Holiday Gift Guide 2018: Essential Grill Accessories
Here at Fire and Flavor, we like to keep meals simple. You don't need a ton of grilling gadgets to create flavorful, healthy, delicious recipes. That said, there are a few grill accessories we simply can't live without. These affordable, classic necessities make the perfect holiday gift for anyone in your life who loves grilling and cooking.
Grill Brush
This item may be overlooked, or it may be the first thing that's bought alongside a new grill. A high-quality brush is important to keep grill grates clean so food doesn't stick.
Cedar Grilling Wraps
Some of us are lucky enough to live in climates where we can cook outdoors year-round. Winter isn't that kind everywhere, and often it's too cold or snowy to make spending time in the backyard enjoyable. Cedar wraps produce a similar smoky flavor and can be used indoors on the oven or stovetop. (And on the grill as well, of course!) These unique grilling items will open up a host of fun recipes and experiments for your favorite cook. As a bonus, they'll easily fit in a stocking.
Thermometer
Safety is always first! Though there are many fancy and expensive cooking thermometers, sometimes less is more. A simple digital monitor is less cumbersome and does the trick, making sure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and ensuring your steak, pork and fish are cooked just to your liking.
Fire Starters
We believe in grilling with all-natural products to avoid negative health effects and maintain the natural taste of grilling with natural charcoal or briquettes. Made simply from biomass or paraffin wax and paperboard, our tasteless, odorless and clean-burning fire starters don't include any toxic ingredients, such as coal, limestone, oil or petroleum, which can be harmful to the environment and your health.
Grilling Tongs
While grilling tongs are definitely a grilling must-have, we find ourselves using these Oxo Good Grips Locking Tongs on a daily basis in the kitchen. Whether we are mixing roasted vegetables, tossing salad or flipping grilled meats, we always have this trusted tool around. We like these tongs because they lock easily, they’re lightweight and they've proven to be very sturdy.
Grill Basket
A grilling wok’s shape should make it easier to toss vegetables on the grill. With its sleek and smooth design, there are no edges for residue or vegetable pieces to get caught on. Great to set over a plank when it comes time to roast your favorite vegetables. We love tossing green beans over a smoky plank and finishing with pecans and crumbled blue cheese. We also enjoy cooking par-boiled baby potatoes in this tool- tossed with olive oil, rosemary, fresh garlic, and finished with a vinaigrette for a lighter take on potato salad.
Cedar Grilling Planks
Obviously, we are a little biased here. We love cooking with cedar planks, and they're a huge part of our company's heritage. They're especially useful for those intimidated by cooking fish. Cedar planks are a great way to add natural flavors to your favorite seafood, and ensure that it doesn’t fall apart on the grill. If you’re a last-minute griller, keep pre-soaked planks in the freezer and throw them on the grill without having to think too far in advance.