Don't Just Build It. Cook In It. | Outdoor Kitchen Grills in Phoenix
A backyard cookout with Chef Benjamin at Over the Fire BBQ Supply
At Botanist, we spend our days designing outdoor kitchens: the islands, the counters, the shade and the flow that turn a backyard into the place everyone wants to be. But a great outdoor kitchen in Phoenix isn't finished when the last stone is set. It's finished the first time someone fires up the grill and the family comes outside.
So we spent an afternoon with our friends at Over the Fire BBQ Supply in north Phoenix, where Chef Benjamin cooked a full spread from start to finish and answered the questions we hear from homeowners all the time.
"Our home is your home"
Before the first burner was lit, Benjamin and Marty Martinez of Design by Marty talked about why
Over the Fire runs free cooking classes on Saturdays, about twice a month.
Their reasoning hit close to home for us. As they put it, there are tons of great smokers, grills and outdoor kitchens out there, but some people build a beautiful outdoor kitchen and then never use the equipment. The classes exist to change that: rotisserie, prime rib, brisket, pork shoulders, ribs.
If it goes on a smoker or grill, they'll teach a class on it.
And then the line that sums up why we do what we do:
"That's why we are building outdoor kitchens. You're building a spot for friends and family to get together, create memories, be with each other… so put down the phones."
What's on the menu
Everything was served on one plate:
Griddled shrimp medley with corn, red onion and jalapeños, seared in ají amarillo butter from High Desert Provisions Co.
Reverse-seared tri-tip from Capital Farms, a Corriente beef ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona
Mexican-style loaded baked potato, opened up and filled with the shrimp mixture
House-made chimichurri over everything
The griddle: a fast, even sear
The shrimp went on a 36-inch Camp Chef Gridiron griddle. Benjamin calls it "super easy to use" with an easy setup, and says it "runs a little bit truer" than other popular flat-tops. A griddle shines for anything small, saucy or delicate (shrimp, vegetables, smash burgers) that would fall through a grate.
Do you have to be a chef to own an outdoor kitchen grill like this in Phoenix?
This was the question we were most curious about, because it's the one homeowners ask us when they're deciding whether an outdoor kitchen is "for them." Benjamin's answer:
"A lot of cooking comes from passion… You don't have to be a crazy trained chef or have years of experience. If you're willing to learn, it'll come natural to you."
He grew up the youngest boy in a big family where great food was what brought everyone together.
His classes mix people who have been smoking meat for 40 years with people who bought their first smoker two weeks ago. The common thread is wanting to learn.
The reverse sear, explained
The star of the plate was tri-tip, cooked with a reverse sear. Here's the method, straight from the video:
Low and slow first. Season the tri-tip and cook it over indirect heat, slowly raising the internal temperature.
Pull it early. Take it off at about 128°F.
Sear hot. Get a charcoal grill ripping hot. Benjamin used a PK Grill. Give the meat a light coat of duck fat spray or beef tallow ("fat is flavor"), then sear for a hard crust.
Finish medium rare. Aim for a final 135–137°F.
For crosshatch grill marks, he turns each piece about 90 degrees roughly halfway through each side.
The seasoning is what Over the Fire calls its steak trio: three separate rubs layered together, including their own Brisket & Steak Rub. Benjamin credits Kelly McCarrel and Kris Wood for spending days dialing it in with him. Still, he's the first to say there's no single right way to cook a steak: "Everyone has their own different style." That's half the fun of meeting people at a class.
What's on the showroom floor
We also asked what Over the Fire carries. Benjamin's go-to is Yoder Smokers: pellet grills that can sear over live fire for real wood-fired flavor. They're made in America and built to order, and each one has a serial number on the front showing when it was "born." Some of the gas grills they carry come with built-in sear zones for a serious crust on steaks and tri-tips. You can browse their grills and smokers online, but it's worth seeing them in person.
Why this matters for your backyard
Every one of these grills deserves a space that's built around how you actually cook: enough counter to prep and plate, a smart spot for the smoker, shade for the cook, and room for everyone to gather close by. That's where we come in.
If you're dreaming up an outdoor kitchen, start with our Complete Guide to Designing an Outdoor Living Space in Arizona, sketch your layout with the Outdoor Room Planner, or browse our recent projects for inspiration.
Ready to build a backyard you'll actually cook in? Request a free consultation and let's design it together.
Visit Over the Fire BBQ Supply
Over the Fire BBQ Supply 21443 N 23rd Ave, Suite 2, Phoenix, AZ 85027 (602) 345-1659 Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM (closed Sunday and Monday) Free cooking classes on Saturdays
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