Weber's Girls' Guide to Grilling(TM) Promotes Easy Escape from the Indoor Kitchen

PALATINE, Ill., May 23 /-- According to primary, third-party research conducted for the annual Weber GrillWatch Survey(TM), the number of outdoor female grillers is up 20 percent from just a few years ago. In fact, it seems that males aren't dominating backyard cooking as much as they used to: The Survey also shows that while men alone wield the tongs 48 percent of the time and women alone are at 23 percent -- 30 percent of households share the grilling duties among both sexes.

As the ranks of female grillers continue to swell, Weber Grills is reissuing its popular Weber's Girls Guide to Grilling, a soup-to-nuts (or more appropriately, a sizzle-to-smoke) how-to guide for women who want to share in the fun -- and terrific taste -- of outdoor cooking. This free guide features:

   -- Basics, such as "How a Grill Works," choosing gas versus charcoal, and
      starting the grill up for the fire
   -- "The Art of Accessorizing -- the important "must have" items to have
      in your grilling toolbox
   -- "Practicing Safe Sizzle" and the very important "Direct" versus
      "Indirect" cooking methods
   -- "Eight Easy Steps to Grilling Greatness" -- a Grilling 101 guide
   -- And, recipes for simple yet tasty main dishes, two great marinades, a
      tangy barbecue sauce and a fantastic rub

Weber's Girls' Guide to Grilling also has an inspiring introduction by Jennifer Bushman, television personality, author of the best-selling Kitchen Coach(TM) series of books, and owner of the famed Nothing To It! Culinary Center in Reno, Nevada. Bushman says that among the 4,000-plus people she has taught in her grilling classes across the country, the number of female attendees have more than doubled during the last three years.

"Most women are pleasantly surprised by how easy and fun outdoor grilling can be," says Bushman. "Think about it ... you come home from work and instead of doing a lot of prep work to roast, bake or fry in a hot kitchen, you can sprinkle a couple of seasonings and put some olive oil on any meat, choose some vegetables, then toss them on the grill. For some extra pizzazz, you can also grill fruit such as pineapple, bananas, or peaches."

Bushman adds, "The number one reason people grill their food outside is because they say it tastes better -- grilling adds that wonderful caramelization and smokiness to food. And, in many cases, it actually helps reduce fat. Why not grill on weeknights when you're stretched for time and want to get a delicious and healthy meal on the table for your family or for yourself? Another plus is that grilling is convenient, because it makes for easy clean-up."

Weber's Girls Guide to Grilling is available free to consumers by calling the Weber Grill-Line(SM) at 1-800-GRILL-OUT(R). The Weber Grill-Line, the nation's only year-round*, 24/7 toll-free grilling information hotline, is staffed by Weber CBEs -- Certified Barbecue Experts(TM) -- who are trained to answer questions about grills and grilling, provide recipe suggestions, and share meal-planning ideas.

Weber-Stephen Products Co., headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the premier manufacturer of charcoal and gas grills and accessories. In 1952, founder George Stephen designed the Weber(R) kettle with a lid that allows outdoor cooks to grill in all kinds of weather. A family-owned business for more than 50 years, Weber has grown to be a leading exporter of outdoor grills worldwide. Weber charcoal and gas grills are available at select home centers, hardware stores, department stores, patio stores, and other retail outlets. Weber has the strongest consumer outreach program in the industry with its all-year, round-the-clock Weber Grill-Line(SM) (1-800-GRILL-OUT(R)); the semi- annual grilling newsletter The Grill Out(R) Times for Weber owners who register their grill; and a content-rich website with grilling tips, techniques, and more than 200 original Weber recipes. For more information on other Weber products and to find a Weber dealer near you, visit http://www.weber.com/ .

* The Weber Grill-Line is closed on Christmas.

Source: Weber-Stephen Products Co.

CONTACT: Sherry L. Bale, +1-224-836-2724, sbale@weberstephen.com , or
Kim Durk, +1-773-278-5116, kimdurk@peoplepc.com , both for Weber-Stephen
Products Co.

Web site: http://www.weber.com/