The Goods
Gather ‘round the grill, everyone, as we reveal everything you need for your best barbecues ever.
Heat-Resistant Grilling Gloves
Here’s one of those “no, duh” statements: Grills are hot. Like, really hot. Whether you’re working with a charcoal chimney, a smoker, or your average backyard grill, it’s a lot of heat to take on. A good pair of proper grilling gloves or grilling mitts will add a layer of safety to the whole process, so you can more easily handle your grilled goodies with confidence. When choosing yours, look for gloves that have long length for lower arm protection.
Skewers
All hail the mighty versatility of the skewer. There really aren’t a lot of foods that don’t work on a stick on the grill, but if we find one, we’ll let you know. Try some stainless steel ones for easy clean up, or if you’re heading to a friend’s house, the bamboo wooden ones work great too.
Pizza Peel + Pizza Stone
If you’ve ever been to one of those pizza joints with the giant wood-fired stone ovens or frankly, Italy, then you’ve definitely seen a pizza peel in action. It’s used by the pros to transport pizzas in and out of the ovens, and move the pies around for even cooking. A grill acts as a great makeshift pizza oven, due to all the heat it can trap, so it makes the perfect environment for a pizza stone. Bonus tip: A pizza peel can be used for way more than just pizza. Breads, pastries, tarts…anything large enough to outsize a spatula.
Grill Brush
A clean grill leads to better-tasting barbecue. You want a thick-thistle brush that can scrape off burnt-on debris and caked on grease. Make sure to wait until your grill is hot before you start scrubbing.
Mesh Grill Bag
Once you have one of these you’ll wonder how you ever grilled without one. Heat resistant and easy to clean, just toss whatever it is you’re trying to cook in the bag and place it on the grill. Pro-tip: We love it for chopped up veggies or fruit that need a hint of smoke.
Grilling Basket
Similar to a grill bag or a grill topper, a basket gives you even more space to get a lot on the grill at once, without risk of losing anything through the grates.
BBQ Grill Topper
If you’re cooking something on the smaller side, and you’re worried about it falling through the grill grates, this grilling tray is a life saver. It’s great for more fragile cuts of fish, or thin fruit.
Tongs
Whether you’re cooking wings, ribs, chicken breasts, drumsticks…it will always be easier with a set of tongs, especially if it’s something that needs to be rotated a lot for even cooking.
Spatula
Grilling spatulas are a bit different than your average kitchen ones. You want high-quality stainless steel that can take the heat, and weight of your grilled goods.
Now that you’ve got the tools, you’re ready for the food. Get inspired for grilling season with a collection of recipes from Metropolitan Market.