As Denver’s Best BBQ, GQue BBQ understands the importance of having the knowledge and cooking prowess to create championship BBQ (we still learn new BBQ methods all the time). But having the right tools and utensils is equally important to a productive BBQ experience. Here are a few essential BBQ tools that will accelerate your BBQ learning process, and keep you safe around the hot fires of the grill.
Grill Brush
If you’re looking to continue your BBQ adventures well into the future, you’ll need to keep your grill grates clean and free of meaty debris. A grill brush will keep your grilling healthy, and increase the lifespan of your grill. For the best results, heat up your grill for 10 or 15 minutes to loosen up grill grate residue, then carefully run your grill brush over your grates to scrape things clean.
Grill Gloves / Mitts
Grill gloves or mitts are an incredibly important component of BBQ safety, keeping your hands and wrists free of burns. But these aren’t your grandma’s oven mitts that she used to whip up chocolate chip cookies. For the world of BBQ, choose some industrial-grade, char-guarded mitts so you’re prepared for the hottest heat that a BBQ grill throws your way.
Chimney Starter
When it comes to world-class BBQ flavor profiles, you’re looking for sweet, spicy sauces and juicy, flavorful meats—not the sour taste of lighter fluid. This is where a chimney starter can help. Use this tool to start up your BBQ coals with little to no lighter fluid, and your BBQ flavors will be better than ever.
Long-Handled Spatula
The spatula is the magic wand of burger chef—and trust me, you’ll be using your BBQ grill to make burgers at some point. Opt for the long-handled spatula in this instance; there’s nothing worse than going in close to flip a burger and getting doused with some boiling meat juice. The added reach of the long-handled spatula will keep you safe in just about any BBQ situation.
Long-Handled Tongs
Tongs are a quintessential cooking utensil regardless of your interest in BBQ cooking. They give you more grip and control over your food than a spatula, and allow you to pull things off your grill and onto your plate without a mess or a mishap. Plus, the long handle will once again keep your hands and arms safely away from the fire.
A tip from the pros: Having a useful tool like this does not give you permission to fiddle around with your meat as it’s cooking on the grill. Flip your meat if you need to, and let the fiery inferno of your BBQ do the rest of the work.
Bear Claws
Bear Claws are a crucial for anyone looking to whip up some brisket or pulled pork sandwiches. Give your meat a few slices with these bad boys, and wow your BBQ dinner guests with a perfectly shredded meat meal.
Apron
BBQ can be a messy, saucy business, so prepare accordingly with something that will protect your clothes from turbulent grease, BBQ sauce, and food particles. The larger your BBQ cookout, the more heavy-duty of an apron you’ll need, so shop around for something that will cover you for many BBQ adventures to come.
Skewers
Skewers (or kebabs) are a great way to combine interesting flavors on the grill, and their interesting presentation will wow your BBQ dinner guests. If you’re unsure if you’ll use skewers a lot, buy some wooden skewers at the grocery store and soak them in water for 30 minutes before your throw them on the grill (they’ll catch on fire otherwise). Once you’re a skewer professional, purchase a sturdier set of metal skewers that will suit any shish kebab shenanigans.
Meat Thermometer
Unless you have a telepathic connection with your BBQ, you’re going to need a meat thermometer. This allows to check that the inside of meat is safe to eat (this will come in handy as a rookie in the pitmaster profession) and will ensure consistency throughout all of your BBQ meals.
Fire Extinguisher
Sorry to ruin the mood, but safety is the most important component of any cooking ventures, especially if you’re relatively inexperienced. Grilling can go wrong very quickly, so keep a fire extinguisher around so you don’t accidentally BBQ anything you’re not supposed to.
Garbage Can
You’re going to need one of these on hand to discard any fallen meat pieces, aluminum foil strips, food packaging, and everything that needs to be tossed during your BBQ grilling. A clean and organized grilling workspace will make BBQing easier, too.
Basting Brush
Basting BrushMeat, and food in general, is usually much tastier when it’s dipped, doused, coated, and covered in additional flavors. Use a basting brush to add spices or glazes to your meats, which will help your meat retain moisture and flavor.
Your Friends
Friends are the most important part of the BBQ experience. After all, what’s the point of becoming a world-class BBQ pitmaster or grillmaster if you’re not going to share your talents with the world?
Food is love, so don’t keep the love all to yourself. Get out there, cook some excellent meat, and share it with the best people in your life. Don’t don’t forget to leave a heaping helping for yourself when you’re done cooking.
