The 6 Things You Need to Get Started Grilling

There are many great grilling accessories, but which ones do you need to get started? Why waste your money on things you don’t need that eventually end up becoming clutter?

We will walk you through the baseline necessities of grilling tools, so you have what you need and save money.

My most frustrating experiences grilling have been planning the timing of a cook. Making sure the main course and side dishes finish at about the same time. It sucks when your perfectly grilled steak is ready, but the baked potatoes still have 30 minutes to cook. The only way to learn is to keep track of what has and what has not worked in the past. Your logbook is the answer, and it will become your best friend.

Now I can just look in my logbook, find something comparable to what’s grilling tonight, and get a sense of timing.

Some things I like to capture in my log include:
• What I’m cooking (type, size, thickness or weight)
• Weather conditions (windy, temperature)
• Number and brand of briquettes
• How long it took for the briquettes to light
• Color of the briquettes when I poured them into the grill
• Clock time on/off the grill

You can get all fancy and make a template if you want. I keep a simple notebook where I capture each cook. We’ll talk more about your logbook and planning cooks in a later blog post.

When working around a grill, things can get hot, and you need heat protection.  This can be anything from a simple hand towel to a kitchen hot pad or heat-resistant gloves. After using a large mitten for many years, I like having a pair of heat-resistant gloves. They provide protection and allow me to continue cooking without having to take off my mitt or use two hands to pick up a tool

There are two primary methods for starting your briquettes: 1) Lighter fluid and 2) using a Charcoal Chimney. You can always use a blow torch as well. I am not kidding! There are torches specifically for grilling that you can use. Most experienced grillers recommend using a Charcoal Chimney over using lighter fluid. Lighter fluid can add a chemical smell to your food, which is the opposite of what we are working toward.

When you are ready for your first cook check out our post “Your First Cook on Your New Weber Kettle”, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about your Charcoal Chimney.

There are different sizes of chimneys – large and small. Which one to use on any given cook depends on what and what grilling method you are using. If your plan is to keep your temperature low, go with the small chimney. If you will be using a large percentage of the grill surface, go with the large chimney. Starting out, if you can only get one, go with the larger size. When you need a smaller number of briquettes, you can count out the number of briquettes.

No matter what you cook, you are going to need some grilling tools to help turn your food once it is on the grill. The primary tools are a pair of tongs and a grill spatula. Think about the right tool for the job. I find it difficult to flip a piece of Mahi Mahi with a pair of tongs; it’s just too delicate. In the same manner, it’s hard to spin a steak to get nice grill lines with a spatula. My go-to tongs are the Grill Hog 16-inch tongs. I like the wood handles and the scalloped edge clamps.

Unless you can gauge doneness by “look and feel”, an instant-read thermometer will be your best friend. My learning is to always get a waterproof thermometer or at least one that is water-resistant. This is for the time it falls into the sink, or you leave it outside in the rain.

Having used thermometers where the probe folds versus a straight unit, definitely go with the folding probe. It gives you more control over how and where you measure the temperature.

Pinky’s Pointers – As your confidence grows, a leave-in Bluetooth thermometer might be a place where you choose to splurge. It is extremely easy to forget about your grill when you are entertaining a group. The last 15 degrees can go by quickly, and then the scramble is on. I like having a Bluetooth-connected thermometer. I can set alarms for both my meat and grate temperatures and enjoy my guests—or just sit and relax! Check out the blog “The Things You Really Want.”

A clean grill grate makes grilling easier. Food is less likely to stick, you won’t have burnt pieces from your last cook hanging around, and you’ll start each cook with a clean cooking surface.

You don’t need anything fancy, but you do need a way to clean your grates. Some grillers swear by a simple ball of aluminum foil. I like to clean my grill after it has heated up and the grates are hot. The heat helps loosen anything left behind from the previous cook, making it much easier to remove. In a perfect world, you could do this immediately after you are done grilling. My problem is that it is now time to eat.

There are several types of grill cleaners available, including brushes, scrapers, and bristle-free coil-style cleaners. If you use a traditional wire-bristle brush, inspect it regularly. The small wire bristles can loosen over time and potentially end up on the cooking grate—or worse, in your food. For that reason, a bristle-free grill cleaner is a good option when you’re buying your first one.

Pinky’s Pointers – You don’t have to get your grill grate looking brand new after every cook. Get rid of the food and buildup, and you’re ready to grill. A little discoloration means your grill gets used—and that’s a good thing!

Once you pour the briquettes into your Kettle, you will want to arrange the charcoal to match the cooking method you are using. You can learn more in our post “Cooking Methods For Your Weber Kettle”. If you need to rearrange your briquettes, you will need a utensil or tool that will allow you to move and rearrange your hot briquettes. There are specialty charcoal tongs that will do the job nicely. That said, I simply replaced my cooking tongs this past spring and my old pair is now exclusively used for arranging briquettes