Tools of the Trade
Apron:
While you may think it looks a bit silly, there are many good reasons to wear an apron while cooking. Splattering sauces, flying sparks,
mistakes, and burning embers are just some of the hazards of barbequing. Wearing an apron made of sturdy cotton will deflect a lot of
hazards from the clothing you are wearing beneath it, or to your exposed skin. Barbeque aprons are available with crazy slogans that will keep
your guests entertained while they await your barbeque creations.
Oven cleaner and/or an SOS pad and a bucket full of hot soapy water:
Sometimes your barbeque just needs a good and thorough scrub.
Basting Brushes:
Brushes are essential for distributing sauces or drippings over your food. If a regular basting brush is not enough, try using a
natural fibre paintbrush. A one-and-one-half-inch trim brush seems to work best for most basting needs. For larger food items, you
may want to move up to a four-inch brush to do your basting.
Whichever type of brush you choose for basting, make sure to clean it thoroughly with soap and hot water when you're done. Store with
your other barbeque tools so it doesn't get mixed in with your paint supplies.
Meat thermometer:
Some barbeques may come equipped with temperature logo gauges or heat indicators, but your best friend when it comes to
checking the doneness of meat is still a meat thermometer. Traditionally, meat thermometers look like large spikes with a dial on top. They
are inserted directly into the meat and, as it cooks, the thermometer registers the internal temperature.
Wire brush:
Look for a long-handled wire brush to give you more leverage and make your cleaning job much easier. Also, look for
brushes that come equipped with a metal grill scraper. A metal brush will let you clean the grill while it is still hot. The longer the food stays
on there, the harder it is to get off.
Oven mitts:
The best oven mitts for barbequing are heat and fire resistant and are long enough to go part way up your arm.
A clean brush or cotton cloth and a little cooking oil/oil mister:
Use these to grease your grill up before you place food on it. This makes for an easier clean up and helps prevent food from sticking to the grids.
Vegetable basket:
A handy tool for loading up and cooking all of your veggies, smaller pieces of meat or fish. Just load up and place directly
on the grill. Look for a non-stick version to make clean up a breeze.
Flashlight:
Handy when you've got a midnight craving for barbeque. A flashlight will help you see that you're grilling a steak and not your beer can.
Cutting board:
Cutting boards are available in plastic, wood or metal. Whichever material you choose, look for a board with a trough to catch juices.
Make sure to wash the board thoroughly with soap and hot water between uses. Pores in the surface can harbor harmful bacteria. Also, if you cut
up raw meat on it before grilling, make sure you wash the board thoroughly before cutting anything else, including cooked meat, on it.
Hinged wire fish basket:
Thin baskets made of crosshatched wire are helpful when cooking an entire fish. It is possible to cook vegetables in these, but a vegetable basket
would be a better choice as it is usually larger and can better accommodate the veggies
Skewers:
Skewers let you cook small pieces of meat and vegetables at the same time. Available in either metal or bamboo, these
handy sticks make shish kebabs a snap. If you use bamboo skewers, soak them in water for half an hour before using them
on the grill. If you use metal skewers, be careful because they will get very hot. Stainless steel skewers are great because they
won't rust. These are better quality than the chrome kind, or worse, the kind with plastic handles (which could melt).
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