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Fiscal Notes
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Grilling heats up Texas menus
Fire It Up
Summer may be over, but barbecues and cookouts in Texas are still going strong. Summer holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day bring visions of cooking dinner on the backyard grill. In 2001, for example, Americans purchased 60 million pounds of beef over the Memorial Day holiday, according to the New York-based NPD Group (NPD), which tracks consumer and retail information around the world.
With relatively warm weather year-round, many Texans grill beyond the summer. They cook meals on the grill into the fall and winter and prepare weekday meals on the grill, in addition to cooking out on weekends.
"I own a [propane] grill and a smoker, and I will crank up one or the other at least once a week," said Lesley Loper of Benbrook, Texas. "For quick meals, I'll use the propane grill. It heats up quickly and is easy to clean and maintain. But on holidays, it's a sure bet I'll use the smoker."
Grills are hot--so to speak--among the American public, with almost 15 million sold in 2005, according to the Hearth, Barbeque and Patio Association (HBPA). The 2005 total marked the seventh straight year that more than 14 million grills were sold in the U.S.
Tasty competition
More than three of every four homes in America, or 77 percent, have a grill, according to the NPD Group. During the summer, 43 percent of home-prepared meals include the grill, according to NPD.
With all of these home chefs, Texas restaurants might suffer business declines, but that's really not the case, according to Wendy Saari, director of communications for the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA). TRA has not heard any cries of despair from its restaurant members, she said.
"In the summer months, restaurants do see their customers grilling out at home more, but those people still come to restaurants when they don't want to cook," Saari said. "Restaurants that offer outdoor patio and seating areas also tend to do well in the summer."
Texas' tourist spots also help keep seats full in Texas eateries, as vacationers and tourists have to eat as well, Saari said.
Get your grill on
For the experienced griller, there are two choices for cooking: gas and charcoal. In 1995, propane grills surpassed charcoal grills in sales for the first time, according to HBPA. Texas propane means big money to the state. Each year, the state's propane industry produces almost 3.5 billion gallons of odorized propane, or about 36 percent of the U.S. total, according to HBPA. Propane must have an added odorant for use in a home. The industry employs more than 5,700 people and adds about $1.5 billion to the Texas economy.
About 5 percent, or 20 million, of the 400 million gallons of odorized propane sold in Texas goes into refillable cylinders for home grills, according to Stacie Fowler of the Texas Railroad Commission.
The quick and easy use of gas makes it the preferred choice for Erin Reat of San Antonio, but he doesn't limit his options.
"I prefer gas for grilling mainly due to the convenience, and normally I grill something at least twice a week," Reat said. "But also I plan our weekly meals around my smoker. I will sit out on a Saturday and smoke up enough meat that my wife and I can eat all week. It's much more economical that way."
Loper, who has cooked for as many as 400 people at a gathering, agreed on the tactic of smoking in bulk.
"If I am going to spend an hour getting the fire just right and then spend another four to six hours smoking a brisket or ribs, I'll fill the smoker up with meat and do as much as I can," Loper said.
He recalled a July 2006 smoking session that yielded meals for him and his extended family for weeks after.
On the menu
If Texans are involved in grilling, chances are good there's beef of some sort over the fire. Nationally, beef tops the list of favorite grillables, according to NPD. Chicken, burgers, hot dogs and pork chops follow steak as the five most grilled items.
In 1995, seafood joined the list of favorites for the first time, according to NPD. From 1995 to 2005, the number of outdoor-cooked meals that included seafood jumped 58 percent.
"I cook mostly beef and pork, with fish [after that] and chicken last," Loper said of his smoker, which he affectionately dubbed "Chug." "I would like to do more chicken. It'd probably make the cows happier."
Cookouts aren't complete without some side dishes, and corn and baked potatoes are kings of side dishes, according to NPD.
In anticipation of holidays or big weekends surrounding football games and the promise of tailgate cook-offs, local grocers will stock extra goods, in addition to the main courses of steak or chicken, according to Leslie Lockett, director of public affairs for San Antonio-based H.E.B. Grocery.
"We'll often pull together the products people are looking for with their grilling," Lockett said. "Things like red and green bell peppers, corn on the cob and Portobello mushrooms that people cook."
Have grill, will travel
Whether purchased from a retail outlet or custom made, many grills are the pride of their owners and often accompany them to gatherings, ranging from football games to family reunions. It's with that in mind that Jason Hefner, owner of Hutto-based Texas Tailgaters, builds custom grills and smokers--or pits--for his clients. Hefner, an avid fan of the University of Texas, said that's where his business started.
"I've been tailgating for 10 years and building pits for five," Hefner said. "I really enjoy cooking for people and most of my business is through word of mouth. I've had a few orders from folks that we've tailgated with."
About 30 to 40 hours is needed to make a standard, backyard pit at a cost of about $900, Hefner said. In 2006, however, the bulk of his orders have been for receiver hitch grills, which fit onto the back of a receiver hitch, like those mounted on pickups and other trucks. They can be used either while still attached to the vehicle or removed and placed on a separate stand.
The portability factor helps make the grill the center of gatherings, Hefner said.
"When it comes to the tailgate experience, everyone likes the food aspect," he said. "And again, I really enjoy cooking for people, and it's a good way to get people together."
There's truth to that, Loper said.
"There is nothing better than having "Chug" billowing sweet, white smoke while having a cold beverage and hanging out with friends," Loper said. "A grill or smoker will always add to a [gathering]. It has a way of bringing people of all walks of life together."
Clint Shields
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | Window on State Government |