As people get engaged in the questions of which smoker to buy and what kind of charcoal to prepare food with, they often forget that they ought to analyze the necessary accessories.
Now, why is it essential to invest in the accessories that are the best fit for your grill and/or smoker? Firstly, the right accessories make it easier for you to cool. And secondly, such accessories are likely to improve the quality of your BBQ.
The following section will discuss the must-have accessories for owning a grill and/or a smoker.
The 15 Essential Grill And Smoker Accessories
Contents
Following is a list of tools that are a necessity for you if you plan on religiously using your grill and/or smoker:
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A Quality Wireless Meat Thermometer
If you are someone who would cook his/her BBQ on slow heat, a wireless meat thermometer is a must for you. Although there are smokers out there which have a built-in thermometer usually made out of a lid, they give inappropriate readings at most times.
Therefore, the best option for you is to purchase a dual probe BBQ thermometer that not only measures the temperature of your meat but also provides a measure of the temperature inside your cooker. You should prefer a wireless thermometer because it will be way easier to operate. Note that you must ensure a constant temperature whenever you wish to cook low and slow.
Our pick: Thermoworks Smoke
The Thermoworks Smoke has been manufactured taking into consideration the professional BBQ teams. The transmitter and the receiver tend to be sturdy and can tolerate some splashes or drops.
With a large LCD screen, you can easily read the temperatures using Smoke. The setup of the thermometer in itself is a piece of cake. The probes of this thermometer are precise and extremely fast. Therefore, you can rely on this one for accurate temperature readings.
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Heat-Resistant BBQ Gloves
The primary objective of cooking using a bbq smoker or a grill is to enjoy a delicious BBQ. And then comes the objective of avoiding burning your hands.
You will definitely experience hot sparks if you smoke with bare hands. It is, therefore, a compulsion to use heat-resistant BBQ gloves to protect your hands when dealing with charcoal. The gloves also play an important role in turning food without causing any harm to the bark that you dedicatedly work towards achieving.
Our pick: Grill Heat Aid Extreme Heat Resistant Gloves
The Grill Heat Aid Extreme Heat Resistant Gloves have the potential to guard your hands against burning even at a temperature as high as 932 degrees Fahrenheit. These gloves are available in several sizes. One of these comes with a more extended cuff to provide added protection when you are operating a hot grill.
With an added layer of Pera & Meda aramid fibers, these gloves protect against high heat levels. At the same time, the silicone strips assure a firm grip with utmost safety and confidence. However, if there is any wetness, the heat resistance of the gloves will decrease.
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A BBQ Grill Brush
Nobody wants to ruin their expensive grill just because they couldn’t purchase a $10 brush to clean it. You must practice cleaning your grill with a brush after every use to keep your grill intact.
- Once you are done cooking, crank the grill temperature for about 10 minutes. Then using a grill brush, clean your grill at this point when the meaty gunk is still fresh.
- Before you cook on your grill, remove the inside grate and clean it properly with water until your grill or smoker reaches the desired temperature.
- Now position the grate back in your smoker or grill and allow it to get properly hot before putting anything on it.
This will help you ensure that there is no gunk left behind that might contaminate your next round of cooked food.
Our pick: Kona Bristle Free Barbecue Brush
With the Kona Bristle Free Barbecue Brush, you don’t have to worry about anything contaminated ruining your food. This bristle comes with an 18” long handle that enables you to distance your hand from the grill when you are giving your grill a thorough clean.
The scrubbing surface is 6” wide, enabling you to get the gunk off your grill. The overall construction of the Kona Bristle Free Barbecue Brush is very strong and has the capability to reach even the areas at extreme locations on a grill. You can safely use this brush on porcelain, stainless steel, carbon steel, and cast iron grills.
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Sturdy BBQ Tongs
A good pair of BBQ tongs is necessary if you don’t want to burn your hands. If you plan on becoming a pro, you should consider investing in two pairs of tongs. One of these will help you to move around the grill, and the other will help you to move the charcoal.
Our pick: GRILLHOGS 16″ Barbecue Grill Tongs
The GRILL HOGS 16″ Barbecue Grill Tongs have impressive clamping strength. The 16” ensures that your hands are farther away from the heat. The oak wood handle with damage-resistant properties allows you to get hold of almost anything. The locking features of this grill allow you to maximize the space for grill accessories.
However, the only demerit of these tongs is that the wood handles will likely get somehow slick.
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An Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
Although we’ve already discussed the importance of a meat thermometer, an instant-read meat thermometer differs. It has a distinct purpose. An instant-read thermometer is necessary for grilling, particularly when cooking steaks.
It is also particularly effective when you want to cook low and slow as it allows you to measure the temperature at various points.
Our pick: ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE
Although the ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE doesn’t come cheap, no other thermometer has come closer to it in terms of quality, build, temperature speed, features, and accuracy.
The thermometer has been designed with the objective of ease of use. The screen has been designed to turn on when touched automatically. In addition, the temperature readout has been designed to flip automatically, allowing you always to read it.
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A Basting Brush/Mop
Some recipes require you to baste the meat using a marinade or mop to retain the meat’s moisture and keep it fresh.
A dedicated mop has a more extended handle and a comparatively durable head. The brush that you have in your kitchen might burn. But this one won’t.
Our pick: GRILLHOGS Grill Basting Brush
The GRILLHOGS Grill Basting Brush allows you to enjoy an even spread of marinade, butter, or sauce across your BBQ. This brush effectively transfers a large quantity of thin liquid into whatever you are grilling or smoking. You can put the removable mop in your clothes washer after cleaning it on a partial basis before you put it in.
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A Quality Butcher’s Block
A butcher’s block is necessary, especially if you have committed to a BBQ kitchen. Even considering an average-sized brisket, it won’t fit your standard-sized cutting board. In addition, if you purchase a butcher’s block, your knives will remain sharp.
Our pick: SoulFino Bamboo Butcher Block
The SoulFino Bamboo Butcher Block measures 17 by 13 inches and can easily fit a full-packer brisket. The juice groves ensure that the juices are not transported everywhere when you are cooking or transporting sliced meat. Since the board is treated beforehand, you can use it instantly.
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A Sharp Boning Knife
The boning knife is the most frequently used smoking or grilling equipment. The blade shape of the boning knife is ideal for trimming the fat cap you will find on your brisket or tidying up a slab of ribs.
Our pick: Dexter-Russell Boning Knife
The Dexter-Russell Boning Knife is a budget-friendly boning knife. This knife has a fine edge and is sharp. The 6” is an ideal length to perform several tasks. The handle of the boning knife is comfortable and of a good size.
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A Slicing Knife
If you feel there is a necessity for a boning knife, then you also require a slicing knife. You ought to make the final output presentable. A sharp slicing knife will ensure that your meat tastes better, particularly when you are slicing tri-tip or brisket, because the correct slice will enhance the overall texture.
Our pick: Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife
The Victorinox 12-Inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife has a 12-inch length that is ideal for slicing larger cuts. You will regret using a conventional chef’s knife once you realize you won’t be able to make single clean slices. Another reason to opt for this slicing knife is its affordability factor.
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A Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter
A charcoal chimney is extremely important if you smoke or grill using charcoal. Otherwise, it isn’t a necessity for you. If you are someone who would not choose to stack charcoal above the chemical fire igniters, a charcoal chimney is a fundamental option.
All you need to do is pour the charcoal into the chimney starter. Then scrunch up some paper towels using a few teaspoons of oil and light. Position the chimney on the top of the ball of paper towels, and it’ll be ready to use in 10 or 20 minutes.
Our pick: Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter
The Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter is never an unnecessary choice. It is always a worthwhile purchase only if you purchase the chimney starter that resonates with the quantity of charcoal you usually use.
Nice To Have Accessories And Toys
Here is a list of accessories that aren’t necessary but are a great option if you want to make your grilling or smoking experience relatively smooth and/or if you are interested in showing off to your friends.
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Rib Racks
There are situations when you want to prepare full spare ribs on smokers, such as a Weber Kettle, but adjusting more than a few racks is a problem.
In this situation, you can invest in a few rib racks rather than spending altogether on a large smoker.
Our pick: Sorbus Non-Stick Rib Rack
The Sorbus Non-Stick Rib Rack has the potential to hold up to 4 racks of ribs in an upright position. The wide spacing of the racks ensures that there is sufficient ventilation. Although there are chances that you will have to bear the inconvenience of full-length ribs falling off the edge, you can choose to cut the racks in half. However, that will cut you down on space.
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Pink Butcher Paper
The pink butcher paper is necessary if you wish to become a BBQ addict. The reason behind using butcher paper is that it allows the meat to attain a better bark than aluminum foil. You can opt for any food-grade butcher paper.
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Stainless Steel Grill Basket
A stainless steel grill basket is a feasible option if you’re into cooking vegetables or the like, which is delicate or trim on a grill. Make sure you use olive oil to ensure your food doesn’t stick to the grill brisket. You can also go for a closed basket if you wish to flip fish.
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Black Disposable Gloves
Black disposable gloves are an essential component of the BBQ uniform. They are especially useful when dealing with rubs, meat, or just applying sauce. They will also help you in concealing any rather messy grease stains.
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Bear Claws
Bear claws help in lifting and transferring meat. Although it is a cheaper option to use cloth or gloves, you can go for bear claws if you are committed to becoming a total BBQ badass.
Wrapping It Up
Concludingly, you should opt for any of these accessories only if you wish to spend that amount. But note that investing in any of the accessories mentioned above will make your life easier and your smoking or grilling experience much smoother.
On the other hand, if you have not insulated your smoker, you could also go ahead and do so. As it might improve the life of your smoker.
We have already talked about how to insulate your smoker step by step.