Tech and Tips to Help You Become a BBQ Master!

There’s nothing quite like waking up from an afternoon nap to sunshine, beer, and a plate of baby back ribs. Summer is here—and as the smell of barbecue and charcoal permeates the air, you might be wondering if you have what it takes to embark on the path of the Grill Master yourself. Eager to host a BBQ of your own but not sure where to start? We’ve compiled a list of tips, tech and tricks to help you become a BBQ Master this summer.

Pick a Grill

You can’t have a barbecue without a barbecue grill—or at least some means of roasting food over a fire. In general there are three different types of grills, and the one you choose to use depends on your needs.

Gas Grill

For the grill master in a hurry who needs to feed a large group of people, gas grills combine the convenience of a gas oven with the fun of an outdoor barbecue. If you want to quickly fire up a meal on the grill without having to worry too much about preparation or clean up, this is the grill for you. Keep in mind however that you won’t be able to smoke meats or get that woody charcoal flavor that comes from a traditional grill.

Charcoal Grill

The good old fashioned charcoal grill is essential for that classic smoky barbecue flavor. It can take upwards 45 minutes to an hour to light the charcoal and warm up the grill, but you are rewarded for your time and effort with genuine char broiled, smoky flavor profile that barbecues are known for. Kettle grills are the most popular in this category, due to their smaller size, and for your classic hotdogs, burgers and steaks. If you want to smoke your meats for a longer period of time get a horizontal barrel grill, and you’ll be able to serve barbecue classics like Texas style brisket or smoked corn beef.

Electric Grill

If you live in the city, but still want to get in on that barbecue grilling action, the electric grill was made for you. Electric grills are safer and allow you to bypass fire regulations that prevent the use of gas or charcoal grills. Since they use electricity to heat grill plates you’ll still get those nice grill marks on your hot dogs and burgers. However keep in mind that the lack of a fire means no smoke in the flavor.

Grill Master’s Checklist

Before you can host a barbecue, there are a few things you’ll need to pick up. You can use the following checklist to make sure you have everything you need to start grilling.

Spatula

A Grill Master’s best friend, next to his or her grill of course, is the spatula. It will allow you to flip burgers, steaks, and whatever else you choose to cook on the grill in style. Ideally you want a nice flat non-stick spatula with a solid grip that will allow you to easily slide in under a roasting piece of meat. The best spatulas allow you to flip a filet of fish with the flick of a wrist without breaking it.

Tongs

Sometimes it helps to have a pair of tongs to make handling things like sausages or hotdogs easier. A nice pair of tongs is like an extra pair of fireproof hands. With your spatula this will be one of the most used pieces in your arsenal. If you’re grilling scallops, cobbed corn, or hot links, you’ll be glad you invested in a nice pair of tongs. You can find both tongs and spatulas together in most grill sets.

Roasting Rack

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as roasting a whole pig on your grill. A roasting rack just makes life easier and can prevent moisture in your meat from boiling all the flavor out as you grill. A simple V-shaped rack will do, and probably cost you next to nothing too.

Oil Can/Spray

There’s nothing worse than having to scrape bits of burnt meat off of your precious grill after a lengthy cookout. Prevent hours of frustration by drizzling oil over your grill or using an oil mister before you cook. Once you’ve tried cooking with oil you’ll never go back.

Grill Mitts and Apron

If you’re aiming to be the BBQ Master, you’d best look the part—a nice apron and a pair of gloves will keep your clothes clean and your hands safe. Grills can get pretty hot and a nice pair of mitts can be the difference between a good time and 2nd degree burns.

Grill Brush

If you want your grill to last a long time, proper maintenance is important. A nice stainless steel brush will shred through char and grime to leave your grill grates slick and clean.

BBQ Torch

Why fumble with matches when you can light the grill instantly with a nice grill torch? Pro tip, instead of using lighter fluid to help get the fire started, drizzle the coals in vegetable oil. This will prevent the chemicals from lighter fluid from contaminating your food.

Tech Up with one of these BBQ Apps

Knowledge is power, and thanks to modern technology and the ubiquity of smartphones, learning how to grill has never been easier. Level up your grill game with one of these BBQ apps.

Grill-It!
If you’re looking for new recipe ideas to tantalize your guests, pick up Grill-It! from the app store. You’ll gain access to BBQ recipes to help you cook lamb, seafood, poultry, and beef. You’ll stay up to date on new grilling recipes as they are automatically updated to their database.

Grill Time
The perfect sidekick for the tech savvy Grill Master, Grill Time provides times, temperatures and instructions for all kinds of foods. Easily track and manage multiple items with the swipe and tap of a finger so that you can nail that perfectly well done steak. As an added bonus, the app is also available for the Apple Watch, making it even easier to use while you grill.

Pit Pal BBQ
Those looking to track and measure their grilling performance should download Pit Pal BBQ to their smartphones. There’s a slick interface for adding temperatures for different foods, tracking temperatures in graphs, noting cooking events like mopping or adding more wood, and storing pictures of previous meals. You can even rate your success and upload all the data to Excel, XML, or Text files. Add this app to your repertoire and you’ll be well on your way to becoming Master of the Grill