Where can’t I go outside?

If you look around a barbecue store, you will see an incredible amount of tools. Some of them belong to the “gadget” category, or in other words they look nice, but they don’t really add any value. Like, for example, a BBQ letter pliers that allow you to burn texts into the meat. In addition, however, you have a whole range of accessories that have terde functional utility. I’ll discuss those later in this blog, when we get past the basics. However, there are a few accessories you can’t do without and will need from the very first moment. If you’re a complete barbecue “newbie,” buy it right away.

Basic tools
Many barbecuers stand with a kitchen fork turning meat over the fire or fidgeting with a pair of Euro grill tongs. Do yourself a favor and invest some money in a decent stainless steel grill set with spatula, tongs and brass grill brushes. By sound I mean tools that do not bend over when a hefty piece of meat is lifted, as cheap ones always do.

Core thermometer
With a core thermometer, you can accurately determine the temperature of the inside of your meat. An indispensable tool if you want perfect barbecue. Such a thermometer does not have to be expensive, but for a little more money you can have a digital device with alarm clock that can be read remotely.

Heat-resistant gloves
Of course, you can use a tea towel to lift the boiling-hot lid/grate of the barbecue, or to wrap your hand when you’re turning meat over the fire, but really, a pair of good BBQ gloves are well worth the investment.

Extra grilling tongs
While barbecuing, you work with raw and with cooked meat. Always clean the grill tongs you use to put raw meat on the barbecue before reusing them to turn or take off meat to avoid cross-contamination (pathogenic bacteria getting from one product to another). In practice, it is much more convenient to use an extra grill tong.

Briquette starter
As you will read later, a briquette starter is not absolutely necessary, as you can get a fire going even without this tool. With the starter, it’s just faster and, above all, much easier.

Fuel
Depending on whether you will be grilling or barbecuing (and your personal preference), you will need charcoal or briquettes. I have explained the difference between cheap junk and quality fuel before, so don’t let anyone tell you that such a bale from the gas pump or supermarket gives the same results. Cheap is expensive in this case, because you need much more fuel (the cheap stuff burns up much faster). Not to mention potentially ingested ingredients.

Lighting cubes or kindling wicks
You use these cubes or wicks to start a fire that ignites the charcoal or briquettes. It can take a while to light the firelighters, so a box of long matches also comes in handy. Or even better, a gas lighter or a soldering torch. Ideal is also a so-called foliage lighter, but they are very pricey.

Wood chips (if you are going to smoke)
I will come back to wood chips at length, but if you want to smoke you will need them in any case. For smoker barbecue, they are indispensable (unless you use real wood).