Useful BBQ Accessories
Tongs
This is the versatile tool of barbecuing, helping you to pick-up, turn or remove your meat from the grill or BBQ. You can get a combination of spatulas and tong, which provides the best of both. Pick one that feels comfortable to use.
Spatulas
Spatulas are great for lifting and flipping larger items. Use two of them to avoid puncturing, slicing or even dropping your meat and keep all the moisture inside.
Skewers
These are crucial in kebab creations and can be wooden or metal. You need to pre-soak wooden ones in water first, otherwise they'll burn. A classy alternative, using Rosemary stems, can be seen in action in our Chicken Rogan Josh Kebabs with a Spicy Mango Salsa recipe.
Small table
It's good to have a table or other surface nearby to act as a base while you're barbecuing. You can use this to keep all your tools, trays and platters handy, without resorting to using the ground!
Food themometer
A lot of people tend to over-cook their meat to be on the safe side, which loses all those valuable juices. But with a food thermometer you can tell the temperature instantly, so you know when your meat is just perfect. They'll cost you roughly £8.00 to £20.00.
Basting brush
Perfect for dabbing, basting or adding a marinade to your meat. If you want to be really classy, get a brush with silicone bristles, which can withstand temperatures over 300 °C.
Wooden Plank
Sounds odd, but barbecuing on a moistened wooden plank is a good way of infusing your food with woody, smoky flavours. Not to mention any wine you might have pre-soaked the plank with. (Make sure the wood is untreated though - best buy a plank intended for BBQ use to be sure.)
Apron and Gloves
Things can get hot and messy around a BBQ, so have some heat-proof gloves handy. Wearing an apron will show everyone who's in charge and protect your party clothes from splats and cinders.
Fish Basket
Fed up with your fish falling to pieces on the BBQ, or having to use foil? This basket will keep everything together while your fish is cooked to perfection.
Chicken Roaster
Some bright spark came up with the idea of using a can of beer stuffed into a chicken to cook it on a BBQ - this expands on the idea by adding stability. You simply insert a can of beer, cider or fruit juice, plonk your chicken on top and let the flavours infuse it whilst it's cooking.
† Image courtesy of Calor BBQ Shop