Tis the season to be jolly…with the ultimate guide to this year’s best barbecue and grilling gifts!
The holiday gift giving season is officially upon us and we’ve got the ultimate list of cool tools and gear for every BBQ and grilling enthusiast on your list, from grills and smokers to tools and small appliances and more!
Among this year’s favorites are:
Take your favorite recipe outside, because everything that can be cooked, will taste better grilled. With its 200-600° temperature range, the Weber SmokeFire wood fired pellet grill is a true All-in-One grill that has the versatility to sear steak as well as it smokes brisket, bakes pie, and everything in between.
INSTANT READ THERMOMETER
Ensure perfectly cooked food every time with the Super-Fast Mk4 Thermapen ($99.00), taking accurate readings in 2-3 seconds. The Thermapen is available in a variety of colors.
BBQ AND GRILLING COOKBOOKS
Cookbooks are a great way to add new recipes and techniques to your BBQ and grilling repertoire. Here are some of our favorites.
Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling by Meathead of AmazingRibs.com
Peace, Love, and Barbecue by Mike and Amy Mills
Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste & Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking by Adam Perry Lang
Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue by Tuffy Stone
Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book: Recipes and Secrets from a Legendary Barbecue Joint by Chris Lilly
The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen
BASTING BRUSH
The large OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush (MSRP $9.99) is the perfect brush for adding sauce to meat during the grilling process. With a long handle perfect for keeping your hand away from the grill heat, the brush works like a natural bristle brush but with the added conveniences of heat resistance, odor resistance and cleanability. The silicone bristles are heat resistant to 600ºF.
REMOTE TEMPERATURE GAUGE
Keep constant track of meat and grill temperatures remotely with the dual channel Smoke Remote Thermometer (MSRP $99.00) from ThermoWorks. Available in a variety of colors, the Smoke includes the base unit, a high temp cooking prob for monitoring meat temperatures, and high temp air probe with grate clip for monitoring the grill temperature.
26-INCH CLASSIC KETTLE CHARCOAL GRILL
A super-sized version of an American classic, the 26-inch Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill (MSRP $299.00) is a must for anyone who enjoys the thrill of grilling over live charcoal.
GRILLGRATES HIGH HEAT GRILL SURFACE
A perfect addition to virtually any grill, the GrillGrate system (MSRP $79.99. Additional sizes available for a variety of grills) lays directly on your existing grate and allows for more even cooking, flare-up resistance, and exceptional sear marks.
If you enjoy making your own BBQ sauces or homemade soups, then the All Clad stainless steel variable speed immersion blender (MSRP $99.95) is a great addition to your kitchen tools arsenal. As anyone who has ever tried to puree hot liquids in a traditional blender, the hot steam created by the blending process can blow the lid off, painting you and the kitchen with scalding hot liquid. Conversely, a stick blender such as the All Clad one allows you to puree the liquids directly in the pot.
GRILLING BASKET
Simplify your vegetable grilling with a stainless steel basket such as the one found here (MSRP $39.95).
A quality chef’s knife and paring knife are a must for any home cook. Razor sharp and perfectly balanced for effortless mincing, dicing, and slicing, the Global 8-inch Chef Knife and 3-inch Paring Knife Set (MSRP $129.95) is perfect for virtually any job. The knifes feature ROMOVA 18 high carbon stainless steel, molded dimpled handles for easy grip, and a lifetime warranty.
PIZZA INSERT FOR KETTLE CHARCOAL GRILLS
Create perfect brick oven style pizza without spending a fortune on a dedicated pizza oven with the Kettle Pizza Oven insert for kettle style charcoal grills (MSRP $99.95-429.95 depending on kit).
Kick back and relax with a cold beverage while your pork butt, brisket, or ribs cook low and slow on the smoker thanks to this folding GCI Outdoor Roadtrip Rocker (MSRP $60.00).
SHREDDING CLAWS
In addition to making you look like Wolverine, shredder claws such as these from Mountain Griller (MSRP $11.99) make shredded pork butts a breeze. They are also wonderful for lifting large cuts of meat off of the grill.
SOUS VIDE IMMERSION CIRCULATOR
Arguably the hottest trend among home cooks, sous vide immersion circulators such as this model from Anova Culinary (MSRP $149.00) are a great way to ensure meats, vegetables, and other ingredients are cooked to perfection. Cooked low and slow in a temperature controlled water bath, foods can then be finished on the smoker or grill for a great sear and smoky flavor.
MEAT INJECTOR
Add flavor deep within large cuts of meat such as brisket, pork butts, whole chickens, and turkeys with this ultra durable injector from Spitjack (MSRP $129.00). The injector comes complete with a variety of removable needles for a variety of injections and is adjustable for does of 1ml to 5ml.
GRATE BRUSH
Remove excess debris from your grill grate between cooks with this 3-sided brush from Weber (MSRP $12.39). Unlike cheaper brushes that can lose bristles and wind up in food for possibly deadly results, this Y-shaped brush features interwoven bristles.
HEAT RESISTANT GRILL GLOVES
Stay safe when removing grates, hot meat, and more with high heat gloves such as these available on Amazon (MSRP $28.11).
Perfect for monitoring the internal temperatures of meat in the oven or on the grill, the BlueDOT Bluetooth Alarm Thermometer (MSRP $69.00)combines the simplicity of DOT, top-rated oven alarm thermometer, with the connectivity of Bluetooth giving you one simple, connected, and powerful thermometer. Simply set your temperature target with the up or down buttons, or right from your smartphone, and BlueDOT will beep when it gets there.
SLICING KNIFE
Create perfect slices with a granton edge slicing knife such as this 11-inch from Mercer Culinary (MSRP $28.84).
CUTTING BOARD
A large cutting board such as this 24-inch version from Catskill Craftsman is a must when slicing brisket, pork loin, whole chicken and more.
INFRARED TEMPERATURE GUN
Take the guesswork out of determining the temperature of your smoker or grill with the Thermaworks Industrial IR Gun (MSRP $69.00). Unlike the built-in temperature gauges on smokers and grills that (often inaccurately) monitor ambient temperature, the infrared gun will instantly tell you the surface temperature of your grill grates and/or griddle.
CHARCOAL CHIMNEY
Skip the lighter fluid and start charcoal cleanly with the Weber Rapid Fire Chimney Starter (MSRP $19.99 and up depending on retailer).
LONG HANDLED SPATULA AND TONGS
A good spatula and tongs are essential for good grilling. We prefer those with long handles such as the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Grilling Set as they keep you as far from the heat as possible.
ARTEFLAME GRILL
Form meets function in this ultra-stylish show stopper. Elevate the art of outdoor cooking with the sleek, contemporary look and outstanding functionality of the Arteflame 40" grill. Building a wood or charcoal fire in the center of the grill, the cook top heats from the center out.
KRUPS COFFEE/SPICE GRINDER
Making your own dry rubs has never been easier thanks to the Krups Fast Touch Grinder ($19.99). Originally created for grinding coffee beans, this inexpensive little beauty is perfect for pulverizing dried spices for your very own signature spice blend!
TRAEGER PELLET SMOKER AND GRILL
Craft amazing wood-fired creations with the Traeger Tex Elite 34 pellet grill (MSRP $899.99). From grilled steak, to smoked ribs, and even a freshly baked apple pie, the set it and forget it ease of use allows any home chef to cook it all. Swap the gas and charcoal barbecue for 100% pure hardwood pellet flavor and grill, smoke, bbq, bake, roast, or braise a masterpiece.
ALL CLAD OUTDOOR COOKWARE SET
All-Clad brings its heavy-duty cookware outdoors with a collection of grilling essentials (MSRP $275, ON SALE FOR $179.85) that offer the same lasting durability as its indoor cousins. Use this versatile set to cook everything from whole chickens and fish to summer vegetables and seafood. Set includes roaster, fry pan and grill.
The first rotating display pocket thermometer, the ThermoPop instant read pocket thermometer (MSRP $34.00) is another innovation from ThermoWorks. The ThermoPop reads temperatures in 3-4 seconds, is splash resistant, and features big backlit digits. The ThermoPop is available in a variety of colors.
Made of heavy-duty porcelain enameled steel, the Weber 18-1/2-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker charcoal smoker (MSRP $ 299.00) makes it easy to enjoy authentic smokehouse flavor at home. The unit comes equipped with two nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates for a total of 481 square inches of cooking space. Other highlights include a water pan, built-in thermometer, individual vents on the bowl and lid, a heat-resistant nylon handle, and a storage cover.