10 Must-Have BBQ Accessories For Every Home Cook

These are not the ones that come with your BBQ set. You need a set of solid 12″ stainless steel tongs from a restaurant supply store. They are cheap, reliable and also come in 6″ and 18″ for smaller jobs or when the fire is ripping hot and you need to stand back a bit!

You may think you’re a pro and have the “feel” of the perfect medium rare steak when it’s cut ½ thick, but when you get a 2″ thick bone-in ribeye on the grill or you’re smoking a whole brisket, you’ll need a good thermometer. Set your ego aside and use precision tools when cooking. The gratification of a perfectly cooked steak is far greater than that of an over/undercooked steak that was cooked by “feel” and your dining guests will thank you!

This may be the most boring item on this list, but it’s arguably the most important. If your grill isn’t clean, you’re not only contaminating your new cook with flavours from your previous one, but you need clean metal grill gates to achieve the right sear, especially when high-heat grilling. There is nothing worse than a grey steak with no sear or crust! High heat, clean grill, sear then reduce the heat to finish cooking – that’s the recipe for success. 

For those that don’t have a full-blown smoker, a metal smoking box with some wood chips is a great way to impart a touch of smoked flavour to grilled items. You’re not going to smoke a whole pork shoulder with a small grill box, but you can definitely add a new dimension of flavor to your chicken, steaks, burgers, fish and vegetables.

Not all woods are created equal. Having a selection of wood chips or chunks will allow you to play around with different flavour profiles and how they interact with different proteins and vegetables.

One of my favourite accessories for grilling/charring cut vegetables. I leave mine on the grill with the lid down to pre-heat, then toss in vegetables that have been seasoned and lightly tossed in oil. This results in charred but still crunchy vegetables that have a fantastic grilled flavor without the risk of them falling though the grill grate.

I use a standard heat gun from the hardware store to light my charcoal. It’s a quick, reliable and relatively inexpensive way to fire up the grill that saves on time and headaches.

Spend a little extra on high quality brushes so you don’t get as many bristles in your sauce or on your food. Also keep in mind when grilling you do not want brushes with synthetic or nylon bristles as they will melt and curl up if they get too close to the heat which will affect their performance.

We all know the importance of resting meat once it comes off the grill, but if you put your meat directly on a plate, cutting board or tray, the underside of your item will continue to cook. Placing your meat on a rack allows airflow all around the cut, which ensures an even rest, resulting in a better, more evenly cooked piece of meat in a shorter amount of time.

Because nothing goes with grilled meat like a crispy cold one!