Grill Tool Guide
The world of grill tools is ever expanding into new and unique products every month. Most of the new grill tools are just an aid for cooking a specific type of food. While these items will make your cooking a little easier, they will not improve your cooking, only your experience and techniques can do that.
The Basics:
Tongs: For turning just about anything except burgers, you can use short handles but ideally you would like them to be a minimum of 16” in length.
Spatula: Also for turning food, you can use a spatula with a short handle but ideally you would like them to be a minimum of 16” in length.
Grill Brush: For cleaning the grills cooking grids between uses, typically a wire brush with either brass or stainless steel bristles. Now you can find scrubber pad and even steaming grill brushes, refer to your grill manufacturers instructions to see which type of brush is best for you.
Instant Read Thermometer: To check your food internal temperature to ensure that it is cooked properly. This is a must have tool if you are just learning to grill, digital is easier to read but the dial types work just as well.
Charcoal Tools: These tools are not a necessity, they are just recommended.
Charcoal Chimney: Used for starting the coals without lighter fluid.
Grill Gloves: To protect your hands and forearms when handling hot coals, leather is preferred and the longer the better.
Propane Grill Tools: These tools are not a necessity, they are just recommended.
Propane Gauge: Tells you how much gas is left in your tank, we prefer the inline type to the magnets.
Smoker Box: Add wood chips to give your grilled food that campfire flavor
Chicken:
Chicken Stands: Vertically stands a whole chicken for beer can chicken, look for one that has it’s own drip pan.
Leg and Wing Racks: Holds chicken wings and or legs above the cooking surface, eliminates the need for turning.
Rotisseries: For cooking whole chickens off of the grill grids.
Grill Baskets: Will hold chicken parts so that you can turn the entire batch with one flip.
Ribs:
Rib Racks: Stands ribs vertically so that you can get more racks of ribs on your grill grates.
Sauce Mops: Holds more sauce then basting brushes for easy application.
Sauce Pots: A small pot holds the barbecue sauce and can be warmed before hand.
Flat Rotisserie Basket: Can be used to hold ribs to be cooked on your rotisserie.
Vegetables:
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
Shaker Baskets: A tight mesh, high sided grilling basket; you shake the basket to turn the food.
Grill Wok’s: Sometime shaped like a traditional wok, sometimes they are square, holes in the bottom allow the grilled flavor to come through without small items falling through your grates.
Fruits:
Grill Rings: a metal ring with a spike that will prevent a round fruit from rolling around your grill grates.
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
Hot Dogs and Sausages:
Hot Dog Rollers: These can be motorized or manual, stainless steel rollers that will turn all of the sausages at once.
Roasts:
Meat Rack: Will hold the meat above the grill grates, perfect for slipping a grip pan under.
External Thermometer: This type of thermometer will sit outside of your gill with the probe going into the roast, they can also be a remote read.
Rotisseries: For cooking the roast off of the grill grids and is self-rotating.
Hamburgers:
Hamburger Basket: Will hold multiple burgers and you can turn them all at once, available with or without removable handles.
Steaks:
Meat Hooks: Are a meat flipping tool that has a pointed edge that allows you to flip a steak with the flip of the wrist.
Grill Press: A cast iron plate that helps you sear the meat and speeds cooking times.
Branding Irons: More of a novelty then a tool allows you to burn your initials into any meat.
Fish:
Fish Basket: A basket specifically designed to hold an entire fish or large fish filets, available with or without removable handles.
Fish Spatula: A wide bladed spatula that will support the entire delicate piece of fish when removing it from your grill
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
This is a pretty comprehensive list, however more unique grilling products become available every day. It is a great guide if you are looking to upgrade your grilling tools or are looking for a grilling gift.
The Basics:
Tongs: For turning just about anything except burgers, you can use short handles but ideally you would like them to be a minimum of 16” in length.
Spatula: Also for turning food, you can use a spatula with a short handle but ideally you would like them to be a minimum of 16” in length.
Grill Brush: For cleaning the grills cooking grids between uses, typically a wire brush with either brass or stainless steel bristles. Now you can find scrubber pad and even steaming grill brushes, refer to your grill manufacturers instructions to see which type of brush is best for you.
Instant Read Thermometer: To check your food internal temperature to ensure that it is cooked properly. This is a must have tool if you are just learning to grill, digital is easier to read but the dial types work just as well.
Charcoal Tools: These tools are not a necessity, they are just recommended.
Charcoal Chimney: Used for starting the coals without lighter fluid.
Grill Gloves: To protect your hands and forearms when handling hot coals, leather is preferred and the longer the better.
Propane Grill Tools: These tools are not a necessity, they are just recommended.
Propane Gauge: Tells you how much gas is left in your tank, we prefer the inline type to the magnets.
Smoker Box: Add wood chips to give your grilled food that campfire flavor
Chicken:
Chicken Stands: Vertically stands a whole chicken for beer can chicken, look for one that has it’s own drip pan.
Leg and Wing Racks: Holds chicken wings and or legs above the cooking surface, eliminates the need for turning.
Rotisseries: For cooking whole chickens off of the grill grids.
Grill Baskets: Will hold chicken parts so that you can turn the entire batch with one flip.
Ribs:
Rib Racks: Stands ribs vertically so that you can get more racks of ribs on your grill grates.
Sauce Mops: Holds more sauce then basting brushes for easy application.
Sauce Pots: A small pot holds the barbecue sauce and can be warmed before hand.
Flat Rotisserie Basket: Can be used to hold ribs to be cooked on your rotisserie.
Vegetables:
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
Shaker Baskets: A tight mesh, high sided grilling basket; you shake the basket to turn the food.
Grill Wok’s: Sometime shaped like a traditional wok, sometimes they are square, holes in the bottom allow the grilled flavor to come through without small items falling through your grates.
Fruits:
Grill Rings: a metal ring with a spike that will prevent a round fruit from rolling around your grill grates.
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
Hot Dogs and Sausages:
Hot Dog Rollers: These can be motorized or manual, stainless steel rollers that will turn all of the sausages at once.
Roasts:
Meat Rack: Will hold the meat above the grill grates, perfect for slipping a grip pan under.
External Thermometer: This type of thermometer will sit outside of your gill with the probe going into the roast, they can also be a remote read.
Rotisseries: For cooking the roast off of the grill grids and is self-rotating.
Hamburgers:
Hamburger Basket: Will hold multiple burgers and you can turn them all at once, available with or without removable handles.
Steaks:
Meat Hooks: Are a meat flipping tool that has a pointed edge that allows you to flip a steak with the flip of the wrist.
Grill Press: A cast iron plate that helps you sear the meat and speeds cooking times.
Branding Irons: More of a novelty then a tool allows you to burn your initials into any meat.
Fish:
Fish Basket: A basket specifically designed to hold an entire fish or large fish filets, available with or without removable handles.
Fish Spatula: A wide bladed spatula that will support the entire delicate piece of fish when removing it from your grill
Grill Grids: A flat cooking sheet with small holes, prevents small foods from falling through your grills grates while allowing the grilled flavor to come through.
This is a pretty comprehensive list, however more unique grilling products become available every day. It is a great guide if you are looking to upgrade your grilling tools or are looking for a grilling gift.
