Step away from the hot grill Bobby Flay! Die hard Hamptons grillers now have a new secret weapon in their entertaining arsenal — Cowboy Cauldrons, the “Ferrari” of outdoor grills. Cook on top of them, in them [make soup for 50!], or light them up as a fire pit.  All of the big chefs are using them right now; wow your Memorial Day house guests by firing up a cauldron.

Cowboy Cauldron has its roots deep in ancient and American history. From an early age, Founder and President, Mike Bertelsen, grew up in the high desert of the American West, where campfires were a part of life. A nature lover at a young age, Mike set out to develop  a fire pit that would not only function as a fire feature, but could be used as a cooking device, as well. He wanted his fire pit and grill to be portable, provide heat, give an unobstructed view of the fire, and be beautiful enough to draw crowds in a resort environment.

Friends and family were constantly asking Mike to borrow the pit he developed for camping trips, tailgating parties, even family reunions. Not wanting to have to haul his Cauldron all over the place for the rest of his life, Mike decided to make two more, only this time, he improved upon his original design. In 2008, The Cowboy Cauldron Company was formed. Two new sizes of fire pits and grills were added to the product line, as well as a collection of accessories to enhance the use of the Cauldron. Cowboy Cauldrons are still made the old-fashioned way, by hand, ensuring that each fire pit and grill will be just as unique as your next Hamptons dinner party.

www.cowboycauldron.com

Cowboy Cauldron Founder Mike Bertelsen Shares His Top 10 Tips for a Hamptons BBQ:

Mike shares with KDHamptons, “Hamptonites are a sophisticated group. As a host or hostess, you are probably pretty darn sophisticated, yourself. But by using a Cowboy Cauldron, you are setting yourself apart from the crowd. Also, get your nomenclature straight.  A Cauldron party isn’t called a Cauldron party. It’s not a barbeque, either. It’s a Burn. So here are my 10 tips for your Hamptons Burn. Used individually or in combinations of  your own, these ideas will make your events the talk of the town:

1 –     Serve something local, and grill it. Don’t get caught up in thinking that only protein gets grill treatment. Something as simple as a full head of local romaine or butter lettuce, cut in half and grilled face down, will blow people away. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and serve with a bare shaving of Parmesan cheese.

2-    South America’s most famous chef, Francis Malmann, is the world’s foremost authority on open fire cooking. His main culinary thesis is that at least one thing on any plate should be burnt. This means a little bit black. See tip # 3:

3-    Don’t turn. Seriously. People who cook on grills can’t seem to let things stay in one place. They are constantly turning food over and over and over. You have to let things being cooked over fire stay long enough to really brown. This does not mean gray! It means brown. Dark brown. Maybe even black where the metal of the grill touches. Doing this lets the chemistry of cooking work for you. Resist temptation and let things cook.

4-    Mix it up. Everybody has had steaks, dogs, & burgers. Not so with goat. Or sheep. Or Octopus. Push your culinary boundaries. There is so much good food out there – you and your guests should eat some of it.

5-    Get your guests involved. Serve kabobs or something similar where the guest gets to assemble and cook his/her own entrée. It gets everyone together around the Cauldron, and sets dinner off with everyone already together, without being called to the table, which can be a bit stuffy for summer.

6-    Pre-Burn. Start early – with the fire, that is…. Light it at least a full hour before guests arrive, and make it a big ‘ol fire of oak or some other hardwood. You want your cooking fire to be well-established early on. You don’t want to be waiting for a fire to get right when hungry guests are milling about.

7-    Libation Sensation! Noting will get a party off to a quicker start than a truly great drink or three to kick things off. If you are a bartending whiz, you can display your prowess. If not, try a few recipes in advance, then have pitchers of something truly magnificent at the ready. Serve them in nice glassware, too. The red Dixie cup is for someone else’s party.

8-    Take it to the streets, (or the beach, or somewhere else interesting). Cauldrons can be moved around easily. And they draw a huge amount of attention. Rather than another backyard event, go somewhere cool and set up. Your guests will be feel like they are the coolest of the cool when throngs of passersby look enviously upon them – AT YOUR PARTY!!

9-    Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble. Put the fire underneath your Cauldron! You can make soup, do a clambake, boil lobsters, serve crawfish, or whatever. You are only limited by your imagination. Serving up dinner from the steaming Cauldron will be something people remember for a long, long time.

10-    Cook on a Spit. It’s easy. Really, truly, easy. Don’t get caught up in thinking that you have to do a whole pig, either. Duck, goose, flank steak, and any number of other small things cook easily on a spit. You, as the spitmaster, will be regarded as some kind of culinary demi-god. Just don’t let anyone else know it’s bonehead simple.

Cowboy Cauldron recently launched ‘The Dude’ which is the smallest, most accessibly priced cauldron; perfect for a smaller BBQ ($895)

* The Urban Cowboy-$1,395-2,105
* The Wrangler-$1,995-2,655
* The Ranch Boss-$2,995-$3,825

Cauldrons can be purchased online:
www.cowboycauldron.com and if you are in Utah, check out their showroom.