by Catalogs.com Info Guru Paul Seaburn
I’m a grilling guy. I like to grill in any season and in any weather.
I think anything and everything tastes better when it’s grilled. I’d grill my morning oatmeal if I could figure out a way to keep it on the grate.
If you’re looking for a gift for a grilling fanatic like me, you know that half the fun is having a grill that’s bigger than his next-door neighbor’s, and the other half is having cooler grilling accessories than he does too. Cooking outdoors is not all fun and games – the right grilling accessories make the preparation easy, the grilling more efficient and the cleanup a snap.
Here’s my top ten grilling accessories for dads who like stripes on whatever they eat.
10. Big Grabbers
Those little kitchen tongs can’t handle big burgers, chicken halves and slabs of beef that need flipping. Get a grip on his grilling with wide-surface tongs that have long, rigid handles to help turn the meat while he avoids the heat.
9. Turn, Don’t Burn
Grill marks belong on the meat, not his hands. Protect his fingers from hot surfaces with a pair of high heat gloves. He’ll thank you when someone bumps the grill and he’s able to grab the hot grate and meat before your child or dog does.
8. A Little Variety
Sure, he’s the king of burgers and brats, but even the Monty Python crew occasionally tried something completely different. It’s not unmanly to read instructions of they’re in a cookbook filled with tasty grilling recipes, so get a good one and experiment and enjoy.
7. Fly Away
Keep the flies away and get some exercise (or at least have some fun) with an electric fly racket or a good old-fashioned and effective fly swatter. Give him four, and he can enlist the kids and he won’t have to get any badminton birdies off the roof while you cook.
6. A Cool Dip
No, not the onion-and-sour-cream kind – your grandmother will bring that. Nothing beats a cool dip in a backyard pool after an afternoon in front of a hot barbecue. Plus it will keep the kids from asking when the food will be ready.
5. Let There Be Light
When he gets a taste for grilled brats at midnight and he doesn’t want to wake up the rest of the house with the backyard lights, a light that attaches to the grill will keep the surface lit so he knows when the sausages are done. Of course, the smell cause the rest of the family to let him know too.
4. Brush After Every Meal
Just like his teeth, his grill grate should be cleaned while it’s still hot. A combination scrubber-brush-and-scraper makes cleanup a snap. The bits come off easier when the grill is hot and his surface will be clean and ready to go the next time he cooks.
3. Kabob It
Kabob skewers are great for grilling chunks of meat, veggies and fruits, but he’d rather the goodies stuck to the skewer rather than the grate. An elevated skewer rack solves the problem and makes it quick and easy to flip the kabobs for even cooking.
2. Rack ‘Em Up
When grill-top space is at a premium, go with a grill rack. It’s a great way to cook a lot of potatoes or ears of corn at once and it’s the perfect setup for ribs too.
1. Breakfast Barbecue
Be the world’s greatest outdoor diner cook with a nonstick cast iron griddle for your grill. Bacon, eggs, pancakes and other breakfast foods taste fantastic when prepared outdoors and the nonstick surface makes cleanup a breeze.