So, you're eating in way more than you're dining out these days. Don't get too down about it. Just move the action out to the balcony, patio or backyard. Pop a can of something cold, ramp up the sound on your iPod and fire up that grill. Even the grayest day on Wall Street isn't going to seem so bad when there is something juicy sizzling near your waiting plate.

You'll have plenty of company. Three out of four American households have an outdoor grill or smoker, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association.

"Consumers feel the food tastes better cooked outside," said Leslie Wheeler, the group's communications director. "It's more fun to cook outside, and it's easier to cook outside."

Having the right grill and gear for your needs can give a big boost to your outdoor dining in terms of flavor, comfort and style. Here are a few fun must-have's we found for summer grilling.

Grill light

Glowing coals may add a touch of romance to a nighttime cookout, but they don't throw much light on whatever is cooking. Get a good look at what's going on with a clip-on LED grill light from Maverick Industries. Stainless steel, battery-powered, adjustable neck. Find it at Sur La Table stores and surlatable.com for $45.

Marinade shaker

Get sauced with this fun and useful shaker from Grill Friends. Emblazoned on the shaker are recipes for high-octane marinades ranging from the "Bodacious Bloody Mary" to "The Cosmo." It holds 16 ounces with room to shake. The product was developed by Elizabeth Karmel, who began using such shakers while working on a cookbook, Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned. Order for $10 at the BBQ Pro Shop, bbqproshop.com.

Salt plate

As heavy as a marble slab, a Himalayan Salt Plate imported from Pakistan heats up as hot as stone on the grill, making it a good if unusual choice for cooking smaller or more delicate items. The plate also lends some salty flavor to food. From SaltWorks Inc. Salt slabs, bricks and rounds in various sizes are available at the vendor's Web site, saltworks.us; at Dean & Deluca stores and at deandeluca.com and at Sur La Table stores and surlatable.com.

Rolling cart

Take that grill wherever you're going with Weber's folding Q Rolling Cart. Also at Home Depot and Ace stores and at homedepot.com and acehardware.com, $50.

Electric grill

Weber-Stephen Products Co. expands its line with the sleek Weber Q 140 electric grill. Electric? Well, yes. The idea is nothing new; Weber introduced an electric grill back in 1973, but the concept quickly fizzled. The company promises this new electric model will cook food as close to a small gas grill as one can get. This electric grill could be a boon for those who live with gas or charcoal grilling restrictions. At Home Depot and Ace hardware stores and at acehardware.com and homedepot.com, for about $230.

Seven sizzling new grill books

America's Best BBQ (Andrew McMeel, $19.99), by Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk. These two Kansas City, Mo., barbecue veterans offer, as their subtitle tells you, 100 recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses and Restaurants.

Grillin' With Gas (Taunton Press, $19.95), by Fred Thompson. The North Carolina resident offers recipes for and techniques using gas grills that he says will make you forget charcoal. Clear instructions, knowing advice.

Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (Running Press, $19.95), by Gary Wiviott. The Chicago barbecue pro insists you'll be cooking "low and slow" in no time. Recipes come three ways, for kettle grills and two types of smokers.

Serious Barbecue (Hyperion, $35), by Adam Perry Lang with J.J. Goode and Amy Vogler. This New York restaurateur and award-winning 'cue champ offers ambitious recipes that stress meat quality and layers of flavor.

Soaked, Slathered & Seasoned (Wiley, $19.95), by Elizabeth Karmel. Splitting time between Chicago and New York, this chef and owner of the Grill Friends line of grilling products tells you all about marinades, rubs, sauces and mops.

Weber's Way to Grill (Sunset, $24.95), by Jamie Purviance. The California-based chef teams up again with the Weber-Stephen Product Co. to create a detailed yet glossy guide to all things grilling the Weber way. Clear, instructive photos.

Wood-Fired Cooking (Ten Speed, $27.95), by Mary Karlin. Fascinating exploration of the ancient art of wood-fired cooking with recipes and tips for the grill, fireplace and campfire from this Sonoma, Calif., cooking teacher. Stunning photos.

Recession leads cooks outdoors

Cooking outdoors is billed as lots of fun, and it surely is, but grilling, barbecuing and smoking have become serious, if delicious, ways to beat back the recession.

Americans spent $2.4 billion on grills and smokers in 2008, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, an Arlington, Va.-based trade group. Weber-Stephen Products Co. of Palatine, Ill., maker of the iconic Weber grill, reported in its annual consumer survey that 24 percent of respondents planned to spend more on grilling this year. Only 11 percent predicted they would spend less. Why the willingness to part with hard-earned cash in this economy?

"People still have to eat," said Ken D'Anastasio, the go-to guy for grills at the Atlanta-based Home Depot chain. "People are spending $200 or $300 on a grill so they can have an outdoor family experience and upgrade their home life as opposed to spending more going out once or twice for dinner."

D'Anastasio won't talk numbers but notes grill sales so far this year are doing "exceptionally well."

The barbecue association estimates 85 million American households, 8 out of 10, own a grill or smoker. And more than half of all grill owners are now grilling at least a couple of times a week, according to the survey.

"Americans love to cook outside," said Leslie Wheeler, an association spokesman. "It isn't just about cooking burgers and hot dogs. People are cooking a huge range of things."

Grills can cost from less than a hundred bucks to thousands of dollars depending on maker, size and how many extras there are. You can buy gas grills, charcoal grills, electric grills and space-age infrared grills just like the ones steakhouses use. According to the association, gas grills remain the most popular, followed by charcoal grills and electric grills.

The debate over which type does the better job with food will likely never, ever, end. Fred Thompson, author of Grillin' with Gas, insists most folks can't tell whether a "fast-cooked" item, and that's most things plonked on a grill, was done over charcoal or gas.

"I've tested gas and charcoal side by side," he said. "What I learned in writing my book is anything you can do on charcoal, you can do on gas."

Gas grills still may be tops, but there is a growing interest in smokers, covered cookers used by many barbecuers. Weber reports smoker ownership among grill owners has grown from 12 percent to 17 percent in the last four years.

Chicagoan Gary Wiviott, author of Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons, said more consumers are turning to slow-cooking, to barbecue, as a way to turn larger, cheaper cuts of meat like pork shoulder or ribs into "something smoky and delicious."

Questions to ask before buying a grill

Thinking of buying a grill? The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association suggests asking yourself these questions:

* Decide on the grill type: Charcoal, gas or electric? Determine what grill options, such as side burners, rotisseries or infrared burners you need for the foods you like to cook. Do you ace the basics or are you a gourmet griller?

* Give a nod to style. Will the grill be the focal point of your backyard or patio, or will it just be a side fixture?

* How much can you spend? Grills can range from less than $100 to thousands of dollars.

* Consider the size of the grill's cooking area. Do you grill just for the family, or do you often host larger groups?

For more buying information, check out the Web site of barbecue expert Craig Goldwyn at amazingribs.com.

Recipes

This is a recipe from Fred Thompson's Grillin' with Gas, but you could surely use a charcoal grill with minimal fuss because this quick recipe relies on direct heat. The author recommends a fruity extra-virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette.


GRILLED FENNEL AND RADICCHIO WITH ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

(Makes 8 servings)

4 medium bulbs fennel, stems and fronds removed

3 heads radicchio

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, keeping the root end intact. Cut each head of radicchio into 8 wedges, keeping the roots intact. Place the fennel and radicchio in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the garlic, orange juice, honey, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is well blended and emulsified. Drizzle half of the dressing over the fennel and radicchio; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside remaining half of the dressing.

Prepare a grill for high heat; oil the grill racks. Place the fennel on the grill; close the lid. Grill about 7 minutes per side. Add the radicchio about 2 minutes after you turn the fennel. Grill 2 minutes; turn radicchio. Grill until radicchio is slightly wilted and the fennel is soft to the touch. Transfer to a platter. Drizzle reserved dressing over vegetables.

* * *

Chef Jamie Purviance developed this recipe for Weber's Way to Grill. You'll need bamboo skewers for the shrimp. Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Panko, or Japanese, bread crumbs are coarsely textured and are available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.


VIETNAMESE-STYLE SHRIMP POPS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

(Makes 25 appetizers)

Sauce:

1 piece (1/4-inch long) ginger root, grated

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup natural peanut butter

1 tablespoon each: soy sauce, brown sugar

1 teaspoon Asian hot chili sauce

Grated zest, juice of 1 lime

Shrimp pops:

2 cloves garlic

1 pound ground pork

3/4 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking, until smooth and slightly thickened, 3 minutes. Cool. Pour into a serving bowl.

Combine all the shrimp pop ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender; pulse until mixture becomes a chunky paste. Pour the oil onto a rimmed baking sheet; brush evenly all over the surface. Shape the shrimp mixture into small ovals using two spoons; place ovals on the oiled pan, turning to coat with oil. Refrigerate shrimp until firm, 1 hour.

Prepare a grill, grill pan or broiler for high heat. Place a shrimp pop on the end of each skewer. Grill or broil until opaque and fully cooked, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

* * *

This recipe comes from Low & Slow: Mastering the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons by Gary Wiviott, with Colleen Rush. Wiviott is a Chicago barbecue expert. Use a commercially prepared spicy barbecue rub or make your own; Wiviott's book supplies a recipe.


BUTTERMILK-BRINED HOT WINGS

(Makes 10 servings)

2/3 cup spicy barbecue rub

1/3 cup each: coarse salt, brown sugar

1/4 cup each: hot red pepper sauce, warm water

5 pounds chicken wings, sectioned

2 quarts buttermilk

Add the salt, brown sugar, one-third of the rub, hot sauce and warm water in a 2-gallon food storage bag. Seal; shake. Add the wings. Pour the buttermilk into bag. Press the air out of the bag. Seal. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, turning the bag once or twice.

Prepare a grill for indirect medium heat. Drain wings; set on a baking sheet. Coat wings with remaining rub mixture. Place wings on the grill. Cook 15 minutes; turn wings. Cook until wings test done, 30 to 40 minutes, moving to cooler parts of the grill if needed.