All About Grilling - Hand-Held Equipment for Grilling Outdoors

Having the right utensils, and being prepared and well set-up before you begin cooking outdoors, will help you be more relaxed, stay less sticky and help keep those mad-dash trips into the house to a minimum.  Here is a list of what I consider to be “outdoor cooking essentials:”

• Sharp kitchen scissors or poultry shears—purchase both from a reputable knife company.

• Great knives for carving

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

• Long metal tongs—for the most control, tongs are the best utensil for turning food on a hot grill. Get tongs that are strong, as flimsy ones will make it very clumsy and difficult to grasp food (especially a heavy, butterflied leg of lamb!).

• Long basting brush

• Long turning spatula

• Long pastry brush for basting—or use kitchen twine to tie branches of a sturdy fresh herb like rosemary onto the stem of a long wooden spoon. The fragrant herb will flavor food and you'll protect the more delicate bristles of your pastry brush.

• Long oven mitts—make sure they're in perfect condition (dry, with no holes) for best protection.

• Plastic spray bottle filled with cool water: To easily clean hands or a utensil that falls to the ground.

• Grill brush—to scrape grill after cooking. It's best not to scrape grill right away. The easiest way to remove food from a grill rack is to allow the grill to continue to heat after cooking (open vents all the way) and cover grill. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes and then use your grill brush to brush off any food. Let any food that falls onto coals continue to burn off; then close vents all the way to extinguish fire for the night. It's also a good idea to wipe the hot rack with a cloth dampened with vegetable oil to help keep it in good condition. (If using a gas grill, be sure to use the appropriate grill brush to protect the surface of your rack.)

• Clean kitchen towels (one wet and one dry), or use absorbent paper toweling. Always have both close by you when grilling.