Grilling Essentials

Grilling accessories can really add flair to your cooking experience and with so many to choose, which are the most important. When you’re planning the perfect BBQ, you always want to make sure that you have the right tools on hand. Here’s a look at some of the best utensils that you can add to your BBQ arsenal to help the ease of your cooking and the quality of your food.

Grill Brush

This one may seem like a no brainer, but you have to have a grill brush. Before you ever put any of that gorgeous meat or those delicious vegetables on the grill, think about cleaning it off from the last round. If you've never cleaned your grill, you'd be surprised at how much of a difference it will make to the taste of your food. The best time to clean it is when it's completely cooled after you finished cooking, otherwise you will melt the bristles. If you forgot (or just didn't know) go ahead and start your fire a bit early, then give it a good scrubbing with a wire grill brush before you slap those steaks on. Head down any BBQ accessories aisle, and you'll find many choices to meet your needs.

Skewers

If you're ready to take your food up to the next level, these skewers are the perfect way to go. From mouth-watering choices like Indonesian Sate to more traditional options like Ham and Pineapple Kabobs, skewers are the only way to cook many different dishes on your grill. You can choose from disposable bamboo ones, metal choices, or even flexible, reusable skewers to help you do a bit more, no matter what the size of your grill is.

Gloves

BBQ accessories are either designed to make grilling easier or to keep you safe, and these certainly fall into the latter category. After all, the goal is to cook the food, not your hands. There are many different kinds of gloves out there to meet your needs, too, so you shouldn't have any trouble selecting the right ones to do the job. Choose from insulated rubber ones that will help you pull or shred meat right off the grill or heavy leather selections that will enable you to grab hot grill grates any time it becomes necessary. Just make certain you select the right ones for the job. BBQ accessories come in many shapes and sizes, but unlike other accessory-type purchases, many of these are absolutely necessary for a good grill experience.

Grilling Tongs

Tongs are one of the most essential grilling utensils. Grilling tongs have a longer body length, which keeps your hands far from the heat while allowing you to turn the different pieces of meat of vegetables with ease. Some tongs now include a temperature prong to accurately measure the internal temperature of your meat ensuring that perfectly cooked meal.

Meat Handlers

For those of you who want to create the most tender pulled pork, meat handlers are a great utensil to have in your BBQ arsenal. These two, heat-resistant, utensils help pull and shred your pork perfectly and also help you transfer the meat to the plates of your guests with ease.

Marinade Injector

If you are a lover of marinades, increase their potential through the use of a marinade injector. This spiky device is plunged into the meat, creating holes that prepare the meat to better soak up both wet and dry marinade. These are great to keep your meats flavorful and juicy.

Grill Fork

A grill fork is a special grill utensil that aids in your placement and flipping of your meat. The extra long handle protects your hands from the heat while the sharp fork easily pierces the meat, giving you full control over its motions.

Silicone Basting Brush

A basting brush allows you to brush your meat and vegetables with the marinades that you have prepared. A silicone brush will last longer than a normal brush, cleans-up easier, and will remain odor-free.

Thermometer

Thermometers allow you to monitor the temperature of your meat, making sure that you get your meat to your desired level. It all lets you know if your meat is cooking evenly, allowing you to either adjust the heat or the position of your meat on the grill.

Meat Cleaver

If you like cooking full pieces of meat (such as whole chickens) or ribs, then it is important to keep a meat cleaver in your tool kit. A cleaver will let you hack through the bones of the meat without any issues.

Wide Spatula

Make sure that you get an extra wide, stainless steel spatula to use on your grill. The sharp edge will allow you to slide easily under a piece of meat and the size will make sure that the full piece of meat gets picked up with ease. Also look for a spatula with holes or perforations in order to keep your food from getting soggy.

When you’re planning the perfect BBQ, you always want to make sure that you have the right tools on hand. Here’s a look at some of the best accessories that you can pair with your BBQ to help your food be amazing.

Chimney Starters

If you have a charcoal BBQ, decrease the amount of time you spend trying to get it lit with a chimney starter. Simply stuff the starter with kindling (such as old newspapers) and a layer of briquettes before lighting it. The starter helps heat up the coals to read hot in a matter of minutes.

Grilling Baskets

Grilling baskets (sometimes known as hamburger baskets) are great for food that has a tendency to stick to the grill – as well as for those who suffer with flipping anxiety. You simply place the food inside the basket and then, at the appropriate time, you flip the entire basket over. This allows you to cook multiple burgers or other food perfectly even, and prevents you from having to attack your grill with your spatula in an effort to scrape it off the BBQ in one piece.

Smoke Guns

For those of you who have electric or gas grills, one of the things that can be missing from your meat is that traditional smoky BBQ flavor. Smoke guns allow you to infuse your meat with that flavor without having to use a charcoal grill or a smoker. Simply shoot your meat or vegetables with a zap of cold smoke and enjoy that woody flavor.

Smoking Sheets

Another great way to add a smoky flavor to your food – especially to your fish – is through the use of smoking sheets. Simply soak the sheet in water, wrap the sheet around your piece of fish (tying it with twine) and then set on the grill. The wood from the sheet (like cedar, for example) is transferred to the fish through the cooking process.

Pizza Grill Pan

Expand your BBQ possibilities by adding a pizza grill pan to your pile of accessories. The holes in the bottom of the pan keeps the crust crisp while allowing the smoke flavor to come through.

Grill Wok

Another great way to open up your world of BBQ is to cook with a grill wok. The high sides of the wok allows you to stir fry your vegetables, meat, and seafood on the grill without worry of anything spilling over the sides.

LED Grill Light

If you like to grill after the sun goes down, an LED light is a great option. Weather resistant, the LED lights can offer you several different areas of light on the grill, allowing you to properly see your meat and vegetables.

Rotisserie Kit

Adding a Rotisserie to your grill will bring that great rotisserie chicken you get at the supermarket to your outdoor grill. You can expand on the traditional flavors by adding injectable marinades to your chicken or roast.