6 Easy Summer Kitchen Hacks for Cookouts

Make Summer cookouts easier and even more fun and relaxing with these 6 simple and totally genius Summer Kitchen Hacks for Cookouts.

Easy Summer Kitchen Hacks for Cookouts

Summer is almost here and if you want to make entertaining easier than ever, there are some great tricks you can use. Whether it's cutting watermelon or keeping drinks cold, these summer kitchen hacks will make cooking for a crowd much easier.

Be sure to share your own cookout hacks in the comments!

6 Easy Summer Kitchen Hacks for Cookouts

1. Use an Electric Carving Knife to Slice a Watermelon

Who doesn't love watermelon? Unfortunately, cutting a watermelon, especially the large ones, can be difficult. You can take all the work out of the job by using an electric carving knife. While this tool is usually reserved for the Thanksgiving turkey, it cuts through a watermelon like a hot knife through butter. A great tip for cutting watermelon for easy serving is to cut the watermelon in half lengthwise and put the halves flesh side down. Use the electric knife to then cut straight lines from one end to the other. Turn the cutting board and repeat the process. You'll end up with squares and can then pull out a piece of watermelon for easy serving.

2. Keep Burgers Moist with Ice

Grilling burgers can be tricky, and it's all too easy to end up with dry burgers. A great tip is to simply form the burger patty around an ice cube. If you want to add a bit of flavor, you can mix beef stock with steak sauce and freeze into ice cubes. As you cook the burger, you'll get a nice crust on the outside of the burger, but the inside will stay nice and moist.

3. Get the Most Juice From Lemons for Lemonade

If you're making lemonade this summer, but your lemons aren't as juicy as you would like, you can microwave them for 10 to 30 seconds to make them juicier. You can do this with any kind of citrus. It's also not just for lemonade. You can use lemons, limes, and oranges for wonderful marinades for grilled meats.

4. Cover any dishes that are sitting out.

Cover dishes that are sitting out for buffet or potluck style munching. This will keep bugs and other dust or leaves out of the food. You can make your own covers with this DIY reusable bowl cover tutorial, or you can grab some of these covers from Amazon.

5. Use kiddie pools.

Kiddie pools are super useful at cookouts. You can use them to entertain the kiddos, of course, but they're also great for food and drink chilling. As you know, food poisoning can occur from leaving out meat or dairy products, especially in the heat of Summer. To prevent this, fill a kiddie pool with ice and place items that need to stay cold in the pool. This way, everyone still has access to the food, and it's stays safe for everyone to eat! This also works with chilling beverages!

6. Freeze Juices to Keep Drinks Cold

Last, but not least, don't water down your drinks with regular ice. You can freeze juices, teas, and just about any other beverage to keep your drinks cold. For example, grab a cardboard container of pineapple juice and freeze the container. Once frozen, cut away the cardboard container and place in your serving bowl or pitcher. Add more juices in a variety of flavors for a homemade fruit punch. This is also a great tip if you're making frozen drinks. Instead of plain ice cubes, use frozen drink mix for a more flavorful delicious drink.

Summer entertaining doesn't have to be difficult. These hacks will help ensure that you have great food that will leave your guests wondering what you're tricks are. Do you have any easy Summer Kitchen Cookout hacks? Share them in the comments!

Did you like these 6 Easy Summer Kitchen Hacks for Cookouts? Find more on my Summer Days and In the Kitchen boards on Pinterest!

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