Any guy with serious grilling skills knows that the best BBQ depends on having the proper tools and equipment. unfortunately, many backyard cookout chefs step up to the flames armed with little more than a fork and a spatula. Where's the fun in that?

One of the great benefits of owning a grill--gas or charcoal--is that it provides the perfect excuse to buy some really cool tools.

For starters, you definitely need a set of long-handle barbecue utensils, some sort of side table or carrying tray and a work light for nighttime grilling. Clamp-on lights are popular, but I prefer a floor-standingmodel, which you can move around more easily. A motorized rotisserie is handy for roasting whole birds and large pieces of meat. And if you enjoy shish-kebab, invest in a set of steel skewers. However, to raise your grilling game to the next level--and to increase the chances of creating memorable meals--consider these eight great grilling accessories.

1. Fork It Over | $13

You gotta love the name of this cleverly designed barbecue fork that looks like a weapon from Braveheart. It has two long, stout tines--as any respectable BBQ fork should have--and a 13-in.-long hardwood handle. However, what makes this fork nasty (in a good way) is that protruding from each side of the main tines are two sharpened spikes designed for flipping over slabs of meat with just a twist of the wrist. This fork just might be the perfect gift for the carnivore in your life.

2. Dual Grill/Griddle Pan | $20

This versatile grill-top accessory takes the frustration out of cooking small and delicate foods, such as vegetables, seafood and fruit, that have a tendency to fall through cooking grates. It's also useful for searing all cuts of meat. the split-personality pan has a solid, ridged griddle on one side (for steaks, chicken and fish) and a perforated grill (for shellfish and vegetables) on the other. It measures 12 by 16 in., and is finished with nonstick porcelain enamel for easy cleaning.

3. The Vertical Chicken Roaster | $30

As its name so proudly proclaims, the VCR holds a whole chicken--up to 12 pounds--upright as it roasts. This heavy-duty, stainless-steel skewer has a center reservoir that holds 12 ounces of beer, which adds flavor and moisture to the chicken as it cooks. (You could also use water, but why?) This particular beer chicken roaster stands out from the rest thanks to an integral 12-in.-dia. cooking pan, which allows you to simultaneously fire-roast vegetables.

4. The Grillslinger Utensil Belt | $55

It's a carpenter's tool belt designed for backyard grillers. think Norm Abram meets Bobby Flay. made of breathable, durable nylon, the belt has three pouches and comes equipped with a stainless-steel spatula and tongs. the insulated third pouch holsters a 12-ounce beverage can or bottle. the belt's quick-snap buckle adjusts to a generous 60 in. wide, and the price includes the personalized touch of a capital letter monogrammed onto one of the pouches.

5. Deluxe Interchangeable Branding Set | $80

Unlike any meat-branding tool I've ever seen, this kit comes with two branding irons and an entire alphabet of capital letters--plus an ampersand symbol--so you can personalize grilled meats for your guests. Simply clamp up to three letters into the branding iron, then set it over the grill. once it's hot, press the iron against the cooked meat to brand it. is this a great country or what?

6. Grill Alert Talking Meat Thermometer | $75

This high-tech temperature taker pages you with audible updates as meat cooks on the grill. Simply insert the stainless-steel probe into the meat, select the meat type (beef, lamb, veal, hamburger, pork, turkey, chicken or fish), then choose how you want it cooked (rare, medium rare, medium or well done). Clip the remote receiver onto your belt and walk away to mingle with guests or work in the yard while dinner cooks. the wireless transmitter can send temperature readings up to 300 ft. away. A voice prompt will alert you when the meat is "almost ready," and then again when it's "ready." the transmitter requires two AA batteries; the receiver runs on two AAAs (batteries not included). If you're looking for something a little less sophisticated--in other words, less expensive--check out the Chef's Thermometer Fork ($30), which has an instant stab-it-and-read-it digital temperature display.

7. Oxo Good Grips Silicone Barbecue Mitt | $25

Go ahead and laugh, but the next time you singe your knuckles reaching over a hot grill, you'll wish you were wearing this 17-in.-long breakthrough in oven-mitt technology. made of soft, pliable silicone, it's heat-resistant to 600 F for superior protection from high temperatures, flames and steam. the mitt's interior is lined with soft, stay-cool fabric to help eliminate sweating. its grooved-silicone gripping surface offers greater flexibility and improved slip resistance, and the extra-long cuff protects your wrist and forearm. the Good Grips mitt fits on the right or left hand, and has a convenient hanging loop and an embedded magnet for attachment to metal surfaces.

8. The Propane Gas Monitor Gauge | $22

Forever end the frustration and humiliation of running out of gas in the middle of a big cookout--because there's nothing sadder than a partially seared sirloin slowly turning cold. Simply thread the gauge onto your gas cylinder, and then connect the grill's regulator. Both connections are hand-tightened, so no wrench is needed. the needle gauge and color-coded display window give clear indications of the gas level: Green (plenty of fuel), Yellow (early warning) and Red (running on fumes). for improved accuracy, the gauge even compensates for the air temperature by use of temperature bands: Hot, Cool, and Cold. (Propane vaporizes at different rates depending on air temperature, and that wreaks havoc with lesser gas gauges.) for a precise reading, simply match the band with the day's approximate air temperature. Note that this particular gauge fits all propane tanks (up to 100 pounds) manufactured after 1995.

Top 8 Tools for Backyard Summer BBQs

Now, don't get me wrong. It's fun. We're doing a big Kansas City Barbeque Society-inspired contest at Meatopia, the beer-and-meat extravaganza I'm co-organizing for Governor's Island on July 11th (Buy tickets now!). but the contest is for entertainment purposes only. as anyone who has ever competed in a barbecue competition knows, the actual events are ludicrous, laughable absurdities when it comes to actually handing out the awards. The judges consist of dozens of random people, who may or may not know anything about barbecue, and whose only qualification consists of being local "celebrities," or, worse still, vulgarians who have just completed a three-hour "certification" seminar in which they were taught the difference between chicken and pork.

At least in the Kansas City Barbeque Society, there are a class of "master judges" who have actually been to great barbecues and so have a working standard of excellence; but even that august body has no consensus on what to look for. One may like his brisket fattier, another leaner; one may look for a toothsome tug in a rib, while another enjoys the decadent sensation of feeling it slip off the bone with only a virginal shudder of pleasure.

In any case, master judges are as rare as coelacanths, and the bigger the contest is, the more bloated bodies and deadened, fatigued palates are needed to keep up with the rush of ribs, brisket, chicken, and pulled pork. Meats, it should be remembered, that was so lovingly prepared and plated all night, only so it could rot in unventilated, uninsulated white containers. The judges all write down random numbers and choose a random winner, and the contestants seethe over the injustice. And they're right to seethe.

I've competed in these things, and I've judged them, and I can tell you that they are utterly bogus in terms of their ability to honor and discern the best barbecue as a meeting of the Vegan Motherhood League would be. Yes, the top teams tend to place as often as not, but that's more a testament to their consistency than to the judges not being a mindless mosh pit of prejudice and low standards. If they wanted to have a real contest, there wouldn't even be sauce involved!

That said, if you can ever get to a contest, do so. The best barbecue in America isn't served at any restaurant: it's the stuff that's slaved over like an amuse bouche at The French Laundry, rather than turned out by the half-ton and kept in warming boxes. Barbecue contests are futile for the contestants, ignominious for the judges, but for all that, a noble effort all the way around. They're the heart of barbecue today, which is why it's such a shame that they are run with all the intelligence of a strip club applause meter.

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Barbecue Frauds and Fallacies

I'm using this small, portable charcoal grill for one of the first times going camping, and I was just wondering how long I'm supposed to cook hotdogs, burgers and chicken on it? the hotdogs and burgers might be pretty easy to tell if they're done just by looking at them, but the chicken breast probably won't be.

I know how to cook with charcoal, you just pile them up, soak em in lighter fluid, light em and then flatten em out on the grill. Wait til they get ashy and glowy and then start cooking. I'm just not sure how long...if I were grilling chicken over gas, probably about 10-15 minutes total.

Also...I have a hibachi style grill...it has two wire grids, one is closer to the bottom than the other. I'm just wondering, am I supposed to put the charcoals at the very bottom of the grill, or on the lower grid? Or can you do either to control the heat intensity?
I will be cooking these items on separate nights...the grill is small, diameter is only about 18 inches.
I'm pretty sure that to prevent e-coli, the meat just has to be at a certain temperature, not color. otherwise, everything at restaurants would have to be served well done.

How long to cook hotdogs, hamburgers and chicken breast over charcoal?

(2 of 2)

> Gas vs. charcoal? Gas. With charcoal, it's difficult to reach the right temperature."

Fish

> what you'll need: Swordfish, sea bass and salmon are grill-friendly fish. A no. 1 sushi-grade yellowfin tuna is good for its combination of ease and flavor. to ensure freshness, make sure the tuna has firmness, a dark hue and minimal odor.

> how to grill it: you can choose a balsamic vinaigrette marinade or marinate the tuna in teriyaki sauce for just a couple of minutes before grilling.

> Top tip: Don't overcook. A piece of tuna about an inch thick should take about two minutes on each side for medium.

> Gas vs. charcoal? Charcoal is always better tasting and natural and gives a better smoky flavor to fish.

Chicken

> what you'll need: Dark meat thrives on the grill because it doesn't tend to dry out like white meat.

> how to grill it: Brush olive oil onto the grill, then cook chicken thighs or breasts at a medium temperature on an open grill to bring out the flavor in the chicken. Even the simplest recipes will work, even if you only add salt, pepper and olive oil. the internal temperature should be 160 degrees for breasts and 170 degrees for dark meat before serving.

> Top tip: if you can keep your hand above the flame for four seconds, you've got the right amount of heat for grilling chicken. if the flame is too hot for your hand, the bird will lose its flavor; kick it up a notch if your hand is still comfortable after six or seven seconds.

> Gas v. charcoal? Charcoal. it gives that extra flavor because of the charcoal.

Veggies

> what you'll need: Lots of vegetables work well on the grill, from the fancy (radicchio and endive) to the usual (onions and asparagus) to the surprisingly familiar (lettuce and carrots).

> how to grill it: Medium temperatures, no higher, are perfect. Brushing a vegetable with olive oil makes it crispy on the outside. Grill time for most vegetables top out about 10 minutes, but the thin, delicate nature of some (like lettuce) should skew closer to three or four minutes.

> Top tip: Never leave the grill, especially when the food you're cooking doesn't need much time on it.

> Gas v. charcoal: Gas. you can control the temperature better.

Great grilling starts at grocery store

(I-Newswire) May 25, 2010 - if past Memorial Day celebrations are any indication of this Memorial Day 2010 weekend, families will be heading to the store to buy charcoal, or filling up their propane tanks and cleaning their gas grills.

But before you make that trip to the store for your barbeque supplies, make sure to take a minute to plan ahead for your event.

Whether you plan on serving American-Southern style barbecue or Kansas City-style bbq, your next party will be a outdoor cooking extravaganza if you'll take the time to carefully plan for everything you need.

Barbecue grills need attention, especially if this weekend will be the first time you fire up the grill this season. Whether you will be cooking and serving beef, pork, grilled chicken, turkey, or any other bbq food, it's important to make sure you take the time to thoroughly clean your gas or electric grill before cooking foods, smothered in bbq sauce and simmered to that delicious smoky flavor.

The USDA food safety handouts advise you to be careful not to cross contaminate your meat when placing steaks, chicken, or pork onto your grill. Always make sure to cook the meat to the proper temperature.

After all, nobody wants to come for entertainment, and have to leave friends after dinner because of becoming ill from food served. also, make sure to clean the grill parts before placing meat onto the cooking surface, and allow the charcoal grill or propane grill to heat up to kill any germs left behind.

Now that you're ready to capture all the flavors in your bbq gas grill, it's time to check for all the ingredients you'll need to serve up that delicious bowl of chicken salad or potato salad. You'll want to take a minute to head to the kitchen and dig out your favorite recipes from the recipe box.

Finally, you'll want to double check you have the foods and meats you need for any appetizers or side dishes you plan to serve to your guests with the bbq, including with any paper plates, Styrofoam cups, and any other condiments you'll need to turn your backyard into a "home style restaurant". of course, if you

forget anything that you'll need for the menu, you can always have your family and friends pick it up really quick before coming over to the party.

Memorial Day weekend 2010 is a great time for bbq grilling, slow cooking your meat in zesty barbecue sauce over that homemade fire pit, and if you live in the South, sitting around the smoker with friends, drinking an ice cold glass of sweet tea.

Come next weekend, everyone will be giving rave reviews about the best bbq event of the season.

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BBQ - Memorial Day BBQ Party For Grilling Steaks & Baby Back Ribs