Greggs’ Bouchers’ Appliance start at $2,250.

“With this kind of investment, most grill meisters want to get their money’s worth. More than half of all grill owners cook out at least once a week and cook outdoors all year round,” Carsten said.

In this new world of barbecuing with a grill, some things never change. Men are still more likely to do the actual barbecuing - but women still tell them when to do it and what to cook.