The Meatwave

Less than a week until the Meatwave season starts up! My excitement level is about to burst as my mind swirls with thoughts of the waves of meat that are about to hit, and all the deliciousness they will surely bring. Thinking about it made me start thinking about you, and although I provide some excellent recipes to feed your hungry bellies, I've never mentioned the tools to make that happen. So without further ado, I present another installment of Meat Tips, this time focusing on the gear needed to get your meat grilling right.

Chimney Starter

To grill, first you need fire. To get that fire going you must never use that nasty, nasty lighter fluid that takes forever to burn off and leaves food tasting like the exhaust of chemical plant. All that's needed to get the job done right every time is a chimney starter.

Bunch up some newspaper in the bottom, then pour the charcoal on top, light the paper and you'll have a fire ready to grill in about 15-20 minutes without fail and using no chemicals. I'm quite fond of this Weber model, which has a large charcoal capacity and is sturdy enough to keep lighting fires for years on end.

Welding Gloves

Fire's hot, so you need some protection, which is where these welding gloves come to your aid. After years of constantly replacing grilling mitts—which can't always hold up to the high heat of the grill—I've made the switch to welding gloves, which are made to handle some extreme temperatures. Affording more dexterity than mitts and giving better heat protection, a good pair is something every griller needs. I use a pair like these 16" Leather Forge Welding Gloves, which provides some nice added heat protection almost up to my elbows, letting me really get in there and work the grill with no worries.

Grill Brush

With proper protection, it's time to jump into the heat and clean off that dirty grilling grate with a strong and sturdy grill brush. It took me a really long time to find the best grill brush, and like the gloves I use, the one that works best is built first for welding. This welding brush is superior to any brush marketed towards grilling uses with much sturdier bristles that don't fall off and do the job of scrubbing off stuck on food really well.

Grill Thermometer

With a clean grate, it's time to throw down some meat, right? Well, it'd be best to know the temperature of your grill first. Even though you can get a good reading of a fire's temperature using your hand, for barbecue and indirect cooking, I've found a grill thermometer indispensable. With a range from 150-550 degrees, it's perfect for keeping an eye on the grill's temperature—knowing exactly when it's time to get the meat going or when the fire's dying and needs replenishing. I've always used the Weber replacement grill thermometer and have no qualms with it. Cheap and effective, it just needs the occasional cleaning to keep reading accurately. If your grill doesn't have a space for a thermometer like mine, you can simply drop it in the top air vent and you'll be good to go.

Tongs

The grill's clean and at the right temperature, alas, it's time to add the meat! Getting meat on and off the grill is simple with the perfect set of tongs. I recommend investing in two pairs of tongs, since two are often needed for those heavier cuts of meat. I also like having at least one long pair—allowing you to work a safe distance from the fire—and a shorter pair—letting you get in closer when needed. The OXO line of tongs have stood up for years on my grill, and the locking mechanism is incredibly handy.

Basting Brush

While the meat's on the grill, it's often nice to add some flavor in the form of a sauce or mop, for which you'll need a basting brush. Like the tongs, I always like to have two different sizes of basting brushes, equipping me for the larger and smaller tasks. Since a lot of grilling recipes have you brushing on liquids while cooking, I think you'll be at a bit of a loss without some good brushes—the best being the silicone models which making cleaning the brushes a cinch—the ones above have been used for years and they're still looking brand new!

Instant Read Thermometer

Meat's been cooking and has been brushed with a tasty sauce, but is it done yet? The most surefire way of knowing is getting an instant-read thermometer. There's no better around than the Thermapen, which takes highly accurate readings in seconds.

Probe Thermometer

I rely mainly on my instant-read thermometer, but use probe thermometers often as well. Offering the ability to continually monitor the temperature of the food and/or the grill, they take the guess work out of how everything is cooking. The Thermoworks Smoke model offers a dual channel and remote monitor, so you don't have to be next to the grill to keep an eye on things. If you own a smoker, the UltraQ from the BBQ Guru not only can monitor three meats plus the pit at once, but also hook up to a fan to keep the temperature in the smoker always on point as well as control and record everything through the cloud.

Fire Extinguisher

Lastly, the most useless and useful of all the grilling gear, a fire extinguisher. Chances are, this will never see any action, but it's best to have one nearby in case the unthinkable happens. At my old apartment, I had a nosy neighbor who was absolutely convinced I was destined to burn down the neighborhood each time I grilled. Although in her whacked out mind—where the smell of barbecue incites fear rather than droll—the presence of a multi-purpose fire extinguisher didn't quite put her at ease, but it did for me, and that's all that matters.

Now armed with all the right gear, it's time for you to take your meat to flames and enjoy the summer ahead. I, for one, cannot wait. Even though I grill all year, these last six days before the Meatwave starts are excruciating—just sitting in anticipation to share the meat with everybody else. So close, yet so far...but until then, I wish you all happy grilling.

Published on Mon May 10, 2010 by Joshua Bousel

You Might Also Like

How to Clean and Keep Your Grill in Top Condition

How to Smoke Ribs, Chicken, Pork, and Beef on a Charcoal Kettle Grill

Choosing the Best Cuts of Meat for Kabobs