Must Haves for the Backyard Chef

It is one thing to toss some chunks of raw meat on the barbecue and take them off when they are done.

It is quite another to put the versatility of your backyard grill to the test, using all the tools are your disposal to turn a regular old cookout into a gourmet experience of delicious proportions. Put the right accessories at your fingertips (or on your barbecue, as the case may be), and you may start to feel like you have your own cooking show — minus the bright lights and big cameras.

When getting ready for this grilling season, the following barbecue accessories should always be nearby.

A new barbecue. Let’s start right at the top. If you are cooking on a rusted-out grill with burners that are totally shot, you are going to get inconsistent hotspots and uneven cooking. Check out a modern grill with all the amenities — searing burner on the side, rotisserie unit, smoking tube — that will enable you to put backyard gourmet food in front of your friends and family. To make everyone think that you are the BBQ King (or Queen), then why not decide to use some smoker pellets to enhance meat to add extra flavor to your food.

More than burgers and dogs. Your barbecue is a versatile cooking tool. Break out of the mold with the tools to cook more than meat on your grill. A pizza lover’s starter kit includes a pizza stone, stainless steel pizza peel, a pizza wheel and a cheese grater and slicer that also works as a spatula.

Old school charcoal. Even with a gas grill, you don’t have to sacrifice the nostalgia and smokey flavors of old fashioned charcoal grilling. A cast iron charcoal and smoker tray turns any gas grill into a charcoal cooker. Simply insert the tray onto the burners of your gas grill, load it with charcoal and turn on the gas. Once the coals are glowing red, turn off the gas burners and enjoy some “modern” charcoal grilling. If you want to know the best grill to achieve this and get yourself this BBQ season, there are reviews of the best charcoal grills out there to look at, so you know that you’re making the right choice for you.

Marinade …deep inside. Letting your meat rest in a marinade is an age old method of ensuring a juicy, delicious cut of meat. But take that a step further by injecting your favorite marinade deep into your favorite kind of meat. Meat injectors enhance flavor and prevent dryness for a meal you and your guests won’t soon forget.

The latest trend. A Himalayan Salt Platter is the latest and greatest grilling accessory, adding a new level of sophistication to backyard grilling. Use it to sear meats, seafood, and vegetables or chill and serve sushi, sashimi or even ice cream. Good for cooking and serving, it imparts a subtle salt flavor to the food and has a great table presence (that is, it looks good in the middle of the table as everybody grabs their dinner off of it).

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