My Go-To Grill Gear
During my years tending to the flame, I've amassed quite a collection of grill tools and accessories. A lot of them just collect dust, but there are some that I can't live without. Here is my go-to gear that I use every time I light up.
This is the biggest grill brush I could find. It's huge and I love it. It cleans my grill much faster than any other grill brush I've used. As an added bonus, the bristles have lasted two years with no sign of wearing out. The handle is plastic, not wood, so it'll never get slimy and moldy.
Weber Style Stainless-Steel Tool Set
I can't praise this set enough. They're dishwasher safe and have rubber-backed handles that provide a secure grip. The spatula has a very thin lip so it gets under the meat easily. The tongs are perfectly angled, sturdy, lockable, and don't have those sharp edges that can puncture steaks. And look at them--they're gorgeous!
This is the best chimney starter on the market. It has the perfect amount of ventilation so your fire stays lit and the briquettes get hot fast. I've tried others and they're not even in the same league. You'd be better off cutting holes in an old coffee can. I use my non-Weber chimney starter to hold the newspapers. That's all it's good for.
--Spanno
Smitch on June 10, 2009 at 05:15 PM
What? I KNOW your new branding iron is your top tool. Don't be afraid to say so.
Mama T on June 10, 2009 at 08:36 PM
Awesome ideas to keep in mind when we get our outside patio/living area done. It's on the back burner though, but "maybe next year". Right now, we're trying to figure out how to pay for our son's college education after he's lost his job at Circuit City when they closed. He is among thousands of college kids looking for a new job. The news today was terribly depressing. No one, not even temp. agencies are taking applications. So, like I said, "maybe next year, or the year after".
DBinSD on June 11, 2009 at 04:08 PM
Good BBQ tool advice. But some advice in return: throw that BBQ fork in the garbage, or use it as part of a turkey carving set. Anyone who's puncturing steaks with a fork is doing it wrong.
Spanno on June 11, 2009 at 05:23 PM
DBinSD- That's why I didn't mention the fork.
--Spanno
Pavel on June 11, 2009 at 08:18 PM
The only tool you have there that I can agree with is the brush. Though, I have the Weber stainless and teak brush with the changable head that I quite like.
The tool set is... well, mostly useless. I agree with your assessment of the fork. Most good grillers know that is for marshmallows and nothing else. The spatula is for scrapping really stubborn "gunk" off the grill. The tool you use, the most useful tool, is the tongs. Those Weber tongs are mediocre at best. They only meet at the very tip. So if you have large, very tender steak they can easily tear it to steak strips.
I take a cheap set of stainless wire tongs and reshape them on the anvil till the entire "grip face" meets. This gives you a strong gripping tong with a "gentle mouth" Is also a tool easier to turn baskets of fish or burgers.